What have you paid for your E-Commerce site?

[dingbat]

Hello folks,

I've been struggling with making my own webpages for years and eventhough I did eventually get a semi-decent one designed by purchasing some ecommerce software I really wanted more features.

So, I decided to use a web design company. Their online examples of work seemed impressive and for £1000+ vat they could get me a start up ecommerce site. I got the site and after ironing out many problems with them the result, albeit with a fancyish look, is very dissapointing and even worse than the site I made myself when it comes to actually selling. The ecommerce configuration online is also very limited and a PITA if you're a customer checking out.

Now, I know many of you will say £1000 + VAT isn't much and you get what you pay for but at the same time I hear others telling me I paid too much. I also supplied my own logo graphic etc so they didn't need to design it.

So, I just wanted to ask, what did you guys pay for your site? Were you happy and how much trouble did you have working with the designers?

[gamer1810]

Hi

I believe the old adage of "you get what you pay for" applies here..

£1,000 IMO for an ecommerce site is peanuts.. And Im not sure if any professional agency or developer could do a really good job for this..I might be wrong..

We have a fully bespoke site and while Im not going to divulge the cost, its a multiple of 10 times what you have paid..

Hope that helps!

[GC001]

Hi

At spotlighttv.tv we have been asked to build front end broadcasts for a few retail outlets recently. In essence our presenters discuss the products QVC style and then link through to the e-commerce side of things.

I have been staggared at the prices being banded about, £1000 does not seem to scrape the surfice unfortunately.

Good luck hope it works out for you.

[PointandStare]

Who's the company?
Sounds like the same old "we can do it (but don't know how)" brigade that I have to clear up after on regular occasions.

[dingbat]

Well, I don't want to bad mouth the company (yet) on a public forum, especially since I'm still at their mercy.

Looking at their other work, I'm sure they could 'do it' but I just felt I was getting a second rate service to their other clients.

[Poppy Design]

Hi

It depends what software they used and what was offered to you in the quotation? Did they list functionality that you did not get?

For anyone considering setting up an ecommerce site you really need to make a list of your requirements and then when you get your quotes you can tick off your requirements.
If you have additional requirements not included in the shop software then you need to state them and get costs for them.

£1000 should get you a decent standard shopping cart with design customisation. However if you wanted extra functionality not included in the standard software then you need to list it and get quoted for it.

[PointandStare]

This is not a 'you should get us to do it' reply but we always insist on contracts suitable to both parties. The contract outlines exactly what you're getting for your money, by when, what'll happen if we miss the deadline, what happens if you are not happy etc etc etc.

What I am saying is that I can never understand why other companies don't do the same or why clients don't insist on this type of contract.

[dingbat]

I contacted them and said I was looking for x, y & z in my website. I was told all this could be catered for in the package price.

I gave a design brief and the result was a semi working ecommerce website with programming errors. Various graphics were not showing up properly or being repeated. Now, if I could see these problems - how could they not have seen them their end?

Also, when I told them of the problems they were not exactly quick to reply, normally taking 2 or 3 emails to get a response. And also getting 'very busy at the moment' apologies.

[PointandStare]

Have you got a contract with them or not?
I'm assuming not, which will then bring you to the next question - have you paid them. if not then I'd look around for a better company. Believe me, there are plenty of other companies around that would gladly do a brilliant job for you.

edit : oh, and next time, ask for client testimonials and proof of similar projects.

[dingbat]

My memory is so bad I can't even remember how I initiated things with them. I'll have to go back and check about any contracts. Certainly no contracts by post. I think it was just an agreement via email effectively.

Yes, they have been paid. This was the early part of 2008.