WordPress Proposal Example (WooCommerce Checkout Bug)

Example job situation

A shop using WooCommerce and a purchased theme: customers can add to cart, but some cards fail on the checkout page after a plugin update. They asked applicants not to recommend a full theme rebuild. They want someone who will use staging.

Weak / generic proposal

I am a WordPress expert. I can redesign your whole store, speed it up, do SEO, and convert it to a custom theme. I have done 100+ WordPress sites.

I can start today and I will make your store high-converting.

Why this is weak

• It proposes a rebuild they forbade.
• “High-converting” is an empty claim for a payment error.
• It never mentions staging or the plugin update.

Improved proposal

Hi — I would not rebuild the theme. I would copy the site to staging, roll the checkout-related plugins back and forward to isolate which update broke card payments, and only then patch or replace that plugin.

I did this after a gateway update on a Woo store that failed only for saved cards: the live theme was fine; the conflict was between the wallet plugin and the new checkout block. First hour on staging was reproducing with a test card, not editing templates.

Are you on the block-based checkout or shortcode checkout? And do you have a staging copy already, or should that be milestone one?

Why this is stronger

• It obeys “no rebuild.”
• The first hour is reproduction, which is what you want on a payments bug.
• It asks the checkout stack question that changes the fix.

Personalization points

• Name WooCommerce only if they use it; some “WordPress shop” posts are Easy Digital Downloads.
• Do not offer SEO packages in a checkout-emergency letter.
• Ask who can place a $1 test order.

Questions you could ask

• Block checkout or shortcode?
• Which gateway (Stripe, PayPal, other)?
• Staging already exists?