An eCommerce website is a digital outlet of your brick-and-mortar store and allows you to showcase your brand and product and your customers to purchase your products and services online. If you want to create an online store, the eCommerce website cost is one of the first questions that come to mind.
There are four types of eCommerce websites: business-to-business, business-to-customer, customer-to-business, and customer-to-customer. While the eCommerce website cost may vary based on your requirements, this blog will give you valuable insights into determining the cost of eCommerce website development.
On average, the cost of eCommerce website development ranges from $10,000 to $250,000. However, the actual eCommerce website cost is ultimately driven by various factors, including:
- Your business objectives, needs, and complexity
- Type of eCommerce website, i.e., B2B, B2C, etc.
- The eCommerce website development platform you choose
- The eCommerce features you want in your store
The platform you build your eCommerce website on significantly affects your eCommerce website price. eCommerce builder platforms like eCommerceMD typically charge a monthly fee and offer services that include hosting and a suite of hundreds of features to set up and customize your eCommerce store with greater flexibility and the highest degree of personalization.
43% of global websites are hosted on WordPress. Therefore, hiring a WordPress development services to build your eCommerce store is a good place to start your journey.
If you are planning to sell a wide range of products, use sophisticated search filters, and integrate complex shipping operations and APIs, this will increase your eCommerce website cost.
Your eCommerce website design impacts its development cost. If you want a bespoke design created by professional eCommerce website developers, it will cost you more than using pre-existing templates. However, a beautiful website design significantly enhances your user experience and your conversion ratio.
Any additional functionalities or integrations you need will affect the cost of eCommerce website development. These functionalities may encompass CRM integrations, digital marketing tools, advanced SEO features, or social media plugins. While each of these elements has the potential to enhance your website’s performance, they contribute to the overall pricing.
There are different variables to consider when calculating the eCommerce website pricing. Let us have a quick look at them.
eCommerce Builder Fee
eCommerce builder fee depends on out-of-box features, including templates, payment gateway integration, third-party integrations, and more. The more features you get in an eCommerce solution, the higher the eCommerce website pricing will be.
Domain Name Cost
This annual cost depends on where you purchase your domain and the extensions you buy, such as .com or .org.
eCommerce Hosting
After registering your domain, it is time to find a good web hosting service. Platforms such as Shopify offer cloud-based website hosting as part of their subscription. However, you can also opt to self-host an eCommerce website and pay for it separately.
SSL Certificate Cost
A SLL certificate may cost up to $200 annually. It is an important aspect of eCommerce website development because it secures your website over a network that you use for customers to visit and purchase from your eCommerce store.
Payment Transaction Cost
Payment processing costs vary depending on the payment type you want to offer at the checkout stage. These include credit cards, PayPal, and support for various currencies.
Design Cost
The design plays a vital role in creating a unique customer experience and reflects your brand’s identity. Two of the major website design costs include store theme and design costs and the cost of extensions, plugins, and add-ons.
An attractive design with many interactive features and functionalities is integral to running a successful eCommerce store. The eCommerce website cost for hiring a developer or choosing an eCommerce builder platform depends on the complexity of your project.
Some of the costs for eCommerce website development are one-time upfront costs. However, several other fees are ongoing on a monthly or annual basis. The best part is that if you know your needs, you will be able to forecast your eCommerce website price for the entire project.
You will also know the ongoing costs each month or year without surprises. That said, here are six areas when it comes to breaking down the eCommerce website cost.
The cost of hosting an eCommerce website starts as low as $2.49 per month and as high as $1,000 or more. This hosting cost varies based on factors such as the traffic your store gets and the extra services you want, including automated backups.
The estimated cost of a SaaS-hosted website may be as low as $39 monthly, including incremental upgrades. However, a self-hosted eCommerce website with incremental upgrades may cost $2.75 to $2,000 monthly.
Some of the basic costs associated with hosting include the following:
- An eCommerce hosting account cost
- Your website’s domain name cost
- An SSL certificate cost
Some web hosting providers, such as Bluehost, provide services, including a free domain name and SSL certificate, for a monthly fee of $2.75.
However, a potential drawback is that as your ecommerce store expands, you will be required to upgrade your hosting plan to accommodate the surge in traffic. In the case of a high-volume website, self-hosting could incur costs ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per month.
A payment gateway is a service provider that manages your transactions so customers can purchase products on the go. Your eCommerce website must have at least one payment gateway to accept payments from debit cards, credits, and other smart payment options.
