Free eCommerce RFP Template to Help You Hire the Right Agency

If you’re evaluating eCommerce agencies, you know the process can be overwhelming. Dozens of agencies claim they can drive growth, but how do you systematically evaluate which one is actually the right fit for your brand?

That’s where a well-structured Request for Proposal (RFP) becomes invaluable.

A comprehensive RFP helps you:

• Compare agencies objectively using consistent criteria
• Ask the right questions that reveal true capability and fit
• Communicate your needs clearly so agencies can propose appropriately
• Identify red flags early before you waste time or money
• Make confident decisions backed by structured evaluation

We’ve worked with dozens of established eCommerce brands on both sides of the RFP process—brand and agency—through their agency selection process. We know what makes an effective RFP, and what common mistakes lead to poor agency matches or misaligned expectations.

This guide provides everything you need to create a comprehensive eCommerce agency RFP, including a free downloadable template you can customize for your specific needs.

Download the Free RFP Template →

Why You Need an RFP for eCommerce Agency Selection

Once you’ve reached $20M+ in online revenue, hiring an agency isn’t a small decision. You’re potentially committing six figures annually and trusting external partners with your most important revenue channel.

Yet many brands approach agency selection casually, reviewing websites, having a few calls, and making decisions based on gut feel or who they liked best in meetings.

This approach often leads to:

• Misaligned expectations about deliverables and outcomes
• Pricing surprises when scope isn’t clearly defined upfront
• Wrong team composition with junior resources on your account, despite senior people in the pitch
• Cultural mismatches that create friction and slow progress
• Underwhelming results because the agency doesn’t actually have relevant expertise

A structured RFP process forces clarity, both for you and prospective agencies. You articulate what success looks like. Agencies demonstrate how they’d approach your specific challenges. Everyone understands scope, pricing, and expectations before commitment.

When to Use an RFP

RFPs make sense when:

• You’re evaluating multiple agencies and want objective comparison
• The engagement involves significant investment ($200K+ annually)
• You have clear goals and success criteria
• You need stakeholder buy-in and structured decision-making
• You want comprehensive proposals with detailed approaches

RFPs might be overkill if:

• You’re testing a small project ($10K-$20K)
• You have a strong referral and just need pricing confirmation
• Your needs are extremely urgent (RFPs take 4-6 weeks minimum)

Key Elements of a Great eCommerce RFP

Effective RFPs strike a balance: comprehensive enough to enable good proposals, but not so prescriptive that agencies can’t bring their expertise to bear.

Here are the essential components:

1. Company Background and Context

Provide enough information for agencies to understand your business:

• Company overview: What you sell, brand positioning, target customers
• Current state: Annual revenue, growth trajectory, historical trend, key metrics
• Tech stack: Current platform, integrations, tools
• Team structure: Internal capabilities and resources
• Challenges: What’s not working or what you need to improve
• Opportunities: Where you see growth potential

Why This Matters: Agencies need context to propose relevant strategies. Generic proposals are a red flag that they didn’t understand your business or didn’t have enough information to customize a proposal for your brand.

2. Project Scope and Objectives

Be specific about what you need:

• Services required: Website, marketing, analytics, or full-service?
• Specific deliverables: Migration, redesign, campaign management, etc.
• Success metrics: How will you measure if this partnership works?
• Timeline: When do you need to start, and are there critical deadlines?
• Budget range: Providing a range helps agencies tailor proposals appropriately

Pro Tip: Be honest about budget. If you say “no budget range,” you’ll get a wide range of poor-fit proposals. It’s like asking a contractor to build a house without giving them a realistic budget. If you provide a budget range, agencies can taylor their approach for your constraints.

3. Current State Assessment

Help agencies understand your starting point:

• What’s working well that should be preserved or built upon
• What’s not working that needs to change
• Previous agency experiences (good and bad)
• Internal team capabilities and how the agency will collaborate
• Technical constraints or requirements

Why This Matters: Agencies need to know whether they’re optimizing an existing engine or rebuilding from scratch. This dramatically affects approach and pricing.

4. Agency Qualification Criteria

Define what you’re looking for in a partner:

• Experience requirements: eCommerce specialization, platform expertise, industry, brand size
• Team structure: Who will actually work on your account?
• Service capabilities: Which disciplines must they handle in-house vs. partnerships?
• Geographic considerations: Do they need to be local, or is remote fine? Do you have a preference for onshore or offshore staff? 
• Cultural fit: Values, communication style, partnership approach

5. Submission Requirements

Specify what you want agencies to provide:

• Company overview and credentials
• Relevant case studies with specific results
• Proposed approach and methodology for your specific needs
• Team composition with bios and roles
• Timeline and project plan
• Detailed pricing breakdown
• References from similar-sized brands
• Contract terms and engagement model options

Pro Tip: Ask for format preferences (slides, documents, video) that match how you want to evaluate proposals.

