[mcinque]

Okay, this discussion is getting interesting and hopefully useful for other people.

Forgive me if the post will be a little long.

I totally agree with you.
Anyone can feel that your words are the words of an experienced developer who has been working for years, a person that works keeping in mind quality and that knows the risks of too low budgets, which very often lead to poorly done jobs.

The fact is that although I am not a developer, I have basic programming knowledge, I have been working professionally for over 15 years in the administration of LAMP systems and in the coordination and management of web projects; I work (and have worked) with several developers (also Qualiteam) from multiple countries. My turnover, however, does not allow me to hire people in my one person company.

Said that, this 15y experience allows me to to estimate with a some degree of accuracy and expecially for small projects, roughly the cost that a certain job will require from a senior developer who knows the platform on which I ask him to work (this might seem arrogant but it is not , I'll explain below).

I'm from EU and I have been working with Qualiteam since 2006. With their help I have put together several pieces for different projects, at the most different costs and I thanks them a lot: my job has grown also thanks to them.

But In recent years I have had the perception that their prices have gone too far for small requests (for me).

However, I understand that they are the only ones who can boast an experience on X-Cart obviously unattainable to other developers, and that today they have to manage numerous projects in a limited time (much has changed compared to 2006): I understand very well that these things may have to force a company/developer to raise its rates, expecially for small projects, in order to "skim" the projects that do not allow a fair time/earnings ratio: a small project could require the same management, planning and testing steps (not time) than medium ones, involves much persons and affecting the company's global performance because "breaks" and consume the time needed for the bigger projects.

Moreover, in addition to their experience, their advantage is that they can produce invoices with European VAT, necessary for European purchases for companies.

Without this document what I pay to them would not be deducted from my taxes, and the invoice I make to the client for consultancy should be too high (with a $ 1,000 european VAT invoice from Qualiteam I can charge the client $ 1,200 and pay taxes only on $ 200, which is my real profit, otherwise I would have to pay taxes on $ 1,200, and I would not earn anything, I would lose instead!).

So, despite higher prices than I expect, I prefer to work with them especially for complex projects, in order to "stay safe with the results" and to be able to obtain invoices with European VAT. I know that complex projects require a lot of experience.

But unfortunately small requests are always a drama: costs too high for the type of request, which are not worth the advantage of the above.

I absolutely don't blame them, but I also have to be able to compensate for what I spend and offer the customer a decent price.

Now I am forced to look around a bit, to understand if my impressions about the price increase were right or not.

I asked Qualiteam and other developers for a quote for this last job. I have received 3 quotes.

The results are interesting: before, I said that I consider myself able to estimate roughly the right cost of the requests I make (the famous "reasonable price"): to demonstrate that mine is not arrogance but is a fact given by experience, what I consider the right price is yours.

*YOU* ARE THE DEVELOPER A.

And you don't seem like a person who doesn't look at the quality of the work he does, because it's one of the points you raised. And you asked me for a price perfectly in line with what is expected.
And not "because it's the right price for me", but because I know more or less how long it takes to do what is required, if you know X-Cart.

As I wrote to you via e-mail, I am waiting for a response from the customer who is delaying at this delicate moment due to the coronavirus, but I hope to start a collaborative work together.

Having said that, it is clear that the developer C price, which is very, very above what have been quoted by Qualiteam, may have completely misunderstood my request (and this is strange because it was the exact copy of what I sent to you) or is asking for absurd prices (or he doesn't want to accept my job, or lastly not having enough experience he is overestimating the hours of work required, but I don't think so, because he presents himself as an X-Cart developer with a lot of experience).

I will be happy to know your thoughts about all above,
Best regards