When budgeting for an online store, most people think about the build. But the real cost includes setup, running costs and the ongoing work of keeping the store selling.
Upfront costs
Strategy and planning. Working out your categories, customer journeys and must-have features.
Design. Template-based stores cost less; custom designs that reflect your brand and are built for conversion cost more.
Development. Standard features are quick to set up. Custom product builders, subscriptions, wholesale pricing and complex shipping rules take longer.
Product setup. Uploading products, writing descriptions, organising photos and setting up variations. If you have hundreds of products, this is a big job.
Integrations. Connecting accounting (like Xero), inventory systems, email marketing, shipping providers and your CRM.
Data migration. Moving products, customers and orders from an old platform.
Ongoing costs
- Platform subscription (Shopify) or hosting (WooCommerce)
- Payment processing fees on each transaction
- Paid apps and plugins
- Domain and email
- Maintenance, updates and security
- Marketing: ads, SEO and email
What drives the price up
- Large product catalogues
- Complex variations (sizes, colours, custom options)
- B2B or wholesale features
- Multiple currencies or international shipping
- Custom functionality
- Tight deadlines
How to keep it sensible
Start with the essentials and add features as sales grow. A clean, fast store with great product pages and an easy checkout beats a feature-packed store that’s confusing to use.
CTA: Want a clear, itemised quote for your online store? → Get your price