6. Evaluation Criteria

Be transparent about how you’ll make decisions:

• Weighting of factors: Is price 20% or 50% of the decision?
• Scoring methodology: How will you objectively compare agencies?
• Decision timeline: When will you complete the evaluation and make decisions?
• Next steps: What happens after RFP submission?

Why This Matters: Transparency about your decision process helps agencies know what to emphasize and keeps the process moving efficiently.

7. Logistics and Timeline

Provide clear process details:

• RFP distribution date
• Question submission deadline (for clarifying RFP)
• Proposal due date (typically 2-3 weeks after RFP distribution)
• Finalist presentations (if applicable)
• Decision date and notification
• Anticipated project start date

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your eCommerce Agency RFP

Step 1: Assemble Your Internal Team

Don’t create an RFP in isolation. Include:

• Key stakeholders who will evaluate proposals
• Budget owner who can confirm financial parameters
• Technical lead who understands platform and integration requirements
• End users who will work with the agency day-to-day

Get alignment on objectives, priorities, and decision criteria before drafting the RFP.

Step 2: Document Your Current State

Create a comprehensive overview of:

• Current website platform and version
• Existing integrations and tech stack
• Marketing channels and current performance
• Analytics setup and reporting
• Internal team capabilities and bandwidth
• Budget and financial constraints

Pro Tip: Attach analytics screenshots, current dashboards, or tech stack diagrams. This helps agencies understand your complexity and diagnose issues and opportunities.

Step 3: Define Clear Objectives

Be specific about what success looks like:

• Quantitative goals: Revenue growth, conversion rate improvement, ROAS targets
• Qualitative goals: Better customer experience, improved internal processes
• Timeline expectations: What needs to happen in 90 days vs. 12 months?
• Constraints: Non-negotiable requirements or limitations

Example:

• ❌ Vague: “Improve our digital marketing”
• ✅ Better: Increase online revenue from $20M to $30M over 24 months. 
• ✅ More Specific: “Increase online revenue from $20M to $30M over 24 months while maintaining or improving ROAS, with focus on paid media optimization and conversion rate improvement”

Step 4: Create Evaluation Rubric

Before you send the RFP, define how you’ll score proposals. Consider:

Experience & Credentials (20%)

• Relevant case studies
• Platform expertise
• Brand size experience
• Industry knowledge

Strategic Approach (25%)

• Understanding of your challenges
• Proposed methodology
• Innovation and insights
• Realistic expectations

Team & Execution (20%)

• Team composition and seniority
• Availability and dedication
• Communication approach
• Project management methodology

Results & Proof Points (20%)

• Demonstrated outcomes
• Reference quality
• Performance metrics
• Client retention

Pricing & Value (15%)

• Cost alignment with the budget
• Transparency of pricing
• Value for investment
• Flexibility of the engagement model

Having this rubric upfront ensures objective evaluation and prevents “gut feel” decisions.

Step 5: Identify Target Agencies

Compile a list of 5-8 agencies to receive your RFP. Consider:

• Referrals from trusted peers in similar businesses
• Portfolio reviews of agencies with relevant experience
• Industry presence at conferences or in publications
• Inbound inquiries you’ve received previously

Pro Tip: Don’t send RFPs to 20+ agencies. You’ll overwhelm yourself with proposals and most will be poor fits anyway. Focus on 3-8 agencies that genuinely seem aligned.

Step 6: Draft and Review

Write your RFP with clarity and specificity. Have your team review for:

• Completeness: Does it provide enough context?
• Clarity: Are requirements and expectations clear?
• Realism: Are timelines and budgets realistic?
• Objectivity: Can this enable fair comparison?

Step 7: Distribute and Manage Process

Send your RFP with:

• Cover letter explaining your business and why you’re seeking a partner
• Point of contact for questions
• Q&A process (will you share questions and answers with all agencies?)
• Submission instructions (format, method, deadline)

Pro Tip: Schedule a Q&A call with all agencies. This ensures everyone gets the same information and saves you from answering the same questions multiple times.

Step 8: Evaluate and Select

As proposals come in:

1. Initial screening: Remove agencies that didn’t follow instructions or clearly aren’t qualified
2. Detailed evaluation: Use your rubric to score remaining proposals objectively
3. Finalist presentations: Bring the top 2-3 agencies in for deeper discussion
4. Reference checks: Talk to their existing clients about their experience
5. Decision: Select your partner based on a comprehensive evaluation

Pro Tip: During finalist presentations, have candidates interact with the actual team that will work with them, not just the decision-makers. Chemistry matters.

