Got Client with need of "online print shop"
Client is providing paper printing (like business cards, flyers), printing on cloths, office stationary, logo embroidery on any type of clothing.
Client provided some examples.
Links
Where do I start?
Which platform should I choose?
Is there any plugin or script that should I go for???
I worry that you are being asked for the stars. That is, some of those sites took many developers years to develop. Do you have the team and the year to duplicate those site functionalities?
Is that the only thing they gave you? Some example webshops? Don't you know what kind of features and functionalities they want/need on their webshop? You have to ask many questions before you can decide what kind of technologies and/or which kind of platform/CMS you gonna use.
I don't have team. Timeline for project is 3 months. Client have own printing & other machines & running offline business, now wants to go online.
Client have given lots of details I just summed up as it's not possible to post lot of information here. All links are given by client. I posted it - as it is.
Client is not technically sound, just using words "PHP, mysql " again & again... So I have to decide about platform or CMS
Is it possible to go for php + mysql + jquery + cart s/w?
What details should I post here?
Pricing is not finalized yet what pricing is good enough for this complicated project?
@tun712. I've used VistaPrint and it's site has a boatload of technology behind it so I'm going to write that no WordPress person I know could match that even if I gave them years. Not only that but there appears to be backend processes where you submit a PDF for the print job and it seems to run it through various filters to show a web page with the expected result or tell you it failed. This means you must have prior experience or team members that have built some backend processing to handle such.
I'm going to stick to VistaPrint's site as an example of what I would estimate a few years of design work with same time under development.
Fast forward to today and you will get folk that want all that as a plugin. Yes, folk have asked for that!
Tun712. This whole project sounds like a nightmare. One you should decline, in my opinion. A three month job for a highly experienced one man band is very ambitious. Also for this type of work with a custom built interactive shop, I would expect a fee in excess of £15k. If I was a serious company wanting this type of functionality, I would not be trying to recruit an inexperienced programmer. This is not a trivial site. You may find third party software that has some of this functionality, either paid-for or free, but even then the testing and implementation can take weeks
Please, don't worry. You need to think clearly and getting worried is the first step to fail.
Take a little time to talk with him and clarify the requirements, ask him about what the functionalities he would like to have in the website.
But, about the implementation of the project, you could suggest him to start with something simple, using vista print or rock design which are pretty complex tools with a lot of functionalities as the final achievement.
Finally answering your question, Wordpress with some plugins like WooCommerce would be a good start.
Try asking to a freelance web developer at "upwork". There is incredible people doing anything on the web, for cheap. Many developers are from Bangladesh or India, their fares are low. Or search "online printing" in the marketplace of "warriorforum". Or there are many customizable wordpress themes, pick one of them and ask a freelance to customize it. Finally check ready made websites at "mobirise" or at the bootstrap 4 website. Good luck
I don't think I can add a lot to the technology discussion, but maybe this will help put the task in perspective.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistaprint
VistaPrint trades under the market symbol CMPR
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CMPR/profile?p=CMPR
It is a multi-billion dollar company with numerous subsidiaries and international reach. The key executives make more than $8,000,000 per year, on revenues over $2,5 billion. They have 10,000+ employees. They will crush you like a cockroach if you, even accidentally, infringe their patents. Recommend you respectfully decline this one.
Client didn't have clear views & goals about project.
So Finally rejected the project.
I think you had a very lucky escape with this one tun712. It's always difficult to turn down work, but if the client wants the impossible and wants it tomorrow you really have little choice. Good luck with your future projects.
@happygeek ,
Thanks for wishing good luck
You're welcome!
Should you get a similar project request in future, I suggest you file away this as a plausible "simpler" solution:
Running an online print shop is one of the uses for this.
Cheers
Recently I started to use Mobirise webdesign software. It's awesome. I guess that you would suit the themes below. Also you would find the shopping option in Mobirise M3 free theme. There would be a shop block. You can use it for free. But in any case you would need shopping card if you don't have another way of payment.
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