The perfect way to connect your business online and increase your sales is an e-commerce website.
Whether you're starting a new business, moving some of your sales online, or even redesigning your website, the cost to get it done can be confusing. We will try to clarify what is needed to create an online store and calculate the investment you need to start your new business idea online.
-
Choice of CMS platform
Your website needs a content management system (CMS) platform. The features of a SaaS e-commerce platform may include payment functions, shipment integrations or scalable security solutions. A CMS designed for e-commerce offers better functionality, but your final choice may vary depending on the type of business, the number of products you offer, and your sales volume. You can choose between:
- SaaS e-commerce platform such as Shopify
- CMS designed for e-commerce such as WooCommerce
-
User friendly website design
User-friendly and customer-centric design is important for all websites, but it is undoubtedly even more important for an online store. A high priority should be to optimize the purchase process to make it as welcoming and efficient as possible. Also, another factor to consider is its responsiveness to any type of device or screen size.
-
Website theme vs custom design
Some e-commerce businesses choose a theme – such as a template – that comes with their CMS. The more from that's all is free or also affordable. Although a developer can customize a theme, sometimes your needs are unique. So you may need to invest more in a custom design. On the other hand, custom design produces a truly unique website that will help your business stand out over time.
-
Product websites
As with any online store, we focus on product websites. Therefore, high-quality websites that describe each product and service are required. Hosting costs for product pages vary drastically, depending on the number of products you sell and the number of websites you host. For example, a retail clothing business will likely have many more products than a service company with a few basic services. There's no limit – just make sure it makes sense for your business.
-
Content writing
For content, including product descriptions and support information, you may need to invest in professional writing services.
-
Product images
Your online store will be heavily image-based, so it's important to use professional, high-quality images. Product images should be properly lit, properly sized, taken from various angles, and optimized for search. File sizes should be small enough to load quickly but large enough to display details.
-
Search engine optimization for online store
An essential aspect of a successful website is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which helps ensure that customers find it in their search results. SEO is affected by every aspect of the site (content, images, site structure, metadata), even how often you update the site. Our expert development team can approach your website holistically to ensure everything is working in harmony with the fundamentals of SEO for your online store.
-
Shopping cart and payment option
Something that separates an online store from a regular website is the ability to place an order and choose secure payment. Some online payment systems are free up front, but they take a percentage of your earnings for each transaction. Other options have low transaction fees, but have an initial setup cost and monthly subscription fee. It's best to take a step back and calculate your expected revenue to decide which option has the most benefit for your business.
-
Website security
When you create your online store, there are legal requirements and prerequisites that you must maintain as a seller, as you handle personal and financial data of your customers.
-
Final budget estimate
Once you've calculated all the various costs associated with building your online store, you've probably come up with the amount of money you plan to invest based on the complexity of your website. Some of these costs are under your control. For example, you can choose whether to invest in a premium theme and premium support. Although we can't give you an exact budget, you can send us your business idea and our team will be happy to help you decide what's right for you.
iBS develops custom online stores for clients ranging from independent stores to B2B businesses. Do you want to get a quote for building your own online store?
