In January 2022, a Shopify website development project with Pixel Kicks began with an estimated completion timeline of four months.  Unfortunately, our journey with Pixel Kicks extended far beyond expectations, as our new website launched in May 2023 with a delay of 1-year, taking the total build time to 1 year and 4 months. Upon launch, an unfinished, error-riddled and poor coded Shopify website was unfolded. Throughout the project, we encountered a multitude of challenges, particularly in areas related to project management and communication. These issues substantially contributed to extensive delays and a growing sense of dissatisfaction. Additionally, it came to light that certain aspects of the development work were outsourced to India, a practice inconsistent with Pixel Kicks representation as a UK-based company. This discrepancy was exacerbated by their use of a VPN to obscure the location of their offshore staff. Following the premature launch of an untested and incomplete website, our request for additional work to make it operational while we sought alternative solutions was met with reluctance. It's worth noting that the process of identifying a suitable replacement company cannot be accomplished overnight. Consequently, tensions escalated, prompting our side to consider legal action. Regrettably, this led to an abrupt termination of all work by Pixel Kicks, leaving us in a precarious and stressful situation. Subsequent assessments of the new Shopify website uncovered a multitude of defects and unaddressed features, rendering the existing code beyond repair. The only viable course of action recommended was a new website build. In the aftermath of this disheartening ordeal, we incurred expenses amounting to £8,400, coupled with the loss of £20,000 worth of previously invested SEO efforts. Furthermore, the one-year extension to our project significantly delayed our company's progress and competitive edge. As a result, we are currently in the process of initiating legal proceedings against Pixel Kicks while at the same time undertaking a new website development project.