I need some help.

[bigH2O]

I need some help with website development. I've got a online startup going on that is moderately complicated. I had to fire my last developer due to utter failure to accomplish the tasks required. I spent over a month with that company and they totally failed to perform.

Basically, what I need is five basic elements all tied together.

1: A vibrant, eye catching, simple to navigate website that will lure people to the site and keep them there throughout the process without generating frustration for the user.

2: An order entry system that is simple and easy to navigate... drop down boxes for custom specifications, each one based on a database subset of previous selections.

3: The ability to upload artwork for production purposes, as well as a way to determine if the artwork is suitable for production and offer suggestions if not.

4: A robust shopping cart, capable of handling stand alone credit cards through a SSL layer, as well as handling punch throughs to all of the 3rd party processors like paypal, clickbank, etc.

5: Search Engine Optimization so that it lands on the top of all of the normal searches like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.

The canned packages like Joomla and Wordpress won't work for me. I'm looking for a custom solution, and have budgeted a significant amount of money to accomplish this. I need a nuts and bolts developer that can put a professional e-commerce site together from scratch.

I have my own dedicated server, so any sort of access needed to accomplish this job can be granted.

I'm asking that you do not do searches on the internet and offer suggestions based on what you find one some internet review site... I want real life feedback from companies you've dealt with for this sort of development yourself. A link to the site they developed for you, as well as a timeframe that it took to get it developed would be helpful, but let's not turn this thread into a *show off your website* type thread... please PM me with the information. I don't want to upset the boss.

[Greg]

Run with it run. I'm thinking the tire kickers will be obvious vs someone that can handle the task. I'll ask my boss, he does this kind of stuff, I'm only one developer on the team.

You're likely looking at about 150K to get started, plus yearly fees in the thousands. That's not including advertising.

[bigH2O]

Alrighty then. I hadn't budgeted THAT much money for it... I didn't figure it'd take more than about 10K for three or four custom pages and a secure shopping cart. I guess I haven't done enough homework.

[Greg]

Maybe I misunderstood, but I got the impression you wanted 100% custom?

Your list is impressive in expectations. But if you get realistic and break in down into layman's terms and get away from all that slick internet seo and the make me the wal-mart website, things change real quick.

You need a cart with the ability to sell products with multiple specs. We use an open source cart right now, but we're in the process if purchasing software for our carts because of security issues. I can keep you in the loop on that, but I don't have a time line.

The best way to receive products for review is email IMO. Not a custom made upload interface that will in most case just mess with the original art work.

[bigH2O]

Maybe I misrepresented what I was looking for by using the term "custom". I don't mind if standard tools are used to develop the site as long as the above five goals can be met. All I'm sure of is that the canned packages like Joomla et al can't seem to be made to work to meet those goals.

[Zero Tolerance]

Id just use an open source CMS. Anything can be done with any of the top ones...I use Raven Nuke and Word Press for most of my sites...and Ive really not found that there wasnt anything I couldnt do with either of them.