How much to charge for making an ecommerce website for a small business?

I am building a website for a small business who wants to quit using eBay. Here's what I will be doing for them: designing the site and logo/s. I will add a system where they can login and add or remove items for sell. Set up the shopping cart area to work with their account. So basically I'm doing their logo, site, and making it easy from them to update. How much should I charge? I was thinking $500 but I don't want to lose the job by asking too much as I am just student, but I do REALLY good work and I have building sites for years.

I am building a website for a small business who wants to quit using eBay. Here's what I will be doing for them: designing the site and logo/s. I will add a system where they can login and add or remove items for sell. Set up the shopping cart area to work with their account. So basically I'm doing their logo, site, and making it easy from them to update. How much should I charge? I was thinking $500 but I don't want to lose the job by asking too much as I am just student, but I do REALLY good work and I have building sites for years.

chuck.srodka@gmail.com

concentrate on the design work, do a mock up or a layout first, and get their interest.
Give them a full list of all the functions....
Don't focus/talk on price, focus on what you will be offering them.
You can always get the engine ready made for your work. Oscommerce or other....u know.
$500 is reasonable, but you can do it for less, or offer some extra design work....i.e business card, banners for advertising their shop on other sites etc.
Good luck

You can also participate in http://www.LiveLancer.com

Malachi has a good point too, but ask questions before you answer them....try to figure out how much budget they have for this project.

I charge $4000 for a site like that. Don't forget that you can also scare a company away by charging too little ;) you don't want them to think you are small time. Think about how long it is going to take you and factor in your pay per hour. If you already have the server side code written you could make it pretty cheap, but its likely going to have to be heavily customized. Also, don't skimp on charging for 'design'. A good design is priceless.

$500??? Are you mad??!

You should charge them at least for something like $3000! AT LEAST!

I am a student and a web designer too and I am reaaally into web design so I know what you're thinking. "I'll lose the offer" and "I need to start small" etc... Let me tell you, that's bullsh*t.

Just charge them about $3000 AT LEAST and you'll be fine. They most probably won't find anything cheaper and come back to you :p

Figure how long it will take you to do a good job, and calculate your hourly income from that. $500? You can earn that flipping burgers.

Let them "design" the site for you, tell you - in detail - exactly what they expect. Then write up a contract, offering to give them exactly that - no more - for a price you think an experienced web developer (that's you) SHOULD charge per hour you figure it will take you - and then make it 150% of that time, unless you know that you estimate your time accurately.

The contract should call for all source code to be deliverable - IOW, they get everything, not just the right to use it.

Yes $500 is reasonable. You can also register at freelance website like http://getafreelnacer.com/ and start bidding for all web designing projects posted there.

Please drop you email ID and I would give you contacts of people who need ecommerce site.