Forum Moderators: buckworks
I'm looking to build a new web site infrastructure. My budget is max $30k, including customization and implementation. I've started a preliminary search and the possible solutions seem endless.
I want our new frontend to be as robust as other top retail sites, like buy.com or bluenile. I want our backend to be fairly flexible and robust as well. Most packages out there either seem too cheap or too expensive.
Rather than build a completely custom system in asp, I am thinking about purchasing a good out-of-box ecommerce software package and customizing it to our needs. Ideally, I want the frontend to be in asp because the web development company we outsource to codes mostly in asp. If an alternate solution is better, I am willing to consider other languages/platforms.
I have a list of Must Have Requirements, nice to haves, and may have in the future, for both the frontend/backend.
I am also thinking about hiring a project consultant to work with me. Does anyone know of where I can find an experienced ecommerce consultant that would give me some paid expert advice?
Thanks
Some of the expensive solutions you are speaking of are (possibly) charging you a premium for technology they have already developed.
I recommend investing in a robust turnkey solution and then investing in building out the niche features, and design functionality you need.
I believe you will get more bang for your buck.
Captain
Out of the box solutions are typically designed based on a wide variety of needs and tastes and quite frankly, many of them are not that well suited to the demands of a serious ecomm site. Don't get me wrong, most work well for the average application but if you're looking for specifics and want to be able to expand your cart or modify it as you see fit - then a turnkey solution is your best bet. Find a developer who'll work with you to plan, build, and teach you about what they're building for you. Caveat here is that you learn quick and won't slow him/her down while they build the project.
Project to use about 70% of your monies for getting the main project complete. Keep the 30% remainder for picking up the "nice to haves" and "shoulda hads" you missed.
Re: consultant - why? It's not rocket science to manage a project like this but you do need to know the pieces. Check out this post [webmasterworld.com] for some of the basics.
Good luck.
I have 2 options:
1. Go with an integrated frontend/back office solution. Frontend meaning website and back office meaning windows based accounting/catalog/inventory/order software.
2. Go with an asp based frontend/backend online site. The backend would be a password protected site that manages the frontend, including catalog, inventory, and orders. (no accounting, similar to a yahoo store but written in open source asp)
Vendor options:
These vendors fall under option 1:
Icode
Hybris
These vedors fall under option 2:
Storefront.net
MonsterCommerce
Cost factors:
Option 1 costs between $4K-$15K for the software. This doesn't include customization and the cost goes up for additional users.
Remaining budget: $5K-$15K for custom work
Option 2 costs between $1400-$1900 for the source code.
Remaining budget: $15K-$20K for custom work
My current thoughts:
I'm leaning toward option 2. We don't need a robust accounting system right now. So we can build out a great customized ecommerce site from the source code of option 2. After 3 years of strong growth, if we need stronger account/inventory system, we can purchase ACCPAC and sync the website data with it. Do you think I'm going in the right direction?
Also, how important is it for an ecommerce site to be J2EE compliant?
I believe J2EE is a Java standard and would only be applicable if you're using Java in the cart. For security and compatability reasons, I would think it to be very necessary if Java is used. But I don't work with ASP or Java so I'm not sure.
Another item you should consider purchasing is a good web stats analysis software package so you can monitor traffic stats of your visitors. It will help you make decisions and learn more about how folks are arriving and/or using what you build. A quick search for "log analysis" will yield plenty for you to read through on the subject.
OpenSource is the way to go. Consider this budget:
Applications $0 to <$500 for ecommerce and accounting packages
Modification $0 to probably <$5000 for moderate rewrites
Legal Stuff $300up to get your lawyer to bless your contracts
Marketing $all the money you saved by using quality Open Source apps (just think of all the AdWords that could buy)
Stickymail me for recommendations, I have used just about every free and fee e-comm app there is, and can help you avoid a lot of headaches.
These vedors fall under option 2:
Storefront.net
This also has one heck of a NG following with third party developers. Alot of already done mods are plentifyull. They are on version 6.1. I have not upgraded to 6, I have used 99, 2000 and 5. 5 is ASP based and 6 is .NET based. Just one big note, I have not bought 6 for one reason...store activation. When a store/service is brought up it doees a check to a SF owned server. Whenever the server OS or service is restarted it repeats this check. Twice now the servers have been unavailable due to whatever reasons. Now this isn't a big deal unless....the serverice or server gets restarted. The stores that this happened to were down and not able to process transactions.
I love the product but I feel this is wrong. They claim piracy concerns. I'm just waiting to see if anyone gets a lawsuit going because of this.
Take care,
Brian
