How Much Does an E-Commerce Website Costs?

People feel the need to buy something new. At a time when online shopping is becoming more and more popular, you can buy everything you need from home. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can collect a full basket and pay for the goods conveniently online. Online shops offer customers greater convenience, as orders can be placed around the clock. The shipping methods are also well thought out. So everything is done for customer satisfaction. Everything looks so cool and simple.

However, anyone who decides to open an online shop encounters several difficulties. The following questions immediately arise: ‘Who can help with the creation?’, ‘Which shop system is best?’ and ‘How much does an online shop cost?’ In our article, we explain what you need to consider and what online store costs you should expect.

Online shop creation costs: What expenses should companies expect?

It doesn't matter whether a large corporation or a medium-sized company wants to get into online retail. The cost of building a website depends on the size of the shop, its complexity, the range of functions and the e-commerce platform. For small, very simple online shops, you should spend between €5,000 and €14,000. Medium-sized online shops, which have a customised design and small adjustments to functions, cost from €15,000 to €30,000.

If you are planning a large e-commerce project, you will have to get used to higher online shop costs. They vary between 50,000 euros and 100,000 euros. Sometimes the e-commerce website prices can be even higher if numerous functions are integrated.

It is not possible to determine the exact amount in advance because there are still many details in the process. However, you can orientate yourself according to the prices mentioned and plan your own budget correctly. Consulting a webshop development specialist is the best decision in this case.

How much does a small shop cost?

The creation of small shops usually involves low costs. A simple shop system (Shopify, WooCommerce) is used for this. These online shops offer up to 20 products, have standard functions and a fairly simple design that can be customised as required. However, complete changes are impossible. It is not possible to implement configurators and extensions.

You can start with a small online shop if you don't have a large budget or only want to test one product. This is also a good decision if you offer easily configurable, easy-to-understand products. They are then sold perfectly in smaller web shops and the average costs for an online shop are not high. So you benefit twice over. As your business grows, the shops you set up can be expanded in the future.

Online shop creation costs: What does a medium-sized online shop cost?

If you want a somewhat larger online shop, you should spend more. This type of website usually has a customised design. Some extensions, such as a configurator, can be integrated into it. However, they will have limitations. Above all, medium-sized online shops cannot be fully connected to ERP. Complete integration requires additional expenditure.

As far as prices for e-commerce website creation are concerned, they start at 15,000 euros and go up to 30,000 euros. Much depends on the choice of e-commerce platform. The costs for the shop system also vary. In addition, monthly fees are charged for the use of some shop systems. It is therefore advisable to enquire about the monthly costs of an online shop before making your choice.

If the design and various functionalities need to be developed or customised, you should turn to online shop agencies for help. An online shop costs even more this way.

Online shop creation costs - large online shops

If you are planning a large e-commerce project, you should spend at least over 50,000 euros. This price includes the customised design, configurators and connection to third-party systems.

However, there is no upper online store price limit. The creation of an online shop can also reach over 100,000 euros. Several factors should be taken into account. We have already mentioned that a lot depends on the shop system. A large budget is required to professionally create a website, add functions and design it. You should also pay for updates and support. This can result in higher running costs to build a website.

Costs for the implementation

Do you want to realise your website? You should clearly understand what costs you can expect for your online shop. A distinction is made between fixed, variable costs and extensions.

You should set up and configure the shop system, set up themes, extensions and payment methods. The associated expenses are called fixed costs. The creation of functions and the testing of processes also require certain costs, which are fixed. Mail servers are configured and set up for the confirmation of dispatch. The costs for this, as well as product templates, attention to suitable backup systems, all possible customisations associated with the ordering process and administration, the customer area, are also considered fixed. For example, the cost of setting up an online shop is around 4,000 euros.

Some costs are incurred depending on how flexible and extensive the shop is. They are variable and depend on the number of subpages and product quantity as well as the connection to third-party systems. The smaller the offer, the faster the shop is and the less it costs to implement.

The costs are based on the overall scope and the automation options involved. If the products and categories are repetitive, the costs are lower. You should spend much more on many unique product pages. It is not possible to give specific figures, they depend on the presentation of the products and the customisations and range from 15 to 100 euros per product.

If you would like to have a Shopware shop set up, you need to enquire about Shopware costs in more detail.

How does the connection to the ERP system affect the costs for online shops?

Cost of e-commerce website without ERP systems

Small companies and start-ups often opt for webshops without an integrated ERP system. This is a simple solution that requires less website and online shop creation costs, nor further expenses for operational processes (accounting, order processing, etc.). These tasks should then be performed manually. If you are not able to do this, you need the help of a specialist.

There are shop systems that have some of the necessary modules integrated. This is a good alternative for beginners, as they start small and then validate the business model. However, this is not practical when order volumes grow. Then you should look for a better solution. You should pay at least 5,000 euros for an online shop without an ERP system. However, the online store price can also go up to 15,000 euros.

What does an online shop with an ERP system connection cost?

Online shops with an integrated ERP system are primarily geared towards higher sales. It is mainly about B2B, B2C or B2B2C models. Experts usually recommend and use Shopware, Magento or OXID for this purpose.

Before selecting an e-commerce platform, you should consider whether a shop system is compatible with the ERP system. Otherwise, you will have to change a shop system due to incompatibility, which leads to unwanted expenses. Companies that intend to sell products on digital marketplaces (Amazon, Ebay) need special solutions with ERP and PIM systems. This ensures smooth communication.

