Attention all web designers!

[Merc fan]

Hi all,

Thinking of starting a business. Very, very early stages.

What does it cost to design and set up a website that will allow me to trade my products with all the appropriate branding, allow customers to use their credit cards, allow data to be extracted and input and to communicate with other companies' websites?

I know. Without going into a lot more detail, it's difficult to answer but I am just looking for help as to a range of cost and where to look to get this type of expertise.

Your help is really appreciated. Thanks a lot!

James

[skilly1]

I use this company to host my shop :

http://www.ekmpowershop.com/

About £20 per month.

[Jack Blag]

skilly1 said:

I use this company to host my shop :

http://www.ekmpowershop.com/

About £20 per month.

I recommend them to most of my clients who are looking for a painless e-commerce experience. No problems yet and they are also used by Lotus for their online shop!

[Merc fan]

Thanks a lot, guys. I was really thinking of a properly designed website where this type of function was added in to it i.e. I need to use the site to market products as well as selling services and products. So it's a whole website that I need to consider rather than one part of it.

[skilly1]

I have added this function into my site. www.smcgb.com

Unfortunately I am having the shop re-designed because I don't like the look of it. The back end of the shop is run by EKM, the rest of the website is hosted by the web design company.

[Merc fan]

skilly1 said:

I have added this function into my site. www.smcgb.com

Unfortunately I am having the shop re-designed because I don't like the look of it. The back end of the shop is run by EKM, the rest of the website is hosted by the web design company.

I think that looks quite smart actually! So tell me, how does it work? The back end (presumably you mean that parts that are used to transact business) are done by the company whose link you sent me earlier and then you got a web design company to design the rest (including building in the back end)? How much did they charge for that?

I much appreciate your help. Thanks a lot.

[skilly1]

Merc fan said:

skilly1 said:

I have added this function into my site. www.smcgb.com

Unfortunately I am having the shop re-designed because I don't like the look of it. The back end of the shop is run by EKM, the rest of the website is hosted by the web design company.

I think that looks quite smart actually! So tell me, how does it work? The back end (presumably you mean that parts that are used to transact business) are done by the company whose link you sent me earlier and then you got a web design company to design the rest (including building in the back end)? How much did they charge for that?

I much appreciate your help. Thanks a lot.

The web design company charged me 2.5k for branding, designing and building the site. They also designed the look of the shop, but implemented the EKM system into it. So all of the products, quantities, pricing, shopping cart is done by EKM but you would never know as a customer. I alter the products in the EKM section and they are automatically updated in my website.

[Merc fan]

Skilly - thank you so much for your help. Much appreciated.

[Jack Blag]

skilly1 said:

Merc fan said:

skilly1 said:

I have added this function into my site. www.smcgb.com

Unfortunately I am having the shop re-designed because I don't like the look of it. The back end of the shop is run by EKM, the rest of the website is hosted by the web design company.

I think that looks quite smart actually! So tell me, how does it work? The back end (presumably you mean that parts that are used to transact business) are done by the company whose link you sent me earlier and then you got a web design company to design the rest (including building in the back end)? How much did they charge for that?

I much appreciate your help. Thanks a lot.

The web design company charged me 2.5k for branding, designing and building the site. They also designed the look of the shop, but implemented the EKM system into it. So all of the products, quantities, pricing, shopping cart is done by EKM but you would never know as a customer. I alter the products in the EKM section and they are automatically updated in my website.

That's what I do for several of my customers... PM me if you're interested in branding, websites, search engine optimisation and e-commerce!

[Taita]

Might be worth posting this in the Business section too

[Six Fiend]

I provide e-Commerce and CMS applications through my company so PM me if you'd like a chat.

[The Moose]

Hi Merc fan

Interesting set of requirements, but would need a little more detail to quote - only a bit!! (feel free to reply by PM if you would rather). What sort of data do you need to be extracted/inputed? And what sort of communications with other companies websites are required?

With this info I will then be able to give you a ballpark figure.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Cheers

The Moose

[Merc fan]

Thanks for all the offers of help guys. Sincerely appreciated.