Need Database/Information/Membership Management Software Package

Any wisdom here is greatly appreciated.

The following details should provide a reasonable ballpark picture of what I need:

I need software to construct a searchable “information” website in WordPress, where “users” can post detailed information about themselves on a “profile page” that “clients” can search for onsite using detailed, multi-layered, search criteria.

It’s structure needs to be something like a product site, such as Amazon; however, it’s not a product site; it’s an information site. You go to Amazon and search for keyword “computers.” You get a page with images of computers on the left, and a short description of each on the right. You can then refine your search to find computers by category, brand, etc., on and on—you get the picture. Something similar to that, except that, in my case, the client gets a list of user “profiles” based on the search criteria they enter.

Here’s the upfront deal breaker. The software system cannot be “cloud-based” or an “online service” or some “monthly plan” where I pay a fee to use someone else’s software online, or whatever, whereby I am dependent on third parties for its operation. I want the software runnin’ in WordPress on my physical server. I don’t want my feet nailed to anyone else’s floor. I want a totally independent operation, installed on my equipment, with no dependency on outside providers, or their sites, for operations. I want total control over the system. This doesn’t apply to hosting, just site operation.

I may, however, use third-party storage such as Amazon S3—not sure on that. I would prefer my own storage, but, as video and images are involved, capacity may balloon into a problem. If I use third party storage, files posted by the user need to go seamlessly from their profile setup to the out-sourced storage facility without my input.

The site layout needs to be completely administrator customizable on my end in terms of appearance of pages, input controls, use, etc.

The site is free to all users and clients, so maintaining integrity is a serious problem here. It’s a site for “professional” career people use; however, the free thing is a big deal. It must remain free to all users and clients, but I must have tight control over users and clients.

Therein lies a huge problem: Not just every idiot and fool out there can put a profile on this site. All the user profiles on this site are professional in nature; therefore, I need a foolproof way to insure user integrity up front before someone can post a profile. Any client can search the site, but I have to know that users are who they say they are. I’ll even consider background checks if I have to in order to insure this. Automated checking is optimal.

Everything needs to be as “automated” as possible.

It needs to be fast and user/client friendly.

I need the ability to institute a user/client fee in the future if necessary without abandoning the system and starting over.

The user must be able to update their profile whenever they choose through log in.

The profile will have one 30-second video clip, two 30-second audio clips, and two 500 kb jpg image files per profile. I’d like to control the formats and size of these files when they are posted by the user in the profile setup. Preferably, the user must configure the files per my specs before they can be uploaded to the site; hence, the site needs to check these specs and verify them before upload happens.

I need a way to constantly force users to update strategic searchable information on their profiles quarterly, as up-to-date profiles are a must. The intended client market for this site has no time to waste, and if the information for which they search is not accurate 24/7, it’s over for this service.

I need a way to terminate user profiles, disable them, keep them on hold, yada yada through an automated process, where the user is notified of pending deadlines for updating, and regulatory matters are handled by the software, not by human input.

I need a good user “VIP” chat room, where only users with a certain level of access can use it. I may need password control here.

The profile page needs a user editable “user post” field, where the user can post temporary “updates” about things they want clients to see immediately.

I need a good affiliate/advertiser operation that is automated as to keeping up with these affiliates, with information on all affiliate operations. I may allow surgical VIP advertising opportunities for those who can meet a specified degree of integrity.

This is the big one: The search must be powerful and surgical with a good search history. There will be a “search page” that comes up, where the client can enter several search criteria at once before they initiate the overall search. When they log off the site, it needs the ability to return to their previous search where they left off the next time they log on.

Each user has a single profile page that can be found by a client who logs on to the site and wants to search for a specific profile or profiles based on several search terms that are related, such as a main search category, followed by several sub-categories, that take the client to specific profile pages that fit the specific “surgical” search criteria.

Clients don’t have to have a profile to search the site; however, they must have a verifiable “account” with detailed information as such, whereby the system recognizes them and their history on the site, something like Amazon remembers you, your search history, order history, etc. The system needs to remember the client history to some degree.

I’m trying to avoid a custom build, hence, I’m looking for something off the shelf, turnkey, so to speak, that is highly configurable on my end without using a programmer to do it for me. Any package built to work with WordPress that will easily service about 10,000 user profiles and costs under about $3,000.00 is acceptable.

Any recommendations here are appreciated.

• This topic was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Jan Dembowski. Reason: Moved to Fixing WordPress, this is not an Developing with WordPress topic