Guidance on App Development + Possible Paid Project

[esaviour]

I need some help/guidance re: developing an app to interface with my new website. I thank you in advance for any help, and apologies if the questions I ask are simplistic - I've just started to explore this idea.
I am not certain at this stage that an app is the right thing for the site, that's part of what I need guidance on. Rather than going to an app design company, I'd rather get some input + ideas from several experienced sources first and then consider the options.

The site is eSaviour.com. To describe it quickly, it's like eBay but for businesses/services instead of products.

I would want the app to match the site in design, and users should be able to do everything they can currently do on the site, including:

• Create an account, log in and edit details
• Register as an "eSaviour" (i.e. a business, service or freelancer) and create their own advert
• Chat live via the app to the "eSaviour" and send private messages
• Post a project as a customer for a job they need doing
• Manage that project and its payments
• Search + Browse for "eSaviours" or Projects by category / location / name
• Add favourite eSaviours
• Watch projects + provide ratings
• Access other pages such as support forums, terms and conditions, Contact Us and the About page

I need some idea of:
How much it would cost
An approximate figure or a price range would help, I just don't know at this stage.

What benefit it would bring in terms of raising the profile of the website.
I appreciate that as the website has just launched and is not known, people would have to read about it in order to decide to add the app. Would the site stand out more with an app though, with more people likely to come across it? Can anyone share experience of what they have seen an app do for a business?

How long it would likely take to develop and how I would need to work with the developer
I imagine it would need access to the code, so it would have to involve someone I could trust. Are there any well established developers reading this post or who you could recommend, who would be capable of creating such an app?

The balance of cost and raising the profile are critical. We do have a limited budget and what we have has to be spent wisely, since advertising a business of this type is tricky. Since it is a business that advertises other businesses, and does so at present completely free, any other business that would advertise businesses (e.g. Yell.com, Thomson Local) has a conflict of interest in advertising for us! I'm hoping that any money spent would be worthwhile as a marketing budget!

Thanks again for any comments relating to any of these points!

 

[eva lan]

How about making a hybrid app - a standalone, downloadable mobile app that actually does nothing more than just opens your website (not in browser - the user would see no address bar, so it would give the feel of a native app). For that you would of course need to have your site optimized for mobile browsers but I assume you're going to do it anyway.

The android developer would just need to make a simple app that displays a site; they shouldn't charge much for this. And the best thing is - you don't need it remade for iOS - just the native iOS 'wrapper' app that opens the site (I don't know much about iOS but there should be a way to do it too, I just know this works on Android).

Maybe you can also add some extras to your mobile 'app' so that it differs from the thing people see when they open their mobile browsers; would make more sense for someone to install the app.

And yes, though I cannot base it on personal experience, I think that having a standalone mobile app would increase your chances as people would simply be more likely to notice it if they see it in more places/more often.

 

[esaviour]

Ok thankyou for the reply, I didn't know that was an option so I have learned something!

If anyone is able to give an approximate cost for this I would be grateful.

 

[minimattapps]

I would be happy to do it for around $500. Is that in your price range?

 

[esaviour]

I would be interested to know what this would involve for $500, will send you a PM.

 

[minimattapps]

Didn't get a PM maybe send again or email me at minimattapps@gmail.com

 

[GTspoon]

I know this thread is dead, but just for any future developers:

Apps that simply open web-sites will get rejected from the Apple App Store