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Start with a written brief, then compare candidates on relevant project experience, the people who will actually do the work, technical approach, references, and clear contract terms. Adobe Commerce credentials and partner claims can help you verify expertise, but no badge or portfolio alone proves that a provider is right for your store.
Define the work before you look for a provider
Write down the business problem and the result you need, such as improving a checkout flow, connecting an ERP, or maintaining an existing store. Specify whether the store runs Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source, including its version. Also list the current customizations, extensions, integrations, storefront requirements, deadline, and any delivery constraints.
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Be clear about what happens after launch: whether you need a one-time handover, ongoing development capacity, or continuing maintenance and support. A brief does not need to be a full specification; it needs enough detail for candidates to identify the work, assumptions, and skills involved.
Match the team to the project
Decide whether the work is a bounded task for one specialist, ongoing individual capacity, or a multidisciplinary project. Adobe’s migration-focused guidance recommends evaluating technical strengths against project goals and considering roles such as project management, QA, developers, business stakeholders, and technical leads. Applying that role-alignment principle to general hiring is useful, but the roles you need depend on your project.
#1 Best Overall
Ask each agency or developer to identify who will design, build, review, test, deploy, and support the work. A sales contact or senior specialist may not be the person assigned to your account.
Shortlist for relevant experience, not broad claims
Look for work that resembles your platform, version, integrations, and level of customization. Ask candidates for case studies that explain their role, the work delivered, and the outcome. A polished portfolio is a starting point for questions, not independent proof of quality.
Request references from clients with comparable needs. Ask what the provider delivered, how changes and defects were handled, whether communication was effective, and what support was available after launch. Where practical, speak to the client directly rather than relying only on a testimonial selected by the vendor.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCheck credentials and partner claims carefully
Adobe’s current Commerce certification overview lists Professional and Expert tracks for developers and front-end developers, as well as a Master architect track. Check current credential details through Adobe’s certification overview, and verify credentials for the individuals who would work on your project. A credential is evidence of a person’s certification status, not a guarantee of delivery quality or a substitute for relevant experience.
Do not treat an old Magento partner badge as proof of current standing. Adobe’s brand guidelines say partner and credential programs transitioned to Adobe programs and badges in April 2021, and old Magento partner badges are retired. If a company claims current partner status, ask it to substantiate that claim through Adobe’s current resources. Adobe’s Commerce ecosystem overview describes partner services alongside training, certification, documentation, and developer resources.
A Marketplace listing is not an agency endorsement. Adobe’s extension review applies to listings submitted to the Commerce Marketplace; Adobe describes automated checks and manual QA covering documentation, code structure, security, performance, scalability, and compatibility. That review does not certify an agency or cover every third-party extension.
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Ask how the provider will build and protect the solution
Ask candidates to explain their proposed architecture and dependencies in terms you can evaluate. A credible proposal should connect technical choices to your requirements and address how the work fits the store’s existing customizations and integrations.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Security and upgrades: What security considerations and upgrade path apply to the proposed changes?
- Testing: What will be tested, by whom, and how will you see that acceptance criteria have been met?
- Deployment and recovery: How will changes reach production, and what is the rollback approach if deployment causes a problem?
- Defects and changes: How will defects be reported and resolved, and how will scope changes be estimated and approved?
- Handover: What documentation, access, and knowledge transfer will you receive when the work is complete?
These are practical buyer questions, not a checklist Adobe publishes for selecting vendors. The point is to see whether the provider can explain the approach, risks, and responsibilities rather than offering only a broad promise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare proposals on the same basis
Use the same comparison criteria for every candidate. This helps expose differences in assumptions and delivery plans that a headline price can hide.
| What to compare | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Project fit | Relevant platform and version experience, comparable work, and evidence of outcomes. |
| Assigned team | Named people and responsibilities for design, development, review, testing, deployment, and support; current credentials for individuals where claimed. |
| Technical approach | Architecture, integrations, security, testing, deployment and rollback, upgrade implications, and handover. |
| Delivery management | Communication cadence, project management, QA, escalation path, milestones, and acceptance criteria. |
| Scope and ownership | Deliverables, assumptions, exclusions, access arrangements, ownership of work, and change-control process. |
| Support and cost | Post-launch support expectations, response arrangements, total cost, and commercial terms. |
Ask each provider to put deliverables, assumptions, exclusions, milestones, acceptance criteria, ownership and access, support, and change control in writing. Clarify what is included in the quoted cost and what would be treated as additional work. Resolve material gaps and check references before signing.
Choose the provider whose evidence matches your needs
An independent developer may suit a narrowly defined task or a need for individual capacity; an agency may be a better fit when the project calls for several roles. Neither label establishes trust. Choose based on the proposed team, relevant evidence, a sound and understandable plan, references, and written terms that make responsibilities and support clear.
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Adobe’s team-evaluation guidance is specifically about migration preparation. Its advice to align team strengths with project goals can inform broader vendor selection, but the comparison criteria and interview questions above are practical recommendations rather than Adobe’s published vendor-scoring standard.
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