eCommerce websites are not luxury packages anymore.
For modern retail businesses, it’s the key to succeed without investing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Let’s face it.
The traditional way of doing retail business involves a huge investment (starting from a retail outlet, inventory & salesmen to recurring monthly overheads) however the online approach to do the same business may require a small investment as low as few thousand which includes an eCommerce website and its online marketing expenses.
A basic eCommerce website package starts from $2500 and can go up to $6000 or more. In this basic package, you will get all the necessary features that you need to run a successful online store.
For those who are new to eCommerce, it’s worth knowing about the cost determinants of an eCommerce website.
In this blog, I am going to share some of the important features of an eCommerce website that affect the eCommerce website cost.
#1 Graphic Design
What are your expectations from your eCommerce designer? Do you want a theme/template design to be used for your website with some editions or you are looking for a completely new and creative design? If the latter is the case, then I bet you are going to spend at least $500-$700 additional cost however if you don’t have any problem using a template design, then the overall budget for your eCommerce web design will be comparatively lower.
If you need an eCommerce website at a low cost, you must use readymade templates or themes for your online store.
#2 Payment Methods
The selection of payment methods can affect the total cost of your eCommerce website development.
If you intend to process & charge your customers’ credit cards on your website, you will need to follow certain strict regulations around the use and storage of credit card information which are regulated by the Payment Card Industry via their Data Security Standards. You can get more information on this from your bank however this method will certainly increase your website design budget.
I always recommend my small & medium-sized clients to use any of the leading payment gateways including PayPal, SecurePay, Worldpay, etc.
These payment gateways provide easy-to-use scripts which can be integrated by your eCommerce builder effortlessly and quickly. Needless to mention, this method is cost-effective and hassle-free.
#3 Shipping Methods
Shipping is another important constituent and at the same time one of the factors to determine the eCommerce website cost.
What kind of shipping method do you want to have on your online store?
Do you want a flat shipping cost, a weight-based shipping cost or the country-based shipping cost?
Flat shipping cost is pretty basic and easy to integrate however weight/country-based shipping cost may require some additional effort and charges to do.
Another important thing to consider is whether you want to integrate your eCommerce website with the local post authorities to enable your customers to check the real-time tracking status of their orders. If that’s the case, the integration cost will definitely increase your overall budget.
#4 Custom Features
If you have some specific features to be included in your eCommerce web design, then the cost can go invariably higher, depending upon your requirements. The additional cost will depend on the hourly price that your website builder charge.
For eg., if you sell some customized products on your online store and you want your customers to be able to modify the product design at the time of checkout, the customization feature may cost you a lot because your eCommerce developer/builder may need to do some extra coding or programming to develop it.
#5 Website Hosting
The cost of your eCommerce website can be affected by the web hosting package you choose. If you want a basic website, you can find a web hosting providers that offer shared hosting plans.
However, if you need a more powerful website with features such as unlimited storage space and bandwidth or a private SSL certificate, you will need to look for a web hosting provider that offers VPS or Dedicated hosting plans.
Of course, the price of the hosting plan will also depend on the features and resources offered.
#6 Products uploading
Will you upload the products to your website or you will need the assistance of your website developer?
If you want your eCommerce developer to upload products to your website, the cost of your website may increase. This is because adding products requires additional work on the part of the developer, and thus may require additional time and effort.
However, if you have a large number of products that you need to add to your website, it may be worth the extra cost to have them added by a professional.
#7 Development platform
The selection of the development platform is a critical decision that will have a significant impact on the cost of an eCommerce website.
There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a platform, including the size and scope of the project, the desired features and functionality, and the budget.
If you are on a budget and looking for an eCommerce website development solution, WooCommerce may be the right choice for you. With WooCommerce, you can get all the features and functionality you need to run a successful online store, without breaking the bank.
So if you’re looking to get started in eCommerce without spending a fortune, WooCommerce is definitely worth considering.
One of the benefits of WooCommerce website development is that it gives you the ability to sell anything online. Whether you’re selling physical goods, digital products, or services, WooCommerce makes it easy to set up an online store and start selling.
Another benefit of WooCommerce is that it’s a highly customizable platform. With WooCommerce, you can choose from a variety of themes & plugins to create a unique website that fits your brand. You can also add custom functionality to your WooCommerce site with ease.
Finally, WooCommerce is a great choice for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re an established business, WooCommerce can help you grow your online presence.
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