How do you set price for OsCommerce solutions?

[orangecabbage]

Hi all,

I'm familiar with osc and have built one with around 50 useful contributions/modules installed. I'm thinking of marketing this e-commerce solution. However, I've not use this on a live store yet and am planning to test run it as a live store with real transactions enabled. If it is successful, I'm going to market this package.

Now my questions are..

1. osC is an open source solution, that means it is free to use. Will the clients not willing to pay for it since it is free to use? I'm able to come up with unqiue design and layout and with 50 useful contributions installed, will that make a good convincing reason to sell this solution at a customized turn-key solution?

2. Some clients are not internet savvy enough to be aware of osC.. will it be "cheating" if I don't let them know before hand that it is osc(an open source) with added contributions for a more advanced and tailored made solution? I know a few companies are selling osc at $4000 and above with the default look of OSC and layout. Personally, that is too much a price to pay for anything that is free.. what do you think of it?

Thanks and looking forward to your advice and suggestions!

[beley]

Instead of selling OSC with contributions installed already to a client, why not find a client with a problem and find a way to solve it? Pre-packaged scripts with a template added doesn't sound like it would bring that much. I certainly wouldn't pay $4000 for OSC with just some contributions unless it was custom designed to fit my specific needs.

On the other hand, if your OSCommerce package solves a particular problem that companies in a particular industry face, you could package your OSCommerce package as a way to solve that problem. Then you're selling the solution - not the software.

[SoftwareSquared]

Hi all,

I'm familiar with osc and have built one with around 50 useful contributions/modules installed. I'm thinking of marketing this e-commerce solution. However, I've not use this on a live store yet and am planning to test run it as a live store with real transactions enabled. If it is successful, I'm going to market this package.

Now my questions are..

1. osC is an open source solution, that means it is free to use. Will the clients not willing to pay for it since it is free to use? I'm able to come up with unqiue design and layout and with 50 useful contributions installed, will that make a good convincing reason to sell this solution at a customized turn-key solution?

2. Some clients are not internet savvy enough to be aware of osC.. will it be "cheating" if I don't let them know before hand that it is osc(an open source) with added contributions for a more advanced and tailored made solution? I know a few companies are selling osc at $4000 and above with the default look of OSC and layout. Personally, that is too much a price to pay for anything that is free.. what do you think of it?

Thanks and looking forward to your advice and suggestions!

Why not focus on selling the package as a whole... hosting.... shopping cart solution.... payment integration to site....like how dell does it with computers?

[jagan]

Hello

I am already selling this solution, my solution is

1.) Template based
2.) SEO URL (like category name + product name in URL)
3.) SEO Meta titles (Category name + Product name in title)

I am selling it as 200 USD per shop cart.

[ToddW]

Hello

I am already selling this solution, my solution is

1.) Template based
2.) SEO URL (like category name + product name in URL)
3.) SEO Meta titles (Category name + Product name in title)

I am selling it as 200 USD per shop cart.

Here in the U.S.A I`m doing.

1.) OSC Store Setup: $500
2.) Template Sale - Actual Price + 20%
3.) Add-On Modules $100-$150/each

That puts the complete package at around $1,000 including the template or custom design, and SEO Module, and other small things. This also includes web-hosting for a year bundled in.

-Todd

[aspen]

Many people do like what Todd does, and I don't have a problem with that.... someone is doing it for me right now actually. OSC is a good solution with a good community behind it and loads of contributions. Why not use it as a starting off point?

[irvin]

Now my questions are..

1. osC is an open source solution, that means it is free to use. Will the clients not willing to pay for it since it is free to use? I'm able to come up with unqiue design and layout and with 50 useful contributions installed, will that make a good convincing reason to sell this solution at a customized turn-key solution?

Thanks and looking forward to your advice and suggestions!

Out of my experience as an Osc based ecommerce website developer, I can say from the clients' point of view what matters is that they want a reliable solution they can use to sell their products online, most customers (especially who are not computer/internet savvy ones) won't really care whether it's an open source or off the shelf. Keep in mind though, I'm only selling to small to medium businesses, not big corporations or large enterprises.
So as long as the shopping cart (let's say the solution) is reliable (able to do what the clients want it to do, i.e. process payments, take orders, etc), and it looks appealing (design), you should be ready to go.

2. Some clients are not internet savvy enough to be aware of osC.. will it be "cheating" if I don't let them know before hand that it is osc(an open source) with added contributions for a more advanced and tailored made solution? I know a few companies are selling osc at $4000 and above with the default look of OSC and layout. Personally, that is too much a price to pay for anything that is free.. what do you think of it?

$4000?? No way! Man, I think it's time for me to review my service fees now
Ok, answer this one, again from my experience, I think it really depends on the customers themselves.
But a simple rule works for me is that if they don't ask what's the brand / kind / open source or off the shelf of the shopping cart being used, then you wouldn't need to tell them.
However, I always keep this principle in mind, out of all those solutions (ecommerce software, etc) I offers to my clients to use, I first should be comfortable and confident that these solutions are reliable/dependable and do work and bring positive results

[shadowbox]

Out of my experience as an Osc based ecommerce website developer, I can say from the clients' point of view what matters is that they want a reliable solution they can use to sell their products online, most customers (especially who are not computer/internet savvy ones) won't really care whether it's an open source or off the shelf. Keep in mind though, I'm only selling to small to medium businesses, not big corporations or large enterprises.
So as long as the shopping cart (let's say the solution) is reliable (able to do what the clients want it to do, i.e. process payments, take orders, etc), and it looks appealing (design), you should be ready to go.

These are valid points, but your clients should also be concerned about the licensing and support issues associated with the product you are suggesting. OS Commerce (or any open source product) is fine while you are there to provide support, but what happens if you go out of business? Who will support this client? Most clients will want guaranteed support systems in place, usually by telephone.

This is where choosing a commercial solution for a client may be a better option as there will usually be the option to purchase an ongoing support contract. Your clients may not worry about such things at the moment, but I guarantee you that the day will come when this will suddenly become top of their priority list.

[JoeCuk]

I think you are all about right on the prices.

How are you going about getting eCommerce clients as preferred to web design clients?

[Beansprout]

$4,000 seems about right...we don't do e-commerce work (save for simple "Buy it now"-style stuff) for less than $3,500.

Oscommerce is a great piece of software and can be very well customised. It's not necessarily just the time it takes, it's also the skill - and that's what people pay for. So sure, you might not have done much hardcore work on the store but you have templated it to your client's needs and made researched, proven judgements and modifications.

Quality over quantity

So to the OP - point two first - no, there's no need to tell them what you're using. Heck, outsourcing is what drives business: for example I have TV from Telewest yet the box and remote are simply re-branded Pace kit.

Now for point one - the price you sell for depends on:

The additional services (if any) that you'll provide - the most lucrative area is not just providing the software, but providing the solution.
The amount of customisation/branding easily available
The amount of time it took you to develop
The quantity you expect to sell
Aftersales support

I would say anything from $200 - $2,000