Site Review: eDirectory.com

Building a simple directory from scratch can be a daunting task. Having a custom built database can be expensive and can take a long time to design and code, not to mention working out all the bugs and troubleshooting. Unless you’re a programmer, you may want to look for a pre-built database or application to build upon.

eDirectory offers directory services which can be customized to suit a wide range of needs. Aside from the search able directory, they offer payment processing and account maintenance, which makes it ideal for e-commerce sites. Generally, revenue would come from selling ad space and premiere listings. There are 3 packages to choose from, depending on what you may need. It you just need a simple directory and don’t need to collect any revenue, then the basic package is for you. For anything where you may need to collect money and have some more control, the E-Commerce or Owned License (where you own the actual source code) would be a better option.

The company offers professional-grade hosting, which is essential for any e-commerce site and is search engine optimized. The back-end of the site has an easy-to-use graphical user interface and has a separate site for the administrator and advertisers. It is also accessible via mobile platforms and optimized even for WAP. Prices range from $69 to $99 per month for the Basic and E-commerce sites or a one-time $1499 fee for the Owned License. For each level, there are different customization  packages, such as “Style Customization” (where they re-design the basic directory to match your pre-existing website) for a flat fee of $599.

Over-all, eDirectory can be a great alternative to building your directory from scratch.