Full Version: Web designer who understands engraving sales

From: Andrew [#8]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Colin (MATROPHY) [#1] 27 Mar 2007

As a quick and dirty solution you can very easily use a Paypal shopping cart and 'Add to basket' buttons on your site. I did my first site in this way for customers to purchase engraved items. The customer has to select the colour and the size of the item, and enter the engraving details.

They checked out through paypal, and you receive a payment notification via email of the product bought, plus the options selected.

This worked well, is quick to put together, but is not a great way to manage a catalogue of products that is constantly changing, to manage stock outs etc, limitations on how you charge shipping etc.

I did my second site in OS Commerce using a similar approach (osCommerce is a shareware ecommerce solution). i do not have images of how the item will look based on the options selected - there are 'general images. This approach allows for variable pricing based on the option selected. This was achieved through standard OS Commerce plus a few extra developments to handle the capture of engraving instructions. I am not a developer but managed to work my way through this as a 'midnight project'. Example: http://www.collarsandtags.co.uk/medium-large-p-74.html


I think it would be possible to develop this a little further to display an image based on the options selected but is beyond what I could do and I don't want to use developers at present.

So in summary - a standard ecommerce package with a little bit of development around the edge should do.

If you see a shopping cart application you like - find some developers who work with this who can add the 'extras you need'. No need to start from scratch.

From: Colin (MATROPHY) [#9]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Andrew [#8] 27 Mar 2007

I don't feel the need to have a picture of the item with the text superimposed in the desired font. Just a simple solution like what is on Silver Gallery's Engraving Wizard would be more than adequate. I like your site and how you did the engraving oredering but I think what I ned is a little more detailed. That being said, it seems odd to have trouble finding someone that can do it without a lot of head scratching.

From: logojohn [#10]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Andrew [#8] 27 Mar 2007

Your site looks real good already.

We don't even have a shopping cart on our site yet. There are so many customizing options, color, size, shape, availability, fonts etc., I don't see where it could all be done on line easily since most of our customers are ordering multiple like or unlike items.

The organized ones have an excel or doc file with the information. Others have scribbled notes. I suspect few of either group likely would want to sit there and key the text in on the site.

There are usually so many questions a new customer would have that it would be difficult to do it all online.

Our website does generate a lot of new leads. But the main point was to show virtually all our products so current customers or new ones that call in who don't want to leave their office can select items.

It will be something to hopefully add down the road but the current setup is working so well there isn't time to make it better just yet. . .
until they want to make be the webmaster instead of the engraver/webmaster!

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Colin (MATROPHY) [#9] 28 Mar 2007

Colin,

Monika Mathe can do something like this by using OS Commerce and some custom programming. Her contact information can b found at www.monikamathe.com. You'll find her credentials on her website. They will speak for themselves. She is located in Germany.

From: Andrew [#12]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Colin (MATROPHY) [#9] 28 Mar 2007

i would second the recomendation you have been given for Monike. She comes across as a really talented, professional developer on the OSCommerce forum

The options can be as simple or detailed as you need, and can be tailored to each product. On my site I place restrictions of amount of text engraved per line, per product. Of course this takes plenty of administering.

If you can put a really good, tight specification together, I am sure someone like Monike could take a stock application like OSCommerce and tailor to your needs.


There are plenty of unsrupulous developers who tell you it needs to be written from scratch, but actually start off from an Oscommerce, ZenCart etc solution. Caveat Emptor!

From: Mikey (MIKE2449) [#13]
 27 Mar 2007
To: Colin (MATROPHY) [#9] 28 Mar 2007

Try this site--
www.rentacoder.com
I'm sure you can find someone there.
Regards,
Michael

From: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#14]
 28 Mar 2007
To: Colin (MATROPHY) [#1] 28 Mar 2007

I have a wonderful web designer and I recently referred him to another engraver friend of mine and he designed a site for him just as you described. We are in process of redoing my sites even as I speak (type) but I cannot speak highly enough of my guy, and he is reasonable, speaks English (vs geekspeak), very responsive ... kudos all around. I'd be happy to give you his information if you like. I've been working with him for years and would not switch for anything.

From: Colin (MATROPHY) [#15]
 28 Mar 2007
To: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#14] 28 Mar 2007

Thanks Lisa,

I would love to speak to your person.

From: Lynn (LYNNDENO) [#16]
 29 Mar 2007
To: Andrew [#12] 29 Jul 2008

Take a look at Monster eCommerce or the Yahooo small business ecommerce. I just recently signed up for monster ecommerce and had a great experience with support people. Lynn Deno

EDITED: 29 Mar 2007 by LYNNDENO

Show messages: All  1-7  8-16

Back to thread list | Login

© 2024 Project Beehive Forum