The costs for an online shop with an ERP system are influenced by several aspects. Depending on the scalability, functions and licensing, the e-commerce website prices for the ERP system can vary. Just the one-off set-up costs from 2,000 euros. The costs for the development of customised interfaces range from 3,000 to 10,000 euros. If special further development is required, the amounts are even higher (up to 30,000 euros). The rent for a good SaaS ERP system costs around 150 euros per month.

How much should you spend on functional enhancements for your shop?

You should not only think about investments when creating your shop. Extensions and updates are required to ensure that your online shop functions smoothly. Complex functional extensions are usually expensive. You will also need the help of a specialist. If you have a modern Shopware shop, for example, you can turn to a Shopware 6 agency.

The following extensions are usually required to fulfil the website needs and requirements of customers:

Search and filter functions

As your business grows and there are more and more products, powerful external systems are used. This allows you to optimise the search and filtering of products. The use of AI enables cross-selling and up-selling. Improved navigation on the website helps to increase conversion rates. This is when the services of FINDOLOGIC or FACT-Finder are indispensable.

The monthly online store prices of search and function systems vary between 350 euros and 2,000 euros. You should pay between 3,000 and 15,000 euros for integration.

PIM applications

If the online shop has an extensive product range, PIM systems are necessary. These are used to successfully manage different media and languages. All product information is collected in one place, which saves time and increases data quality. PIM systems are therefore used for efficient data maintenance, quality improvement and expenditure control.

You should pay 15,000 - 60,000 for the introduction of a PIM system. On-premise solutions are even more expensive (100,000 - 250,000 euros). The licence costs 28,000 - 250,000 euros per year.

CRM systems

CRM systems are used for the secure management of customer data. While small companies can manage without CRM, it is a must for medium-sized companies. A good solution is a simple CRM for small companies. Inexpensive versions are available for beginners. The monthly price is around 25 euros. There are also scalable systems that provide flexibility. However, they are more expensive.

Payment systems

The payment systems are integrated into the shop system. If required, additional systems can also be added via modules. This is very convenient. However, one should not forget the transaction fees, which are increased per sale. The costs mainly comprise 2-3% of the transaction turnover.

Plugins, apps and additional modules

Prices vary depending on the selected shop system, the required functions and extensions. The shop providers make the additional modules available in the app store. You can install desired plugins via the store. Free plugins are available for some shop systems. There are also numerous paid versions. You should still pay licence costs or subscriptions.

Design, content, photos, videos

Web design and themes

Every online shop is created with one goal in mind: to increase sales. That is why special attention should be paid to the web design. It should be sales-promoting and make a positive impression on the customer. It is important to inspire confidence in the customer.

An impressive, professional design has a positive effect on the customer. Some shop systems provide fairly inexpensive themes for a few hundred euros. However, they are not suitable for every shop as they can only be partially customised. Customised designs should be created for individual products. The best solution is to contact a qualified web designer. With their help, the web design will be SEO-friendly. Then success is guaranteed. This service costs 3,000 - 5,000 euros. Up to 50,000 euros are spent on complex shop designs. You shouldn't save money here, because some buyers will recognise a high-quality design very quickly.

Design your shop window - select suitable photos and videos, write interesting texts

To increase sales opportunities, you should present the products attractively. The manufacturer usually provides their own texts and images. They should be unique and of high quality. The use of this content and photos is an advantage. The product videos are customised and professionally edited. This allows the webshop to stand out from the competition. Videos of this type cost from 3,000 euros. To design images professionally, you need from 20 to 250 euros per image.

It is important to provide detailed product information. If the texts are convincing, the customer will make a positive decision more quickly. They should also be optimised according to SEO criteria. If the website has a high online visibility, customers will find it more quickly. Then you will also sell more.

Other factors that influence the cost of setting up an online shop

All webshop costs depend on a number of aspects. To make your webshop popular among customers and sell your services or products faster, you need to think more about good advertising. A proper marketing strategy must be developed for this. The hosting service and legal security are also very important. This can significantly optimise the search engine ranking and increase the conversion rate considerably. The webshop should inspire customer confidence.

Marketing

One of the most important points that strongly influence the overall costs is marketing. Good advertising plays a major role for the webshop. It requires major expenditure and is not a one-off action. B2B and B2C companies take special care to ensure that their shops are found quickly and encourage purchases. This increases the customer base and boosts sales.

A distinction is made between one-off setup, ongoing and monthly marketing costs for the management and expenditure of the campaign for the online shop. Costs are needed to ensure that product information is disseminated on various channels (marketplaces, price search engines). They include the purchase and development of interfaces and modules.

Web hosting & domain

In addition to the costs of creating a webshop, there are also additional monthly costs for hosting. They vary depending on the provider and the size of the shop. For small and medium-sized shops, the price ranges from 15 to 300 euros. Large solutions cost several thousand euros.

A domain is a decisive factor for the ranking. It is important to choose the right domain. Domain prices vary from 10 to 100 euros per year.

Legal certainty

Online shop operators must pay attention to the legal aspects. Legal certainty includes terms and conditions, cookies and data protection, terms of use, cancellation policy. As far as costs are concerned, you should pay for legal advice, the appointment of a data protection officer and third-party software for cookies. There are ready-made templates on the Internet that small and medium-sized companies can use. These costs are incurred on a monthly basis.

To avoid receiving warnings in the event of legal violations, the help of a data protection or legal lawyer is required. The prices for their services are set in the three to four-digit range.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an online store cost?

Online shops cost from 2,000 euros and range up to 250,000 euros.

How much does it cost to set up an online shop?

Simple online shops with basic functions cost 8,000 euros. A shop with a customised design costs 15,000 - 60,000 euros.