How Much Does An Ecommerce Website Cost? (Updated Pricing Guide)

In today’s digital age, building an online store has gained immense popularity among entrepreneurs. It serves not only as a source of income but also boosts the profitability of existing offline businesses. By establishing an online presence, businesses can attract new customers and create additional revenue streams that complement their physical locations.

Many entrepreneurs are eager to learn how to create an ecommerce website that meets today’s consumer demands at minimal cost. With user-friendly platforms available, setting up an online store has never been easier. A well-designed e-commerce site enhances the customer experience, featuring easy navigation and secure payment options.

According to Grand View Search, the global e-commerce market size was valued at USD 9.09 trillion in 2019. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7% from 2020 to 2027.

And now, during COVID-19 pandemic, the global eCommerce market has seen impressive year-over-year gains.

Are you ready to join this emerging industry? May the E-commerce website price be too high? No problem at all! In our article, we will be getting into very detail on how to build a successful e-commerce business from scratch.

Keep reading: Cost To Build An Online Marketplace: How To Create Successful Website!

1. Ecommerce Website Cost: Factors To Consider

Depending on the platform and technical requirements, the budget of eCommerce website development can vary. The better you understand what you need, the more reasonable the price will be.

We will help you know how to plan your budget and save money without losing quality! So let’s take a look at aspects that that directly affect website development cost. 

• Vendor type (such as in-house, outsourcing, freelance) or vendor’s location, portfolio, etc.
• Domain name and website hosting
• Number of website functionalities
• Complexity of website design
• Marketing and SEO

2. How Much Does It Cost To Design eCommerce Website?

Web design is one of the most significant factors influencing the overall price of e-commerce development. The cost of designing an eCommerce website can vary widely from vendor to vendor, reflecting the different approaches and expertise each company brings to the table. As such, providing a specific price for web design is challenging, as it heavily depends on the customer’s financial capacities, business goals, and specific requirements.

Several key factors contribute to the total cost of eCommerce website design. One of the primary considerations is the number of web pages required for your site. More pages typically mean higher costs, as each page must be designed, developed, and optimized for performance and usability.

Another crucial aspect is the eCommerce UX design, which focuses on creating an intuitive and seamless experience for both buyers and paying customers. A well-thought-out user experience can significantly influence conversion rates, making it an essential investment. Vendors often offer varying levels of expertise in UX design, which can also affect pricing.

Additionally, the choice of templates and themes plays a role in determining the cost. Pre-designed templates can be more affordable, but they may not provide the uniqueness or brand identity that a custom design would offer. If you opt for a more personalized approach, the level of customized design will greatly impact the price. Custom designs require more time and effort from designers and developers, leading to higher costs.

Furthermore, ensuring that your website is responsive for mobile devices and tablets is increasingly important in today’s market. With a growing number of consumers shopping via smartphones and tablets, having a responsive design is not just a trend but a necessity. This aspect may add to the overall development costs but is crucial for maximizing your site’s reach and usability.

Generally, there are two main approaches to designing an eCommerce website: developing a custom unique design or purchasing a ready-made design template.

• Custom Unique Design: This option allows for greater flexibility and personalization, enabling your site to reflect your brand’s identity fully. While this approach typically incurs higher upfront costs, it can result in a more cohesive and tailored experience for your customers, potentially leading to higher engagement and sales in the long run.
• Ready-Made Design Template: This is often the more budget-friendly option, providing a quicker turnaround time for launching your eCommerce site. However, it may come with limitations in terms of customization and may not fully capture the essence of your brand.

To determine the best option for your eCommerce website, it is essential to evaluate your financial situation first. Consider your budget, the specific needs of your business, and your long-term goals. By carefully weighing these factors, you can make an informed decision that balances quality, functionality, and cost-effectiveness in your eCommerce design process.

2.1. Ecommerce Website Templates For Your Online Store

Advantages of custom eCommerce themes

• Pre-made eCommerce templates are available at affordable rates.
• On the other hands, even some templates at high cost are usually under $100.
• They can fulfill all your requirements.
• Such templates do not require any development time and can apply right after you have purchased them.

Top E-commerce website templates

You can find out more on Themeforest and Envato Elements. Here’s a look at some of best-selling, most popular site templates trending right now:

However, when choosing ready-made eCommerce website templates, there are many questions arise. What’s their support like? Is there code clean? Do they chase the optional ecommerce development best practices?