Download: Editable eCommerce RFP Template (Google Docs)

We’ve created a comprehensive RFP template you can customize for your specific needs.

What’s Included:

• Complete RFP structure with all key sections
• Sample questions to ask prospective agencies
• Evaluation rubric and scoring framework
• Editable Google Doc you can customize
• Tips and best practices throughout

This template is designed specifically for mid-market eCommerce brands evaluating full-service agency partnerships.

Download the Free RFP Template →

What to Look for in Agency Responses

Once proposals start arriving, here’s how to evaluate them effectively:

Did They Actually Read Your RFP?

Red flags:

• Generic proposals that could apply to any brand
• No reference to your specific challenges or goals
• Cookie-cutter approach without customization
• The requested information is missing from the proposal

Good signs:

• Specific references to your business and challenges
• Customized approach addressing your unique situation
• Relevant case studies from similar brands
• Thoughtful questions that show deep engagement with your RFP

Is Their Approach Strategic or Tactical?

Red flags:

• List of tactics without a strategic framework
• “We’ll do everything” without prioritization
• No clear hypothesis about what will drive growth
• Generic best practices without customization

Good signs:

• Clear strategic framework and methodology
• Prioritized recommendations with rationale
• Specific hypotheses about your growth opportunities
• Balance of quick wins and long-term initiatives

Is the Team Composition Appropriate?

Red flags:

• All senior people in the proposal, unclear about who actually does the work
• Junior resources on complex technical implementation
• Vague “we have a team” without specific names
• High team turnover (ask about this in references)

Good signs:

• Specific team members named with bios
• Appropriate seniority for your needs
• Clear roles and responsibilities
• Realistic availability and dedication levels

Are Pricing and Scope Clear?

Red flags:

• Vague deliverables that could mean anything
• Pricing with lots of “TBD” or “additional charges may apply”
• Dramatically lower than other proposals without clear explanation
• No breakdown of what’s included vs. additional

Good signs:

• Detailed scope with specific deliverables
• Transparent pricing breakdown
• Clear assumptions and what’s not included
• Options for different engagement levels

Do They Understand Your Complexity?

Red flags:

• Overly simplistic timelines
• No mention of stakeholder management
• Unclear about how they handle integrations
• No process for managing change or scope adjustments

Good signs:

• Realistic timelines accounting for approvals and complexity
• Clear project management methodology
• Experience with similar tech stack complexity
• Defined process for handling changes and challenges

Critical Questions to Ask During Agency Evaluation

Beyond the written proposal, use these questions to dig deeper:

About Their Experience

1. “Walk us through your most similar client to us—same size, similar challenges. What was the outcome?”
2. “What’s a project that didn’t go well? What happened and what did you learn?”
3. “What’s your client retention rate, and how long do clients typically stay with you?”

About Team and Resources

5. “Who specifically will work on our account?”
6. “What happens if key team members leave? How do you ensure continuity?”
7. “Do you use any offshore or contract resources? If so, for what?”

About Approach and Methodology

9. “Walk us through your first 90 days if we hired you. What would you prioritize and why?”
10. “How do you handle disagreements when we want to go in a different direction than you recommend?”
11. “How do you stay current with industry changes, especially around AI and evolving technology?”
12. “What tools and platforms do you use, and what costs are we responsible for?”

About Measurement and Accountability

13. “What metrics will you be accountable for, and how will we measure success?”
14. “How do you report on performance, and how often?”
15. “What happens if we’re not seeing the results we expected? What’s your process for course correction?”
16. “Can you share examples of how data insights led to strategic pivots for other clients?”

About Logistics and Working Relationship

17. “What’s your typical communication cadence and process?”
18. “How do you integrate with existing internal teams?”
19. “What do you need from us to be successful? What makes clients succeed or struggle?”
20. “What’s your contract term, and what’s the exit process if things aren’t working?”

Pro Tip: Pay attention not just to their answers, but how they answer. Do they deflect difficult questions? Are they defensive or open? Do they demonstrate depth of thinking?

Common RFP Mistakes to Avoid

Being Too Prescriptive About Solutions

Don’t tell agencies exactly how to solve your problem. If you knew the solution, you wouldn’t need them. Instead, describe the problem and desired outcome, then let them propose approaches.

❌ “We need to increase Facebook ad spend to $100K/month” 

✅ “We need to scale customer acquisition while maintaining ROAS above 4x”

Focusing Only on Price

Cheapest rarely means best value. A $15K/month agency that drives $5M in incremental revenue provides better ROI than a $8K/month agency that drives $1M.

