Engineer Needed for a Short, Confidential Consultation

First, my name is Loraine so do not call me something else. I’ve noticed a few people calling me an alternate name and it’s not accurate. Second, this is for an hour consultation not a chance for you to charge me excessive amounts for 2 or more hours that I didn’t ask for. I hope this is understood, anyone who doesn’t respect these boundaries will be declined. I’m looking for an experienced software engineer to help me think through an early-stage product idea. The product involves using information from online purchases and other product records to make product-safety information easier to understand and act on. I’m still narrowing down the first version, so I need someone who can help me understand what is technically possible before I spend money on development. This is a consultation, not a request to build the whole product. I’m specifically looking for someone who has personally worked with things like: - Shopify or other online checkout systems - Point-of-sale systems - Product, inventory, or fulfillment records - Payments or digital receipts - Connecting information from different software systems (ERP’s, GS1) - Backend software, APIs, and data security Please only apply if you have hands-on engineering experience. I’m not looking for a project manager, business consultant, or someone who has only managed an online store. For the consultation, I’d like your help answering questions such as: - What information can online checkout or retail systems actually provide? - What information usually cannot be accessed? - How difficult would it be to connect information from different systems? - What would be the simplest first version to test? - What technical problems or risks should I think about before building? The first conversation will stay general because the product idea is not public yet. I will share more detailed information only after an NDA is signed. Please include: - Examples of software or retail integrations you personally built or designed - The systems you worked with - Your specific role in that work - Your hourly rate or price for a short consultation - How many hours you think we would need for an initial review This would probably be a one-time consultation to start, with the possibility of additional conversations if it is a good fit.