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How much does an eCommerce website cost to make?

How much does an ecommerce website cost? An ecommerce website costs from £2,495 to £10,000+ depending on the platform, design and features. This article breaks it down so you can plan your budget.
  • eCommerce website costs start from £2,495, but monthly running costs are expected to be around £75. The total cost varies greatly depending on design and functionality.
  • Initial setup costs like domain registration, web hosting, and SSL certificates are essential to budgeting.
  • Choosing the right ecommerce platform is an important decision, as popular options like Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce vary significantly in price and features, affecting the overall ownership cost.
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Various ecommerce website costs

Ecommerce Website Cost: Comprehensive 2024 Pricing Guide

An eCommerce website is a store where businesses can sell products or services. eCommerce websites come in many forms. Each form is designed for specific business models and customer needs. Creating an ecommerce website project requires an investment, planning and a good team. The benefits are increased brand visibility, access to target audience and entry to new markets.

However, moving to an online business platform comes with its challenges. The complexity and cost of going online can be high, but for customers and global reach, it’s worth it.

Knowing the total eCommerce website cost helps you prepare for launch and ongoing running.

Understanding Ecommerce Website Costs

Understanding of ecommerce website costs

The design requirements of your ecommerce website will affect the cost, user experience, brand perception and conversion rates. Custom responsive design ensures device performance and can add to the price. For example, Shopify and BigCommerce cost between £1,000 and £10,000+. WooCommerce sites cost between £2,495 and £10,000+ depending on whether you go for a starter or custom build.

Many small things add up to the cost of an ecommerce site. Domain registration, web hosting, SSL certificates and additional features like payment gateways and shipping integrations. Knowing these components helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises down the line.

Initial Setup Costs for an Ecommerce Site

The initial setup costs for an ecommerce site.

Setting up an ecommerce site involves several initial costs: domain registration, web hosting and SSL certificates. The average annual cost of domain registration is between £10 and £30, and we would recommend 123-Reg when buying.

Web hosting costs keep your site running, but the cost varies greatly. SSL certificates are essential for online transactions and customer trust.

Knowing these initial setup costs is key to building a solid foundation for your ecommerce business.

Domain Registration

As mentioned above, domain registration costs between £10 and £30 per year. However, the cost varies greatly depending on the top-level domain (TLD) and the registrar. For example, a .com domain is usually in this range, but other TLDs can be more or less.

Some providers offer domain names as low as £2 per year, depending on the extension and promotions.

Web Hosting

Web hosting costs range from £5 to £250 per month. Choosing a self-hosted eCommerce website can add unnecessary complexity when starting.

You get what you pay for when choosing a hosting provider for your online store. We advise against going for the cheapest option but one with good reviews from a trusted source like Trust Pilot.

As a web agency, we also offer hosting for your ecommerce website as part of our service. So you don’t have to worry about finding a trustworthy hosting provider.

SSL Certificates

SSL certificates are essential for the security and customer trust of e-commerce websites. Most hosting companies offer a free SSL certificate, which a third party like Cloudflare and LetsEncrypt can also provide.

A more advanced SSL costs between £50 and £150 per year and can be purchased through your hosting provider.

Development Costs

eCommerce website development costs for eCommerce sites can vary greatly depending on the design complexity and features required. Responsive design is necessary for device performance and can add to the cost if the design is complex. A user-friendly design impacts customer experience and overall development costs.

Open-source solutions like WooCommerce allow for extensive customisation but often require a dedicated development team, which increases operational costs.

Unique functionality requirements can add much to development resources and the overall cost of hiring web design agencies or developers. Complex ecommerce projects can take up to 3 months to complete and add to the labour cost.

Custom Design vs Templates

A pre-built theme is cost-effective, costing £2,495, and custom designs costing £5,995 and above. Custom designs offer unique features and tailored functionality but add extra cost for custom graphics and interactive elements.

Off-the-shelf themes may not be optimised for your use case, can be slow, and need modifications by a web designer. When building an ecommerce site, it’s best to balance design needs with budget and choose between the cost-effective option of templates and the tailored benefits of custom designs.

Additional Ecommerce Features and Their Costs

Additional ecommerce features and their costs.

Adding extra features to an ecommerce site can add to the overall cost depending on complexity. Integration with other third-party platforms can add to the price, as you need custom development to ensure seamless integration. User registration features require additional scoping, design and development of custom modules.

Many ecommerce platforms offer free and paid apps to extend functionality. The price range for paid WooCommerce add-ons is £20 to £299, and Magento extensions are £50 to £1,000. High-quality product images and detailed content should be considered, which adds to the overall cost.