However, the payment processing cost depends on the plan you purchase from your eCommerce builder platform or eCommerce website development services.
For instance, a basic payment processing plan to process an online payment transaction for a credit card may cost you 30 cents plus 2.4% to 2.9% per transaction. You can avoid or lower this eCommerce website cost if you accept payments in person.
The more payment options you offer on your eCommerce store, the better your user experience will be. The integration of multiple payment gateways increases the cost of eCommerce website development. However, it will increase your eCommerce store’s ability to cater to customers from all walks of life, ultimately bringing higher ROI.
Customers form an opinion about your eCommerce website in just about 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds). Furthermore, your brand’s credibility plays a pivotal role in influencing customers’ purchasing decisions, and your branding can swiftly contribute to building that trust.
The visual appeal and user-friendliness of your website are paramount. Pre-made templates come with a price range, spanning from free options to
those exceeding $200. On the other hand, custom website designs can add to your eCommerce website cost between $5,000 to $30,000, contingent on the complexity of the design.
Many eCommerce platforms provide easily applicable templates, offering a quick and cost-effective solution to get your website up and running. These platforms themes has built-in tools for effortlessly customizing layout, colors, style, and various settings.
Six basic essential components to kickstart your store include the following pages.
- Homepage
- Product pages
- Shopping cart
- Checkout page
- FAQ
- About pages
Whether free or paid, themes assist you in finding the perfect look and feel for your store. Explore your themes based on categories like video and 3D products, extensive imagery, large inventories, minimalist style, fun and lively, and more.
The custom eCommerce website cost varies widely, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 or more. Factors influencing the cost include design complexity, features, and functionality.
Basic customizations or tweaks to existing platforms may start at a few thousand dollars. However, intricate, fully customized solutions with advanced features can command a higher price.
Additional expenses may arise for ongoing
maintenance, updates, and support. Ultimately, the unique requirements and complexity of your project significantly impact the overall cost of custom eCommerce website development.
Sometimes, you may require assistance in achieving the desired appearance for your store, from full design overhauls to customized back ends. The costs associated with custom ecommerce website development pertain to your store’s design, deployment, and maintenance tailored to specific business needs.
As an eCommerce store owner, you have the option to collaborate with developers in creating custom storefronts or adjusting website design themes.
It is nearly impossible for one eCommerce platform to satisfy the needs of every eCommerce business. Therefore, you will have to add a few features to your website. Integration of custom add-ons, extensions, and APIs can cost you over $5,000 based on your needs.
The optimal e-commerce platform or website development service empowers you to incorporate applications into your store, enhancing its e-commerce capabilities and elevating the user
experience. While certain applications are free, others come with a cost, potentially contributing to the overall expenses associated with establishing your online store.
A multitude of apps is available for your selection, with many of them being free. Whether you aim to integrate digital marketing, engage in social media marketing, incorporate social proof into your store, or enhance search engine optimization (SEO), you can find an app tailored to your specific needs.
The cost of paid apps fluctuates, typically offered through monthly subscription plans. Additionally, you have the option to include private apps customized exclusively for your store. While these apps are hosted and operated on an external server, you can generate Shopify API keys to grant the app-specific access permissions.
eCommerce website cost considerations are pivotal when launching an ecommerce store. An eCommerce store with a basic setup may require as little as $100. However, building and establishing a substantial online store often demands a higher investment.
According to recent research, the average expenditure for small business owners in their first year is around $40,000, with 9% allocated to online business needs. For instance, Shopify merchants typically spend an average of $38,000, while non-Shopify counterparts average around $41,000.
Selecting an ecommerce platform such as WordPress that aligns with your budget is essential, providing the necessary tools for success. Prioritize your current business status and future goals when choosing a platform to propel your business forward.
Maintenance keeps your eCommerce website up to date and fixes any issues or bugs in the system. It may cost you from $3,000 to $60,000 per year based on the size and complexity of your online store.
Developing an eCommerce website may cost you a couple of thousand dollars to $250,000 or more. However, the actual eCommerce website price depends on your brand’s needs, such as size, design, third-party integrations, range of products/services you want to offer, etc.
The costliest aspect of an eCommerce site hinges on the features essential for your business success. For many businesses, the design and development phase constitute the most significant expenses in managing an ecommerce site.
The eCommerce website cost may be higher when you hire an eCommerce website developer; it allows you to build an eCommerce store with a highly customized design and integrate all the features and functionalities your business needs.