Evaluate total value, not just cost.

Not Providing Enough Context

Agencies can’t propose effectively without understanding your business, challenges, and goals. Don’t make them guess.

Share relevant data, analytics, current performance, and strategic objectives.

Unrealistic Timelines

“We need proposals in 3 days” or “We need to start next week” doesn’t give agencies time to develop thoughtful proposals or for you to evaluate properly.

Good RFP processes take 4-6 weeks minimum:

• Week 1: Draft and distribute RFP
• Week 2-3: Agency proposal development
• Week 3-4: Evaluation and reference checks
• Week 4-5: Finalist presentations
• Week 5-6: Decision and contract negotiation

No Internal Alignment

If your team isn’t aligned on objectives, budget, or decision criteria, you’ll waste everyone’s time and likely make a poor decision.

Get alignment before sending the RFP, not during evaluation.

Ignoring Cultural Fit

Skills and experience matter, but so do working relationships. An agency with perfect credentials that’s difficult to communicate with or doesn’t match your working style will create friction.

Pay attention to chemistry and communication during the process, it’s a preview of what working together will be like.

How LimeLight Marketing Responds to RFPs

We welcome structured RFP processes because they help everyone align on expectations and enable objective evaluation.

Our Approach to RFPs:

• We customize every proposal to your specific business and challenges
• We provide a detailed team composition with the actual people who will work on your account
• We’re transparent about pricing, what’s included, and what’s not
• We share relevant case studies with real metrics from similar-sized brands
• We provide references you can contact
• We’re honest about fit. If we’re not the right partner, we’ll tell you

What We Look for in RFPs:

• Clear objectives and success criteria
• Realistic budget and timeline expectations
• Understanding that growth takes time and iteration
• Openness to strategic recommendations
• Collaborative partnership mindset

If your RFP checks those boxes, we’d welcome the opportunity to propose.

After You Select an Agency: Setting Up for Success

Once you’ve chosen your partner, the real work begins. Here’s how to start strong:

Kickoff and Onboarding (Week 1-2)

• Comprehensive discovery sessions
• Access to systems, data, and stakeholders
• Alignment on priorities and timeline
• Communication protocols and meeting cadence

Initial Implementation (Month 1-3)

• Quick wins to build momentum
• Foundation work (analytics, tracking, audits)
• Strategic planning for longer-term initiatives
• Regular check-ins and adjustments

Optimization and Scaling (Month 3+)

• Continuous testing and improvement
• Strategic expansion into new tactics
• Regular reporting and strategic reviews
• Course corrections based on results

Pro Tip: The best agency relationships are true partnerships. Be responsive, provide context, share feedback openly, and trust their expertise. They’ll perform better when you’re actively engaged.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the RFP process take?

Plan for 4-6 weeks minimum from RFP distribution to final decision. Rushed processes lead to poor decisions. You’re potentially committing six figures annually. Take the time to evaluate thoroughly.

Should I tell agencies my budget?

Yes, provide a realistic range. This helps agencies tailor proposals appropriately. If you say “unlimited budget,” you’ll get poor-fit proposals. If you provide no guidance, agencies have to guess, leading to misaligned proposals.

How many agencies should I invite to submit proposals?

3-8 is ideal. More than that becomes overwhelming to evaluate. Fewer than that limits your options. Focus on quality over quantity.

Should I pay for proposals?

For most comprehensive RFPs, no. Agencies expect to invest in business development. However, if you’re asking for extensive custom work (detailed audits, comprehensive strategies), consider compensating for their time.

What if no proposals meet expectations?

This happens sometimes. Options include:

• Refining your RFP and re-issuing to new agencies
• Adjusting budget or scope expectations
• Considering whether agency partnership is the right approach right now

How do I compare proposals objectively?

Use a scoring rubric established before proposals arrive. Include multiple stakeholders in the evaluation. Check references thoroughly. Don’t just go with who you “liked” in meetings. That’s often the best salesperson, not the best operator.

Ready to Find Your eCommerce Agency Partner?

A well-structured RFP process is your best tool for finding an agency partner who can genuinely drive growth for your eCommerce brand.

Start your search right:

Download the Free eCommerce Agency RFP Template →

Related Reading

• How to Choose the Best eCommerce Agency for Your Brand – Evaluation criteria and questions
  

About LimeLight Marketing

LimeLight Marketing is a full-service eCommerce agency specializing in website design, digital marketing, and analytics for established online brands. We work with companies like Adidas, Morton Salt, Knix, Martin Dingman, and Backyard Discovery to drive measurable, sustainable growth. We welcome comprehensive RFP processes and pride ourselves on transparent, detailed proposals.