Payment Gateway Integration

Depending on the provider, payment gateways have different options, which can impact transaction fees. Transaction fees can add up quickly and vary depending on the gateway and transaction type. For example, Shopify Payments charges 2.9% + 30p per transaction, and PayPal charges 2.9% + £0.30.

Integration costs for payment gateways may include developer fees if a custom setup is required. For example, setting up Stripe as a payment gateway on Magento will require developer fees to integrate the Stripe API.

Credit card transaction fees is 2.4% to 2.9% plus a fixed amount per transaction. Most payment processors charge a small transaction fee.

Shipping and Fulfillment Integrations

Automated shipping helps to streamline logistics, save time, and reduce errors. Effective shipping integrations are key to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. These optimisations can reduce costs by minimising manual processes. For example, integrating with common shipping carriers like Royal Mail or DHL can automate the calculation of shipping costs, labels and tracking information and give a seamless experience to the business and its customers.

eCommerce sites benefit from shipping integrations that update shipping rates, delivery times, and order tracking. The initial cost of these integrations can vary, but the long-term savings in time and reduced errors will justify the investment. These tools allow businesses to focus on scaling their business rather than managing logistics.

Marketing and SEO Tools

Marketing and SEO tools come in different models, free, paid and freemium, so you have flexibility in budgeting. Email marketing platforms can start as low as £12 per month, depending on your desired features. Advanced SEO tools often require a subscription, and the cost varies greatly depending on the tool.

An entire marketing budget should include paid advertising, email marketing and social media marketing costs. For example, your budget might consist of funds for Google Ads, Facebook campaigns and influencer partnerships.

These tools bring visitors to your site, convert them into loyal customers, and drive sales and growth.

Ongoing Maintenance and Operational Costs

The ongoing maintenance and operational cost of an ecommerce site includes hosting fees, security updates and technical support essential for optimal performance. Regular updates and security maintenance ensure the site works and is secure. The estimated maintenance cost for an eCommerce site varies depending on the size of the site.

Our monthly maintenance and security cost for an ecommerce site starts from £65 per month.

Regular Updates and Security

Regular software updates are necessary to maintain an eCommerce site’s security and functionality. Security is critical to prevent data breaches and protect sensitive customer information. This includes installing the latest security patches, updating plugins, and ensuring all software components are up to date.

Data backups is also important to protect customer information and transactions, the cost is usually tied to the size of the site files. These backups ensure that the business can quickly restore its operation without losing too much data in case of any failure or cyber-attack. Including these costs in your budget is important for a secure and reliable ecommerce site.

Marketing and Advertising

A typical monthly digital marketing budget can vary greatly, but companies often allocate from £1,000 to £10,000+. This budget includes the costs for SEO, social media marketing, content creation, and paid advertising campaigns.

Tools like Constant Contact and OptinMonster offer affordable email marketing and lead generation solutions for £12 per month and £59.60 per year, respectively. Allocating a portion of your budget to these tools helps to attract new customers and retain existing ones and ensure the ongoing success of your ecommerce business.

Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform

The process of choosing the right ecommerce platform

Here are some options when choosing the right platform for your eCommerce store:

  • Shopify, £29 to £299 per month, depending on the plan
  • Magento Enterprise licenses start at over $20,000 per year
  • WooCommerce is free for basics when used with WordPress

Each platform suits different business needs and budgets.

BigCommerce supports multiple storefronts, allowing you to manage multiple brands from one account. It also has built-in B2B tools like customer groups and price lists.

Consider your business needs, budget and scalability when choosing an ecommerce platform for long-term success.

Ecommerce Website Costs Factors

The cost of building an ecommerce site is affected by:

  • Project complexity
  • Platform
  • Features required
  • Type of ecommerce business

For example, a small ecommerce site with basic functionality will cost much less than a complex site with custom features and integrations. The hosting provider also significantly affects the overall cost, page load time and reliability.

Payment processing costs can add up big time for an ecommerce business. Hosting costs can be affected by the size and volume of transactions an ecommerce site processes. Consider these when budgeting for initial and ongoing expenses for your e-commerce site.

Conclusion

Knowing the total cost of building and maintaining an ecommerce site is important for any business that wants to succeed in the digital world. Every bit adds up, from initial setup costs like domain registration, web hosting and SSL certificates to development costs and extra features.

Consider these and plan your budget accordingly and you’ll have a seamless ecommerce site launch. Invest in sound design, reliable hosting and practical marketing tools that impact your site’s performance and profitability. Happy ecommerce journey!

Wesley Cude

Wesley Cude is the Founder of Cude Design and previously established The CBD Supplier, which he recently sold. A seasoned remote worker since 2013, he splits his time between London and Lisbon. Wesley is a driven entrepreneur with a keen focus on SEO.

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