Webstore for customizable products

I need a storefront website consisting of a small number of products, but with a large number of options for customer customization of said products. ? There should be an easily-updatable, searchable, library of styles wherein each style has a set of properties, limitations, and photos associated with it. ? Upon selecting a style, each product should be displayed incorporating the selected style as well as a number of other options/parameters as detailed below. ? There should also be an order management screen on the backend that shows me the open orders and the full detail of the options selected for each ordered product, as well as facilities for editting the various databases mentioned below. ? The product pages will require some dynamic jquery or javascript graphical features. ## Deliverables **Background:** I run a small business manufacturing custom knobs and electrical switches for automotive use. ? At present I do business via forum advertising and simple email or phone orders, however I'd like to expand this business with a proper website and ordering system. The bulk of my business is making customized reproduction dash pulls - plastic knobs attached to switches/controls/cables etc. on older automobiles. ? People send me a knob from their vehicle, I make a mold of the original, and then cast a reproduction copy and 3D engrave new markings into the face. ? This allows people with older vehicles to obtain matching controls or switches properly marked for modern accesories.? Once I've made a mold for a particular application it can be reused indefinitely - so future orders for knobs of that shape don't require the customer to send me a knob to copy, and the mold is thereby added to my "library" of available shapes. The customer can specify if they want the knob threaded (for use on a control cable or existing switch post in the vehicle) or if they'd like an electrical switch included (push-pull, push-on-push-off, momentary, toggle, lighted etc). ? The also have their choice of colors and knobs with stepped faces can be made with multiple colors. ? "Special" colors like clear/translucent or marble effects are available as well. ? **What I Need:** ? I need a website which allows people to purchase knobs from my inventory of molds, or order new custom molded knobs. ? Essentially I have two products: * Customized OEM reproduction switches * Customized Universal switches For the OEM reproduction product, the website should ask the customer for their vehicle year/make/model, and then display a list of the molds (thumbnails of the shape) I have already made (if any), as well as provide an option for a copy of a customer-supplied knob/switch (with a thumbnail of a question mark or other suitable indicator). For the Universal switches, the website should have simple options to filter my available molds by possible base type (threaded, electrical switch, or OEM base only) and dimensions (small, medium, or large). ? Note that the library of molds is the same for each product - the "universal" shapes are simply my library of OEM copies offered irrespective of vehicle. When a shape is selected (for either "product") the user should be brought to a product page which displays a picture of the shape selected; I will develop a library of switch/knob photos; two per shape, one of the face and one of a profile. ? It will then offer a list of options: * **? Color:** ? A selection of color options should be displayed in small squares, and be selectable. ? A similar "other" square should allow selection of any 16bit color from a color-wheel type display. ? Additional squares should allow selection of "special" colors: ? glow-in-the-dark, or clear - these options should indicate a cost increase of "+$5.00".? * ? **Color options:** ? A number of checkable options should be displayed. ? "Marble", along with a colorwheel selector for the marbling color, "Glitter" with a colorwheel selector for the glitter color, "Translucent", and "Face color" (if the knob shape allows a different colored face) with a colorwheel selector. ? All of these options should indicate a cost increase of "+$5.00" * **Text/Picture:** This is what will be engraved on the knob, the customer should be able to upload a B&W bitmap or jpeg file OR enter some plain text. ? If uploading a graphic, a check box should allow the customer to indicate if the graphic is just a sketch or if it is lineart that conforms to the requirements posted on another page (I will create this). ? In the former case, it should indicate a "+$5.00 cost delta for me to remaster their graphics before engraving. ? There should also be a "Browse" function to select example graphics (ala clip art), with some simple gallery browser type thing. * **Base type:** ? There should be check options for "Threaded", "Plain Shaft", "Electrical Switch". ? Selecting "Threaded" should display options (drop down) for choosing a thread size (you should provide me a way to easily add or subtract threading options, for example M4x0.7, M5x0.8, 1/4-20, #8-32, etc etc). ? Selecting "Plain Shaft" should similarly allow selection of a shaft diameter (e.g. 5mm, 6mm, 1/8", 1/4"). ? Selecting "Electrical Switch" should display options for "Push-on Push-off", "Push-Pull", "Momentary", "Toggle". ? Note that there should be provisions in the database of knob shapes to limit or change the available options - not all knob shapes are large enough to fit all shaft/thread sizes/electrical bases. ? ? When the customer selects one/some of the options, the product page should be updated to show the currently selected stackup. ? e.g. when the customer uploads a photo or selects a gallery graphic, the selected/uploaded graphic thumbnail should be displayed. ? I don't need a realistic representation of the finished knob (as I think thats unrealistic), but maybe a "Stack" of icons - the uploaded photo in an icon on top, followed by an icon of the knob shape, followed by an icon of the color, followed by an icon of the base type, for example. ? Propose any other ideas you have. ? There should be a text list of the selected options as well. ? I would not like the page to refresh when an option is selected - please use jquery or javascript to update the page client-side. Upon completing the knob design it should be addable to a shopping cart in standard fashion - all the standard web store amenities for the shopping cart should be included. ? If a customer has elected to send me a knob for duplication, as opposed to using one from my library of molds, warnings should be displayed in the shopping cart, and after checkout shipment information for the knob should be displayed (use placeholders). I do not have logos/graphics, or even a name for the shop at the moment, so leave placeholders for this (come up with a working title if you like). ? There should also be links to an "About", "FAQ", and "How it Works" page - I will add content to these. In case the product is unclear, I've been operating a very small subset of the business out of this page: [login to view URL] **Backend:** I need an order status page displaying all the outstanding orders and the full details of the knobs ordered. ? I need to be able to mark them as complete/pending/shipped, etc. The database of example engraving graphics should be simple - just a folder where I can deposit picture files. The database of knob shapes needs a web interface for editting/adding new shapes. ? Fields required: * ? Picture1 * ? Picture2 * ? Size (small medium large) * ? AllowedTaps * ? AllowedShafts * ? AllowedBases * ? Price * ? FaceWidth * ? FaceHeight * ? Make * ? Model * ? YearLow * ? YearHigh This database needs to be easy to update - by easy, I mean I don't want to have to click through 10 different pages to add a new knob. ? Make it easy for me to add a shape and upload pictures, all on the same page. I would prefer that the store be ready to integrate with my own payment processor, but for the moment I will use paypal. ? You're welcome to use a modified off-the-shelf ecommerce package (oscommerce, or whatever) but if it requires a license ($) please ask me first. ? Do be sure it meets all of my requirements, particularly regarding the ease of updating it - I've used one or two in the past and it was absolutely torturous to operate the backend. ? Note - the look of the store must ABSOLUTELY NOT be a commonly available template, even if you use an off-the-shelf package. ? Please propose (via sketch or already-online example) a general layout; I am very flexible, but don't want to look like an "insta-store".