How much should a basic ecommerce website cost?

[Sukie]

I posted a project on eLance for a website based on Tim's pxmethod.com (http://www.pxmethod.com) and am getting bids back for around $400-$500, which seems a little high to me, but then what do I know? I've never hired someone to create a website for me.

Thanks,
Sukie

[kamakiri]

I paid $300 for mine, and had some extra work done that cost me about $50 more. Sounds right.

[Sukie]

Thanks. I have gotten a few more bids in lower ranges, and a few more in higher as well.

[kamakiri]

Interestingly, the company I worked with was a pain in the butt, but it was very helpful. They were really persistent on getting my information.

How much of the copy have you written? Be assured that they aren't going to write your copy for you.

[Sukie]

Oh, absolutely not. I am a writer - a pretty decent copywriter and an excellent article writer. I won't let anyone else write copy for me! :p

Interestingly, being a writer, I struggle with outsourcing someone to write an ebook that I am perfectly capable of creating myself (I'm a DIY kind of girl, anyhow). I'm toying with outsourcing a few other things to try and free up the space for ebook writing instead of investing the $400-$500. Any thoughts on that? Anyone?

[winvest]

Try bigcommerce.com . It's a hosted ecommerce solution that you pay a monthly fee for. I'm paying $24.95 a month and I got my site up in a week.
Setting up your store/products is as easy as setting up a new gmail account.

[nickh]

Try shopify.com, it's a hosted e-commerce solution and they do a really great job. The interface is really clean and user friendly too.

Shopify is also the company that is partnering with Tim for the $100,000 challenge that he will be starting at the beginning of the year.

[Sukie]

Thanks, Nick. I looked at Shopify and like them, except I'm not super good with computers and find the interface a little intimidating. I probably need to work with it a little.

My concern with Shopify is that they have no basic templates that are coded to look like Tim's www.pxmethod.com site. Since that site had tested positively, I'd wanted to model it; however, I'm not sure how necessary it is to have your store look just exactly like it?

Any input on this from those who have tested and successfully or unsuccessfully started a muse would be MUCH appreciated. What have your findings been as far as layout?

Thanks,
Sukie