If you are still confuse, choosing custom design templates may be a good idea.

2.2. Develop A Custom Ecommerce Website Design

One of the most excellent advantages of custom templates is you will be only admin. Having millions of templates online, it also means that pre-made theme is used by many people. Thus, if you want to take advantage of custom eCommerce template, let’s choose the different from others.

Another advantage of a custom template is its custom functionality. So that, with the help of development team, you can simple custom elements.

2.3. Minumum e-Commerce Web Design Cost

Previously, designing plays an important role. For example, customers decide to engage with a top-notch looking website or to close a out-dated tab. So, eCommerce website design price varies based on the vendor’s experience, quality of work, and your project requirements.

The AgileTech team  has extensive experience in online shop UX design. If you’d like to see some examples of our work, here are some e-commerce website that we have done before!

3. Ecommerce Website Cost: Number Of Functionalities

Another crucial factor that determines the cost of ecommerce website development is its functionality. The specific features and capabilities you want to include in your online store can significantly influence the overall budget. For instance, if you plan to implement multi-language support for your marketplace, this will require additional costs for translation services, coding, and potentially ongoing maintenance to ensure that all content is accurate and up-to-date. Such functionality not only enhances user experience by catering to a diverse audience but also broadens your market reach.

Moreover, customers often underestimate the complexity involved in implementing what may seem like simple functions. For example, adding features like real-time inventory management, user account creation, payment gateway integration, or advanced search filters may appear straightforward, but they often require extensive backend work, testing, and fine-tuning. This complexity can lead to higher development costs than initially anticipated.

To avoid surprises and ensure your project stays within budget, it’s essential to create a comprehensive list of the capabilities you wish to implement on your website. This list should detail all desired features, from basic elements like product listings and shopping carts to more advanced functionalities such as personalized recommendations, customer reviews, and loyalty programs. By clearly outlining your needs from the beginning, you can communicate effectively with developers and ensure that you receive accurate estimates for both time and cost. This proactive approach can ultimately lead to a more successful eCommerce website that aligns with your business goals and customer expectations.

Let’s see how AgileTech resolves this issue!

At discovery stage:

• Market research
• Product backlog development
• UX/UI design
• Project management
• Early planning sprint of the development stage

At development stage:

• Front-end development
• Back-end development
• Testing
• Project management
• Team review

Next, we will present you a list of core eCommerce website features. Therefore, you can find out what exactly you will need to pay for custom eCommerce software development.

The most important features of an eCommerce platform

• Register/ Login – Users can register/login to your e-commerce platform with an email or a social network account.
• Product navigation –  Ideally, it should be intuitive and obvious. So they can navigate the site without any effort at all.

• Product search – The search box  allows buyers filter by product parameters as category or sorting by price.

• Basic product page – Users can see product page such as image, description, price and adding to cart
• Product reviews – Every e-commerce website needs a clear product review (e.g starring, text reviews, and average review)
• Shopping cart – A well-designed shopping cart is a must-have for all online shops. The purpose is to quickly and efficiently add items, remove items, change the amount of each item.

• Payment gateway – There are a large number of factors including the payment methods supported, the fees, and the geographical location of your customers.
• Site security – At a minimum, their payment information must be effectively and vigilantly protected.

4. The Domain Name And Website Hosting

A domain name and website hosting are 2 predictable variables in ecommerce development budgeting.

4.1. Domain name for eCommerce business

Your domain name must be rich in keywords and one that can get a lot of search engine to drive traffic and increase conversions.

Furthermore, choosing a domain name also serves as a strategic long-term investment. Because, you wouldn’t want to change your brand name.

4.2. Ecommerce website hosting for small business

If you’re running an e-commerce website, you need the web hosting that more robust and safer than regular hosting plans. So that, you can provide a top-notch experience for your customers.

• Shared-hosting – the most simple one. Its provider you’ve opted allocates the necessary resources, and you pay a certain amount of money every month. The user of such a shared system has the opportunity to download files via FTP, as well as through the special panel.
• VPS/VDS – Virtual Private/Dedicated Server is a hosting technology with several isolated virtual machines on a single physical server. You as its user gets the right to control all the process at the root-user level. This is a very good option for e-commerce website development.
• Dedicated server – The client gets the physical machine, which has certain characteristics and locates in a specially equipped data-center. Typically, big portals with a large number of visitors choose the dedicated server.

