Most disappointing purchases could have been avoided in ten minutes. Not by being cynical, just by checking things in a sensible order.
Start with the requirements, not the features
Find the PHP version, the database, the framework, the server extensions. Then check them against what you actually have. A great item you cannot run is worth nothing, and "my host does not support this" is not grounds for a refund, because it was on the page.
Use the live preview properly
Do not just glance at the homepage. Click into the parts you actually need. If you are buying it for the reporting, open the reporting. If you need it on mobile, open it on your phone. The preview is the seller showing you the real thing, so use it.
Read the comments, newest first
This is the highest value five minutes available to you. You are looking for:
- Whether the author replies, and how quickly.
- Bugs reported more than once, especially recent ones.
- Questions like yours, already answered.
- Long silences after a question about something breaking.
An author who answers within a day is worth paying more for. You will need them.
Check the licence tier before you check the price
If end users will pay to use what you are building, you need Extended, and the price difference matters to your budget. Work that out before you fall in love with the item. See Regular against Extended.
Check the support window and the last update
Support length is set per item and is on the page. So is the last update. An item last touched two years ago may be perfectly good, but nobody is fixing it if it is not.
Ask before you buy
Post your question in the comments. Two things come out of it: the answer, and a read on how this author handles being asked. Both are useful, and both are free.
What not to weight too heavily
Sales count tells you an item sold, not that it is right for you. A high rating on four reviews tells you very little. The comments are better evidence than either.
If it does go wrong
Raise it with the author first, precisely. Most problems are fixed the same day. If that goes nowhere, here is how refunds work.
