Building an ecommerce website involves a large number of variables and that’s why it is extremely difficult to fix a price for building an ecommerce website. Ecommerce website development process is quite complicated with several stages involved.
There is no straight and simple answer to the query – How much do ecommerce websites cost? The time required and the resources needed to build an ecommerce website vary with the purpose for which the website is being used. That’s why developers will not be able to offer specific cost numbers as there are too many variables involved in planning, creating and developing stages of ecommerce websites.
Costs Are Variable Because Of Several Factors
The cost of building website for an ecommerce business depends on various aspects but the key elements to consider when budgeting for an ecommerce project are time, resources and maintenance. These are factors for future consideration but must be incorporated in the budget because the cost of maintenance can be quite high in many instances.
If the ecommerce project you are handling comes with a stiff deadline, the cost would zoom because you will have to hire more specialists and technologists to do the work within a limited timeframe. Also look at the kind and quality of resources available in-house so that you can be sure that you are in a position to deliver what the client needs from your own talent and technology pool. If they need to be sourced from outside, it can have a bearing on the cost of the project.
Cost Of Ecommerce Website Must Also Include Future Maintenance
You will also need to discuss with your client about the future maintenance of the ecommerce website. Who will take care of the maintenance once the ecommerce website gets online and the mandatory maintenance and performance guarantee period lapses? Will the client handle it or will the onus be on your team. In case of the latter, that cost should be added to the overall cost of developing and building an ecommerce website.
As a thumb rule the cost of maintenance works out to around 10 per cent of the annual revenue generated by the ecommerce website. It means that an ecommerce website that generates greater revenue will have to spend more on annual maintenance.
Here’s a list of things to consider while planning an ecommerce website. These are basic elements of a website without which it is impossible to run an online business.
- Domain
- Hosting
- SSL certificate
- Shopping cart and payment options
- Visual Design
- Content development
- Images
- Testing and commissioning
With an ecommerce website, there is little room for compromises as you will have to provide your customers the best online shopping experience. Competing with others in an extremely tough marketplace can be quite a challenge. You can stand apart from the also-rans only by enhancing end-user experience. Stay away from anything that’s free such as free themes, free shopping carts and free hosting. It can spell doom for your business.
Other Factors To Consider
Other things to consider are the number of pages and products. At the development stage, if you don’t know the exact answers to these numbers, it is still okay as some fine tuning is inevitable at every stage of the development of the ecommerce website. Content is another important area. Will the client handle the content or do they expect you to provide and update content? Again, creating fresh and unique content is a tough and time consuming task and involves lots of money. So more costs!
Most B2B ecommerce web development packages generally include the basics such as home page, about us section, contact details and FAQs or Frequently Asked Questions. Then there will be staple pages to provide detailed information about your products and business.
Your Options
In conclusion, when it comes to cost of building an ecommerce website, there’s no fixed cost. It will depend on your business size, whether you are a startup or established business, strategy, and deadlines. They will all lead to pretty distant numbers in varying business situations.
Some ecommerce website development services come with limited customization options and a short learning curve. Those who are not tech-savvy or those who want to launch their online project quickly can utilize such services.
You can choose a reputed ecommerce website development company for scalable solutions that offer vast combinations and customizations to address your wider business needs. These are mostly used by entrepreneurs working with experienced developers or those willing to invest their time in understanding the working of an advanced ecommerce website.