WebCreationUK, POMDesign, Creare, Red Web Design?

[Billy Smaug]

Hi there

Im new to this so bare with me

Im interested in getting an ecommerce website built and have been looking at various companies including:

WebCreationUK
PomDesign
Creare
Red Web Design

I've found some great reviews for the above companies and although they also all have some poorer reviews, mainly they seem fantastic for the price. I'm wondering if its best for my first site to go with a bigger company like these or perhaps try a free website builder?

 

[Faevilangel]

WCUK are really well known for the wrong reasons - http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/webcreationuk.152271/

Never heard of bad things of any of the others but to be honest you won't get good service, they are all "website factories" in that they have a lot of staff (wcuk's are all abroad), they knock out multiple sites per week and you won't get the same service than by going to a smaller local agency.

Look for companies local to you so you can meet them, you will more than likely pay more than the guys above charge but you should get a better service

 

[ryedale]

Don't use a free website builder - you'll bitterly regret it as soon as you want to expand and have to start again

As said above, talk to specialist agencies - it may cost a bit more in the short term but will be far more value long term

 

[fisicx]

Why these four?

One offers eccomerce for £199 and another starts at £6750. So it's almost impossible to advise without knowing your budget. I wouldn't touch the first one on your list as that have an appalling reputation. The others are unknowns (except they seem like oursourcing site factories)

What are you proposing to sell and to whom? Do you need a full blown ecommerce site? Have you got 10 times the cost of the site as a marketing budget?

 

[Faevilangel]

Creare definitely do everything in house, they have 2 offices of developers, not sure about the other 2.

 

[Billy Smaug]

Hmmm.. the problem is that a friend of mine went local and the service was terrible! I guess a bigger company is bound to have some clients that weren't happy but mainly all those companies have great reviews.

Interestingly if you search for Apple online there are tons of bad reviews but they cant be that bad!

Was just looking at your site but you have nothing on your portfolio?

I'm really looking for feedback from other business people as opposed to the many vultures that appear to use this forum as a sales tool. Perhaps i've chosen the wrong thread.

 

[Billy Smaug]

Thanks for the advice guys but Fisicx...just looked at your website and you too are a web designer after my business by slagging off the people i've picked out. I looked at your site and its just text!? Not really designed is it?

I think ill just go with a website builder to start with and then if i still need help, call some of the clients on the portfolio of WebCreationUK or Pom or whoever.

 

[Faevilangel]

Thanks for the advice guys but Fisicx...just looked at your website and you too are a web designer after my business by slagging off the people i've picked out. I looked at your site and its just text!? Not really designed is it?

I think ill just go with a website builder to start with and then if i still need help, call some of the clients on the portfolio of WebCreationUK or Pom or whoever.

I do a lot of work with agencies meaning I can't share my work publically so you would need to contact me for examples (but I am updating the site with stuff I can share) but calling us vultures isn't a nice way to start off is it?

We are only offering advice, we see people get ripped off on a daily basis by companies like wcuk, they can afford negative reviews as they either pay the customer off or hide the review with positives. I would bet my top dollar on that some of their reviews are fake anyway.

You will get bad service from any type of business but you're less likely to get it from a local company you actually meet as you can tell by the way they speak / act before you pay for anything.

Do your research, talk to people who have had sites built. find who they recommend and then research the developers, speak to them, ask questions and then go on gut instinct and not price. if you buy on price, you could make a poor decision.

 

[Faevilangel]

I wrote a post on how to find a designer / developer here, it may help you nail exactly what you want.

 

[Billy Smaug]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[fisicx]

...and you too are a web designer after my business by slagging off the people i've picked out. I looked at your site and its just text!? Not really designed is it?

Nope, not after your business. And yes it is all text but there is a huge amount of design in the site. If you want glittery fancy things then my site will look bland - but you wouldn't be my target customer anyway. I build sites that work, I don't waste time on gimmicks.

If you want to use a website builder crack on. But you will soon loose heart and end up paying twice to get a decent site built.

 

[Nuno]

I love these threads where the OP says they don't know anything, but then query advice, criticize poster's websites, don't accept advice in the spirit it is given, and of course slags off all us vultures.

Im new to this so bare with me

Don't mind if I don't. It is 'bear with me', not getting your kit off with me.

OP:Read and follow the sticky post about finding a webdesigner/developer. Going local will suit you as you will need handholding I think.

 

[finleydesign]

Hi there
WebCreationUK
PomDesign
Creare
Red Web Design

Please, please, please, go with any of these 4, many thanks

 

[antropy]

Going local will suit you as you will need handholding I think.

