Ready to take your brand online but not sure how to make an eCommerce website without spending a lot? A good website can help you promote your products and services online and get more visibility. This is especially true for eCommerce websites where brand promotion has always been a must.
According to Statista, global eCommerce sales will reach $8 trillion by 2027. This means small businesses can compete in this space and take their business to the next level. You can even hire eCommerce designers or companies to build the site for you, which we will talk about in this article.
However, you must consider the costs associated with website creation before proceeding with your project. You need to consider many factors, such as determining your website’s niche to designing and choosing a domain name and host. Let’s look at some of the expenses in detail, along with important tips to consider during the website-building process.
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Factors Influencing the Cost of Building an eCommerce Website
Several factors influence the cost of building an eCommerce website. You must understand these key factors for site-building to plan your budget effectively:
1. Platform Selection
The right platform will always guarantee the success of your eCommerce website. Consider popular options like Shopify and WordPress for leveraging different features and pricing models to build your site.
- Shopify Website Design Company Costs: Shopify comes with pre-built templates and integrated payment options. Its pricing starts at $39 per month for basic plans but can go higher depending on advanced features like 3D eCommerce visuals and integrations.
- WordPress Website Design Pricing: WordPress offers several extensive customization options by collaborating with WooCommerce. The cost varies based on the plugins, themes, and hosting you choose. Basic setups can start at $100 to $500. However, advanced configurations with custom plugins and themes may even exceed $30,000.
2. Design Complexity
The design of your website impacts usability, which also affects customer satisfaction directly. Research shows that 60% value website usability when making purchasing decisions. A simple design may cost you around $500 to $10,000 per project. On the other hand, a fully customized site with unique branding and features can cost more depending on specific requirements of your eCommerce business and factors like:
- Basic Templates: Ideal for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
- Custom Designs: Tailored to reflect your brand’s identity and offer a competitive edge in the market.
3. Features and Functionalities
The more features your website includes, the higher the cost. Key features like product catalogs, payment gateways, and user authentication are standard, but advanced functionalities such as multi-language support, real-time inventory tracking, and 3D eCommerce visuals can increase costs significantly. The latest reports also suggest that the probability of visitors bouncing increases by 90% if a page takes around 5 seconds to load. That is why you must ensure proper optimization to keep your site competitive.
- Basic Features: You can pay around $100 to add basic features to your eCommerce website.
- Advanced Features: These specific costs range from $2,500 to $10,000 based on the site’s complexity.
4. Hosting and Domain
Web hosting provides the server space where your eCommerce website data is usually stored. This service can range from $3/month for basic shared hosting. Alternatively, a website may also cost you hundreds of dollars a month for dedicated or cloud hosting solutions.
eCommerce websites often require more efficient hosting plans due to the amount of traffic and transactions they must handle simultaneously. Affordable hosting services like Bluehost cost between $2.95/month to $13.95/month. Domain registration, on the other hand, usually ranges from around $12.99 annually.
5. Maintenance and Updates
Maintaining your website helps ensure efficient operation and enhance site-wide security. You may have to pay $50 to $300 per hour for regular updates, bug fixes, and feature enhancements. The size and complexity of your eCommerce website usually determine such expenses, irrespective of the person or agency you hire for the work.
Breaking Down eCommerce Website Costs
A few eCommerce website types are simpler to design and customize. For example, you may have to pay more for a dynamic store than a one-page website, which requires fewer features, web pages, and less complex research and planning. Either way, you have two ways to approach the site-building process. These include:
1. Working with an eCommerce Web Design Company
You can partner with a professional company to ensure end-to-end services, which include design, development, and maintenance. These companies often provide:
- Expert teams are familiar with various platforms like Shopify and WordPress.
- Access to advanced tools that help enhance user experience.
- Comprehensive website-building solutions for branding and marketing.
2. Hiring an eCommerce Designer
You can hire an eCommerce designer who specializes in creating custom designs for your brand. Freelancers are more affordable for smaller projects, but the level of expertise may vary. Make sure to check their portfolio and expertise before hiring them for your eCommerce website-building process.
