Need your expertise here:
Exploring a web based business idea - complexity of webpage would be comparable to eBay or Facebook.
If it is you, what approach would you take to make it happen?
Many thanks.
Thank you for your reply. Hope you can tell me a bit more.
On our side, we have the original idea, marketing and finance. What need is someone to write the program.
To outsource, concern is idea cannot be protected. We are happy to pay, however, is there fixed cost to build a web page. $10K? $100K? Since it is not a tangible asset, we want to cap the limit as least with a ball park figure to start with, otherwise, it is like water down the drain if not result.
Every website is different, so unless you tell us what you are doing there is no way to estimate the costs.
If you are worried about people stealing your idea speak to a solicitor about getting non-disclosure agreements or possibly patents. But don't be too worried about people stealing your idea. Most people won't have the drive to build a company, even if they hear a great idea. Those people who might steal it, can just steal it as soon as you launch anyway. If you start telling people your idea they might be able to offer more help. Too many people get caught up in not having their idea stolen, and end up not actually being able to do anything with the idea.
use freelancer.com, even NASA is!
If it is going to be as complicated as eBay or Facebook, I don't think "contractor" or "web page designer" is going to cut it. I know you might want to solve a big problem, however don't over-engineer the solution at the beginning. Get a simple design first and then gradually scale up.
You can get it outsourced - think of Odesk or Elance or Guru.com. That way you might find a reasonable vendor and you may be saved from the trouble of partnership. Finding a right vendor for the difficult task can be a tedious task though.
If outsourcing, how do you think to possibly protect the original idea?
Most of these freelancers/ vendors are good at technology but don't have a great business sense, so it's not easy for them to steal the idea anyway nor they are interested as they know their core expertise and weaknesses. Plus, if you choose a good freelancer, he's too busy with many other clients like you to think about a completely new venture in a totally different direction. It's a risk worth taking I guess for the sheer cost advantage and flexibility it promises!
Anyone can suggest a good freelancer/s. Would you pay by hours or as a whole job?
You will have to search on those portals doing enough research (their work samples, reviews, team size, English skills, price/ quotes, etc.). These are global websites. Pricing could be lump-sum or per hour basis. It's up to you and the vendor do negotiate and decide.
freelancer.com will get all the work done, if you have an original idea no one is doing as others have said you need to say a patent solicitor, that will probably cost you more than the freelancers.
Patent an idea. That's new.
being a troll, that's new.
Not being a troll. Ideas by itself can't be patented. Even if it's an original idea.
Interestingly when I googled "patented", the 1st search ads above the result says "How to Patent an Idea?" However I agree with you that a mere idea is hardly patentable. On the other hand for software it's not that costly to convert an idea to a working implementation, an "invention" that is likely to be patentable. Whether it's patent-worthy is another matter.
You need to do a lot of research and understand how building a website works, particularly a complex one like ebay or facebook. Even relatively simple sites are going to cost thousands of dollars. Something like facebook or ebay would cost millions.
If you try to partner with someone, think about what you are bringing to the partnership. You'll probably be asking them to do thousands or tens of thousands of dollars worth of work. Will you be contributing something equally worthwhile?