Going local isn't necessarily the best thing because it might restrict you to an area where there aren't any really good ecommerce agencies - unless you live in London of course?

Most advice and meetings can be held and given over the phone or on a Skype screen sharing session - we're based just by Gatwick airport and meet some clients when needed but the vast majority of projects can be handled successfully without.

So I wouldn't agree that the best company for the job is necessarily the closest.

 

[deniser]

Thanks for the advice guys but Fisicx...just looked at your website and you too are a web designer after my business by slagging off the people i've picked out. I looked at your site and its just text!? Not really designed is it?

I think ill just go with a website builder to start with and then if i still need help, call some of the clients on the portfolio of WebCreationUK or Pom or whoever.

Extraordinary post to criticize the website of someone trying to stop you from making an expensive mistake!

Fisicx is one of the most helpful people on this forum and that advice is much valued here.

Good luck with WCU - you're going to need it!

 

[Billy Smaug]

Wow. I really caused quite a stir among the locals...

If i'm honest i was looking for suggestions from other business owners and not biased messages from other web designers. Having done more research, its a minefield and actually the companies i've mentioned all have some great reviews for my price range. Im only looking to spend around £900.

I didn't actually mention that a friend of mine used WebCreationUK after looking at reviews and absolutely loved the experience! I thought i would do some extra research before using them anyway and I almost wish i hadn't bothered. It seems like a very competitive industry. I've called a few clients from their portfolio and all backed up their online reviews so i'm happy with that.

If things don't work out i'll be sure to let you know.

Interestingly Creare had a lot of bad reviews online and yet someone said they were 100% UK based. I might use them for my SEO however as they seem to know a lot about that.

Over and out.

 

[deniser]

I didn't actually mention that a friend of mine used WebCreationUK after looking at reviews and absolutely loved the experience! I thought i would do some extra research before using them anyway and I almost wish i hadn't bothered. It seems like a very competitive industry. I've called a few clients from their portfolio and all backed up their online reviews so i'm happy with that.

If things don't work out i'll be sure to let you know.

I hope it goes well for you. I think if you only need a one off static site you might be OK. I think the problems come later when you want to change something. I think they get the money back from you that way.

Have you considered a DIY solution? You can get some really decent results with some of the DIY website builders. I only have shopping sites so can't comment on the information type of sites but am happy with the DIY sites that I have built and which cost £5-20pm and are always updated free of charge and of course I can change what I like on them. I have no web design skills at all.

 

[Faevilangel]

Wow. I really caused quite a stir among the locals...

If i'm honest i was looking for suggestions from other business owners and not biased messages from other web designers. Having done more research, its a minefield and actually the companies i've mentioned all have some great reviews for my price range. Im only looking to spend around £900.

I didn't actually mention that a friend of mine used WebCreationUK after looking at reviews and absolutely loved the experience! I thought i would do some extra research before using them anyway and I almost wish i hadn't bothered. It seems like a very competitive industry. I've called a few clients from their portfolio and all backed up their online reviews so i'm happy with that.

If things don't work out i'll be sure to let you know.

Interestingly Creare had a lot of bad reviews online and yet someone said they were 100% UK based. I might use them for my SEO however as they seem to know a lot about that.

Over and out.

If we were biased we would say use us, we were just offering advice based on our experiences of people in your situation who use the forums. I even said go find someone local to you as you can then meet them? How can that be biased?

The link I posted has customer reviews and I have had personal experience of the work that wcuk have done. They are very good at hiding poor reviews with their legal team so be aware not all be it may seem.

 

[Billy Smaug]

Like I said, i've called their portfolio and got hold of 5 of 8 customers i called. 4 of them said they were fantastic and 1 said they were good enough for the small website they wanted.

I guess online you have to be careful of everything as anyone can post anything. Ultimately you, as a competitor could even post 'reviews' so calling clients has to be the way to go. Someone else on here says local isn't always best either.

As for updating the site, apparently it's built in something called open cart and my friend can add new products, change things etc at no cost. Sounds ideal!

 

[fisicx]

As you seemed convinced that WebCreationUK can do you the deal there is little more to be discussed.

Adding products and so on are part of the OC admin so if you couldn't I would be surprised. But if you wanted to change the theme or add new features you may well find you are prevented from doing so - it's how they make their money, by charging for support.

And you will also be asked to sign off a layout without know if it's gong to be suitable for your shop.

But crack on, spend the money with whoever and fingers crossed it works for you.