# To hire or to delegate ecommerce?



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

I was put in touch with a very nice woman who brokers websites through a larger company. It appears that they have rate that she can choose to give to customers or lower/raise it as she chooses.

I would reallly like to get started in ecommerce. I don't have the money to right now, and I don't have the knowledge/patience to do it myself. I've been quoted prices to design and build an ecommerce site for $3k and up and her package is $1499.oo This gets me 10 professionally designed pages, links are not considered pages to them, and the broker said that she can work with me on adding pages past the initial 10, provided that we stay within my 500MB in my package.

Should I spend the money that I don't have, knowing that with a little hard work on my part, I'll earn that back plus? Or do I try to find someone that can do it for cheaper?


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

tim3560 said:


> I was put in touch with a very nice woman who brokers websites through a larger company. It appears that they have rate that she can choose to give to customers or lower/raise it as she chooses.
> 
> I would reallly like to get started in ecommerce. I don't have the money to right now, and I don't have the knowledge/patience to do it myself. I've been quoted prices to design and build an ecommerce site for $3k and up and her package is $1499.oo This gets me 10 professionally designed pages, links are not considered pages to them, and the broker said that she can work with me on adding pages past the initial 10, provided that we stay within my 500MB in my package.
> 
> Should I spend the money that I don't have, knowing that with a little hard work on my part, I'll earn that back plus? Or do I try to find someone that can do it for cheaper?


I wouldn't get caught up with a "broker". 

If you do a little searching and research, you can definitely get an ecommerce site done for less than $1500. 

You first need to figure out EXACTLY what you're trying to do and what you _need_.

It may be that you really don't need what her $1500 package includes. You could need something totally different, but it may cost you more than she originally quoted.

First figure out your specific needs, then try to find people that can fit those specific needs. 

Some of the stuff you can do yourself and save yourself hundreds of dollars (find a webhost that has one click installs of major shopping carts. signup. click the button. you've saved paying someone to install a shopping cart for you).

Once you've got the shopping cart installed, it's just a matter of having someone "design" it to look the way you want. You may not even _need _that for what you're trying to do.

My opinion: don't just pay the $1500 because it seems convenient and timely.


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

Who offers a cart that's just a simple sign up? I thought ecommerce was this big scary and terribly complicated thing?

What would a list of needs for ecommerce look like?

I want a good, clean, user friendly site design that showcases my shirts and hats, with easy checkout, email, newsletter, blog, similar to Johnny cupcakes in some ways. I also like this site. sickonsin.com I think she may be a member here. It's very clean and well put together.


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## Jeepwidow (Feb 12, 2008)

I agree completly. Tim, from reading past threads I think you have the intelligence to try something new. I have NO experience in web design or e-commerce but I figure the only way to communicate with people who could someday create a site for me is to learn their lingo. My budget is next to zero, but I see web host companies offering services like Rodney said. There are lots of resources out there (E-Commerce for dummies ) and I've been doing a LOT of reading on this forum. Amazing the weath of knowlege that is sitting here. 

Also, who knows, you might shock yourself and find enjoyment in the process and management. But you don't know unless you try.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> Who offers a cart that's just a simple sign up? I thought ecommerce was this big scary and terribly complicated thing?


You have a wealth of information right here at your fingertips. That search box at the top of the page can give you all kinds of shopping cart tips, suggestions, walk throughs, etc 



> What would a list of needs for ecommerce look like?


Start here: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/ecommerce-site-design/t20417.html


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## Misery_Kitty (Mar 6, 2008)

tim!! really dont spend that much!!!

i know a person that can give you unlimited hosting for $20AU a year including a domain name paid through paypal and charge you $100 to get you up and running on oscommerce with you're selected template from the options they have, all admin personalized for you and even stock added!... 

do you need anything other then that? (if so i cant offer any help but i still think its a bit rich  )


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## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

Actually, it's a simple process. Not much to it at all. You simply enter your products and your shipping. taxes, etc. and you are in business online. CubeCart is free and used by many here.


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## queerrep (Jul 18, 2006)

tim3560 said:


> I also like this site. sickonsin.com I think she may be a member here. It's very clean and well put together.


She uses ZenCart. Her boyfriend/fiancé/husband?, Michael, did her website (I asked when I was trying to find a coder to help me with mine. )


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## TripleT (Apr 29, 2007)

$1,500 is way too much, Tim. $3K is robbery.

There's good advise above, or you can post what you want on sites like, ELance or Guru.com, and you'll get tons of offers from vetted designers/programmers.


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## VirtualIsland (Sep 22, 2007)

Option 1:
Go outside in your backyard and pick some of that green stuff off your tree! 

Alternative:
I am like you, I don't know ANYTHING about websites or how to build them, like many of the people here,but I started with bigcartel (so easy) and I am working on my ZenCart site now. I believe in cutting out the middle man as much as possible,I know it may seem scary,but try it first and then when you have some loot you will know exactly what you would want to change and can hire someone later to do that.


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## Misery_Kitty (Mar 6, 2008)

Are you hosted? or in the process of thinking about hosting?

If you're already hosted I'll install osCommerce for you free, then you can learn the admin area and get a feel for it... and that should give you a good kick start into it totally free... hows that sound??   

send me a line if you decide to take me up with it


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

Wow Kel, that's awesome!

Thanks to everybody for your suggestions. I picked up a building a website for dummies so maybe I'll find some good tips in there too.


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## Misery_Kitty (Mar 6, 2008)

hey no probs anytime!... drop me a line if you need any help if i dont know the answer we'll work it out!


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