Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

A word or two about website design companies I have worked with thus far: [CENSORED]…after all I am a lady.  The best line I have heard so far is “well, we cannot provide you with examples of our work, as we would be sending unqualified traffic to our customers’ sites…”  Good grief. My “free” consultations are shaping up to be:

 Option 1: speak with under qualified “consultant” that will spend 89.725% of the conversation trying to talk you into their SEO optimization program.  When said representative is confronted with “let’s set the SEO agenda aside to focus on the site design, so we can actually HAVE something to PROMOTE” they so astutely answer with “well it’s never too early to start promoting your site…” DOH!

 Option 2: speak with well qualified consultant that takes the time to understand your requirements, proposes some great solutions then proceeds to add up the costs associated with said solutions (I can smell the smoke coming off of the calculator) to arrive at an official number of between $8,000-15,000 for initial design, then up and up for expansion. I thank them politely for their time, and scrape myself off the ceiling.  

Option 3: speak with a truly affable fellow, he understands my needs, he is here for me, I just need to sign this service level agreement real quick and we’ll get this built lickity split. Hmmm, not going for it? Well let me just grab our (fill in your problem here) Specialist aka Takeover Tom and he’ll convince you…er…help you!

 Option 4: speak with “designated” account specialist, play a lovely game of 20 questions, so far so good. Now, let’s get to some answers: “no problem let me look into that…” (♫ I’m going back someday…come what may… ♫)….I believe we could create something similar, let me check something…( ♫  where the fishing boats, with their sails and floats…if I could only… ♫) “ok I think that we could handle something like that, now with this shopping cart, you say you need to integrate a pre-existing loyalty platform, not a problem, just hang on a sec” (♫ Bayoooooooooooou…. ♫) Great! Now I’ve missed the best part!

Two months so far of these gypsies, tramps and thieves and needless to say, I am becoming a rather cranky individual, but then again, I am catching up on my easy listening

So now, I turn to you, the great SUN community!

I can provied further details in regard to my requirements, and I have some existing sites to use a reference point.

Can we build it? Yes we can!

Hi beautifulpetunia,

Have I got good news for you!

We are very close to launching the StartupNation Marketplace here on StartupNation.com. You will be able to create a listing of Available Projects - exactly what you just posted here - and the entire StartupNation community will be able to see your request and respond to you with their expertise.

Also, all community members will be able to list their Products & Services so that you can find them. AND there will be a rating system and an opportunity to post reviews on those Products & Services to help you make good choices.

Yes, you`ll still need to go through the selection process, but this will assist you in sifting through the chaff so that you can engage with other entrepreneurs in conducting business.

This will pre-launch first so that you can begin to populate your own listings of Products & Services and Available Projects. Soon after that we will open up the entire Marketplace so that you can search & browse those listings.

Oh, and did I mention - it`s all FREE!!

How perfect! Our very own SUN rfq source! Outstanding work you guys!

 

In the mean time....HEELLLLLLLPPPPPP!

beautifulpetunia,

I feel your pain (been there done that). First I would ask what kinds of e-commerce site are you look at launching? Depending on how simple or complex your site will be can determine your underline core infrastructure  you will running (which in turn will drive alot of your project cost).

Back to your frustration…. Any well established Consulting/IT firm should be able to provide you with a low (some may even do no) cost proof of concept (POC). This POC should contain a few key features and first draft of your site design (look and feel). This will allow you to do two things:

 

1)      Give you some confidence the company can deliver what they promise

2)      Allow both you and the company to be on the same page and on  the right track

 

So that would be my suggestion. Find a company that will deliver a POC and go forward from there.

 

Hope this helps.

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Shaun M. Smoot, Principal, Totus Company Atlanta Technology Firm

 Hi give us a call at (720) 207-9060, our company is ONDABOX.com may be we can help you.


Kathy

Thank you guys for your all of help and direction! I will be sure to take the time to explore each of you offerings and I look forward further discuusing the scope of this project.

 

Many, Many thanks to all you wonderful folks out here in the SUN community! Your talents are brightly shining!

 

I don`t mean to be a drag, but most web designers spend years in college and pay thousands of dollars to learn these precious skills. 

To offer a comparison, I`ll use a doctor:  He spends ten-years in  college and $150,000 on course study, before he earns an internship to work under a practicing physician. 

Then (s)he spends the next  two-years interning, working 12 to 17  hours/day to earn independence.  Then when it`s all said and done, someone asks for free advice, and (s)he would be considered a jerk for not doing so. 

Now that I got this off my chest, exactly what are you looking for in web design?

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Karen Morris Website: http://sevenseassite.info

Someone made a suggestion to me when I posted a seperate thread and it was to offer equity in the firm and a percentage of profits.  If one can create a joint venture with a web company and they have a solid marketing plan already begun, as well as a solid plan with excellent potential, then a piece of the pie for creating, maintaining, updating and helping to promote it is one option ( I am myself am using that option).  As long as there is a detailed joint venture agreement signed and notarized, it should work out.

Happy 2007 to all!!!!!!!!!!!!

The part about "scraping yourself off the ceiling" is telling.  Perhaps we should get right to the point.  What kind of budget are you talking about.  $5,000 to $10,000 is not an extravagant price for a decent web presence.  Depending on the complexity of the site and the amount of "backend" work that the public never sees it could go considerably higher.  And if I`m not mistaken your post`s title says "complex e-commerce" site

You mention that you have some sites that would work as a reference for your requirements.  Please post them and your working budget.  You may have a better chance at getting someone to work with you.  Also remember that there`s a big difference between a "web designer" and an "applications developer" with a corresponding differnce in price tags so your true requirements are important to know.

I have the advantage of being married to my web designer/applications developer (she was one of the first web developers at Boeing, and has other projects like the MSN Photo`s site and the MSNBC 2002 Winter Olympics website to her credit).  So I see the incredible amount of work that is involved in creating a quality web presence. Also remember...the really good designers/developers are already backlogged with projects and that drives prices even higher.  Supply and demand... go figure.

And remember.... a free consultation isn`t really free... it`s costing the company doing the consultation at least $60.00 an hour to provide you with a bid (many web development companies bill out at $150.00 an hour), time (s)he could have been actually working on a paying project.

I wish you well on your project but please provide more information. 

 

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