• Know what you want built. I started with a vague idea and a number in my head, and it showed. Write down what you need, the deadline, and what can't change. Skip this and you'll pay twice for the same work.
• Niche experience beats total years. A guy with ten years of general coding can still stumble on your project. Running a store? I'd hire dedicated ecommerce developer talent that's already handled payment gateways and checkout bugs. Let someone else pay for their learning.
• Watch how they talk to you. One of mine vanished for three days. Code was fine. The silence wasn't. Ask about time zones and how they send updates, Slack, Trello, email, whatever.
• Ask for real work. Live links, old clients, maybe a reference. Clutch reviews help, but read the bad ones first.
• The cheapest quote is a trap, mostly. Compare hourly, monthly and fixed pricing, and ask what's not covered. Extra charges love showing up halfway through.
• Get the NDA signed early. Your code and ideas are yours. Put that in writing before day one.
• Try a paid trial. A week is plenty. It tells you more than three interviews ever will.
• Think past launch. Who fixes the bugs in month three? Can the team grow if you do?

In the end, you want someone who feels like a partner, not just a vendor. Ask the awkward questions now, and if something feels off, listen to that.