I'd start by making two lists.
List #1 - Write down all the stuff you like about your current website.
List #2 - Write down all the stuff you don't like.
Take List#2 and put a dollar amount you're willing to spend next to each thing you don't like.
Follow Joe's advice, don't look for solutions that seem to have it "all covered" - look for the solutions that solve some of the things on List #2.
If you think that you've found some that address these issues then go through the site as if you were buying a car. Take notes.
Offer a free oil change to customers who will sit down and do some user testing and have them use your website and one provided by a vendor you are considering. This is called usability testing and websites with millions of visitors per month will spend 10s to 100s of thousands of dollars on this before they rollout a new feature.
Finally, give the provider a call and see how comfortable you are in talking with them and whether you feel they can address your issues. Ask them about new features they are working on. Ask if you can speak to some of their current clients.
If you are really crazy, find some local tech meetups where developers hang out and just show up. There are some great ones on SEO, design, programming, etc. etc. You'll be amongst those who are typically building sites or maintaining sites with millions of users, but you can apply that knowledge to your own site and it will make your decision making process so much easier.
Also, another benefit to attending a meetup is that you can show them your website and they can provide incredible feedback and it's free!
List #1 - Write down all the stuff you like about your current website.
List #2 - Write down all the stuff you don't like.
Take List#2 and put a dollar amount you're willing to spend next to each thing you don't like.
Follow Joe's advice, don't look for solutions that seem to have it "all covered" - look for the solutions that solve some of the things on List #2.
If you think that you've found some that address these issues then go through the site as if you were buying a car. Take notes.
Offer a free oil change to customers who will sit down and do some user testing and have them use your website and one provided by a vendor you are considering. This is called usability testing and websites with millions of visitors per month will spend 10s to 100s of thousands of dollars on this before they rollout a new feature.
Finally, give the provider a call and see how comfortable you are in talking with them and whether you feel they can address your issues. Ask them about new features they are working on. Ask if you can speak to some of their current clients.
If you are really crazy, find some local tech meetups where developers hang out and just show up. There are some great ones on SEO, design, programming, etc. etc. You'll be amongst those who are typically building sites or maintaining sites with millions of users, but you can apply that knowledge to your own site and it will make your decision making process so much easier.
Also, another benefit to attending a meetup is that you can show them your website and they can provide incredible feedback and it's free!