For small companies and startups, the business owners typically spend between $15 and $250 per month. Hosting for larger online stores costs upwards of $300 per month. Additionally, a successful and busy site hosted in a cloud, could cost upwards of $1,000 – $2,000 a month.

5. Cost of eCommerce Website Based on Development Vendor

Let’s discuss more details about each option!

5.1. Freelancers

Cost is one of the biggest reasons that a business may select a freelancer.  If your business is just starting out and needs a simple Ecommerce website , hiring a freelancer can be a good choice. (https://american-eats.com/valium/)

You can find an eCommerce website developer on a freelance platform to deliver a service for $15,000 or even less.

But, when working with individuals, they are likely limited to the skills and resources. Moreover, hiring freelancers may be problematic to check their authenticity.

5.2. Custom software development company (like AgileTech)

A custom ecommerce development company can be the ideal choice for your project, especially if you’re seeking a tailored solution that meets your specific business needs. When you partner with such a company, you gain access to a dedicated team focused entirely on your web project. This team typically includes a project manager, skilled web developers, designers, and other specialists who collaborate to ensure the success of your eCommerce platform.

Each team member contributes a unique set of skills to the project. For example, the project manager coordinates communication and timelines, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and stays on track. The web developers bring technical expertise, building the necessary functionalities and ensuring that the website operates efficiently. Meanwhile, designers focus on creating a visually appealing and user-friendly interface, enhancing the overall user experience (UI/UX) of your site.

Moreover, the development vendor plays a crucial role in the initial planning stages by helping you create a wireframe for the website. This wireframe serves as a blueprint, outlining the layout and structure of the site before actual development begins. By visualizing the design early on, you can make informed decisions about functionality and aesthetics, reducing the likelihood of costly changes later in the process. The agency will also work with you to design a UI/UX that fits your needs and aligns with your brand identity, ensuring a cohesive experience for your customers.

Another significant advantage of working with a custom eCommerce software development agency is the emphasis on security. When you choose this route, you can rest assured that your code and data are protected. Reputable agencies implement industry-standard security measures, safeguarding your website from potential threats and vulnerabilities. This is particularly important for eCommerce businesses that handle sensitive customer information, such as payment details and personal data.

As the result, outsourcing an eCommerce platform development is another way to save money without losing quality. You can read more detail in our service: “How to outsource software development in Vietnam?“

6. How Much Does An eCommerce Website Cost For Minimal Version?

The cost to develop an eCommerce website with the help of an outsourcing company will depend on several factors.

• Outsourcing company’s location
• Number of specialists involved
• Required third-party technical solutions
• Website complexity

Below is a list of the specialists typically involved in creating e-commerce website:

• Project manager
• UI/UX designer
• Frontend developer
• Backend developer
• QA specialist

Let’s sum everything up.

If you choose outsourcing in Vietnam, the cost of ecommerce website with MVP features will start:

• $1,000 – $10,000 for a small project;
• $10,000 – $25,000 for a mid-level eCommerce website;
• $25,000 and more, for a large eCommerce platform.

7. AgileTech Expertise

As 5+ years of experience in building ecommerce websites, AgileTech always focus on personalized customer experience.

7.1. FEROSH

FEROSH is professional online shopping websites which provides fashion designer products from famous designers to customers in Vietnam.

Aiming to become the leading high-end fashion shopping sites, AgileTech helps FEROSH become the first fashion website Ecommerce in Vietnam.

Developed on a clean, simple, user-friendly online platform, FEROSH and AgileTech have been launched as the top shopping destination where customers can explore an extensive collection of high-end fashion products.

7.2. About Agiletech

If you have any questions about outsourcing, please ask them below! We’ll do our best to answer each one, and may even write another post on the most frequently asked questions about outsourcing.

At AgileTech Vietnam, we have expert Project Managers along with excellent teams who have delivered the best products to customers in more than 10 countries, mostly in the U.S, U.K, Germany, France, and Singapore. You can contact us at contact@agiletech.vn or (+84) 936 281 059 for more information.

8. FAQs