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New Responsive website VS Plugin

by stub13
5 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
    • |
Hi All,

So I am a newbie to the forum and am looking for your professional opinion on a issue that keeps cropping up with regards to Responsive website design upgrades.

The normal scenario is that an existing clients Wordpress website is NOT responsive or mobile friendly, and after recommending a NEW responsive and mobile friendly website to your client, they freak out at the fact that you do not simply put in a Wordpress plugin with a "few additional lines of code" and make it responsive for a lower price than the cost of a new website.

Assumptions: Currently a website that the business relies on for revenue generation, and it must look and function properly with minimal scope for downtime or errors. Also, all graphical design element, branding etc remain the same.

My question is this.
For the average Wordpress based website that has multiple pages, a product catalogue, over 50 products, and multiple conversion points, but is just short of being a E-Commerce site, would you use a plugin to make your clients website responsive and mobile friendly? If so, do you really believe that a plugin is the best for a long term solution?

I am interested to know if this is a frequently asked question or frustration by clients that need to make their website Responsive and Mobile Friendly, and if anyone else encounters issues with clients that refuse the pay the price of a NEW responsive website, compared to simply installing a plugin with a "few lines of code"?

Personally I am not hell bent on only providing the new website option, however my developers are. Their argument is that there is no way a plugin can upgrade a website as mentioned above to the same standard as building a new website which is Responsive and Mobile Friendly.

What are your thoughts?

Are they right?
#plugin #responsive #website
  • Profile picture of the author JaMoke
    Developers are right. The client needs to upgrade to a complete new site. You need to go into the strong sell and let them know that there is no plugin that does that. If they want to go the cheap route now by using a third party or something similar, it will cost them more later. They have over 50 products they should be more than able to afford a new wordpress site. I would not do any cheap fix, all or nothing, update the complete site.

    Where do they get off thinking that adding a few lines of code is cheaper than a new site? I would say that is custom coding and that isn't cheap, plus it gives us more problems. Charge more for this option and explain it to them, this is no shortcuts on price.

    I actually just had a client who really thought that they didn't need an upgrade to their site from 2002. So your not the only one dealing with these types. Besides that client there are lots of them who just don't see the reason to update their site. They don't even know how many sales they have probably missed just by having an old site and nobody will tell them.
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  • Profile picture of the author 3wCorner
    You need a responsive web theme not a plugin in order for your website to become responsive.
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  • Profile picture of the author stub13
    Hi Guys,

    Thank you very much for your feedback, greatly appreciated.

    Very happy to hear what my developers have been saying.

    Great to have a outside opinion.

    Much appreciated!
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  • Profile picture of the author imsolutionsgroup
    Let the client know that when you create a dedicated mobile website for them... you're building a website which is meant for mobile devices and it will convert better for your client.

    Desktop websites and mobile websites target 2 different users. Why present them with the same website?

    When you do create the dedicated mobile website, make sure you properly setup the redirects so you don't get penalized by Google. A lot of developers either skip or forget this step.
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  • Profile picture of the author IdosellShop
    RWD + mobile app is must right now, for B2B for B2C RWD might be enough for now.
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