3. Creating One With the Help of a Website Builder Software
DIY Website Builders help you easily create a website with minimal coding or technical experience. Website Builder platforms such as Shopify and WordPress usually cost a few dollars per month, and you can use these to create your eCommerce website.
Things to Consider During eCommerce Website Development
As an eCommerce business owner, you must consider several things when seeking assistance in building your website. Focus on the following things to maximize usability and efficiency during the process:
- Website Safety and Security
Internet users do not want to encounter a bug while browsing the web, and it’s not just the safety of their system that’s at risk. Currently, you store volumes of data about your products and the users that register to buy on your site as an eCommerce business. So, safety is one of the key eCommerce website requirements.
Any breach of this data puts your eCommerce business at risk. Your customers’ and leads’ contact information could be stolen and sold to third parties, or you could lose key data permanently.
- Website Search and Filters
Individuals tend to use the search functionality even on specific websites that don’t sell anything. So, if you own an eCommerce platform, it should offer advanced search functionality. For example, you may consider offering a visual search feature where users can upload an image of an item they like. Then, you can recommend items in your store that are similar to user-added images.
- Registration and Other Features
Not all users want to register across all eCommerce websites whenever they proceed to purchase a product. The best thing to do here is add a guest checkout feature on your site to attract more customers. This enables you to streamline the purchasing process for users who prefer not to create accounts. It helps reduce cart abandonment rates and ensures an efficient shopping experience for all types of buyers.
- Payment Options
It may be challenging to add all payment options, especially when developing an eCommerce website. However, this may limit you to shoppers paying with one or two options. However, a report suggests that 6% of customers would not transact on your website because there weren’t enough payment options. That is why you must add the crucial payment options in the beginning so that the customers can experience a hassle-free shopping process. This involves adding popular gateways like PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Stripe, and American Express.
- Shipping Rates
Unexpected shipping costs leave customers frustrated. That is why many consider abandoning their shopping carts on eCommerce websites to avoid paying extra charges. It is essential to understand that online shopping is a matter of convenience, especially in eCommerce businesses. So, if you don’t have free delivery on your site, make sure to add detailed information about shipment options and charges in the menu with a link on all product pages.
- CMS Integration
A Content Management System (CMS) helps you store and manage visual and written content in a single place. You can also edit or add new information and the changes will be reflected on the website automatically once published. A CMS can help your employees react to tickets from customers promptly.
An eCommerce web design company can help you leverage ready-made solutions such as OpenCart, PrestaShop, or Magento. All these options are open-source, which allows you to integrate them into your website code.
Cost-Saving Tips for eCommerce Websites
You may have to hire freelance web designers or work with agencies to build your eCommerce website. This can be expensive if you do not know how to manage things during the crucial period. However, there are several ways to manage these costs without compromising quality.
- Start Small: Focus on all the key features first and add advanced functionalities later.
- Choose the Right Platform: Analyze platforms like Shopify or WordPress for pricing based on your requirements and budget.
- Work with Freelancers: Hiring a freelancer can be more affordable than partnering with an eCommerce web design company if you have smaller projects.
- Use Pre-Built Templates: Ask for cost-effective custom designs when you hire eCommerce designers while still ensuring good usability.
Final Thoughts
Your eCommerce website’s design can help you attract and retain customers if you build it efficiently. Features like 3D eCommerce visuals also enhance user experience to encourage more purchases. Make sure to collaborate with a Shopify website design company or a skilled web designer to ensure your site meets industry standards while reflecting your brand’s identity.
An eCommerce website is an excellent investment that helps you incur profits in the long run. For this, you must understand the associated costs and plan the site-building process. You can easily create a site that stands out among its competitors when you hire eCommerce designers or companies. This involves focusing on usability, responsive design, and other advanced features. Do you need more assistance in building an eCommerce website or managing the current one? Visit Icecube Digital and connect with professional experts now!
