It might be a little complicated when budgeting for the creation of an eCommerce website because there are so many alternatives to consider. Getting an eCommerce sale is similar to a race in some respects; if all other conditions are equal, whoever has the better website and gets discovered first, wins.

When you chose to construct an eCommerce website, what was the first question that sprang to mind?

Was it something to do with the website's design? Or were you contemplating your marketing strategy? Almost certainly none of them. The cost of an eCommerce website is frequently the most pressing worry. It's no surprise that you've come to read this article.

You can only estimate the cost of building an eCommerce website if you've defined the purpose and scope of each component. Continue reading to see how the cost of developing an eCommerce website is affected by various features and phases of development.

Design: Cost of Website Cosmetics

Cost: R1,000 - R100,000

The initial impression is vital, and the appearance must fit your sales expectations. A professional, personalized eCommerce website may turn users into consumers at a far higher rate than an amateur-looking one.

The cost of hiring a developer to create your eCommerce site is determined by the features you require to run a successful online store. If you want something different, you might hire a professional eCommerce website development service to build a site for you. For an eCommerce website design, figures like R30,000 and R75,000 aren't unreasonable.

Using a custom-made template or design is a low-cost option. This implies that the design has already been completed and that your logo or colours may be added. We don't recommend this for major eCommerce websites, but it could work for you if you're on a tight budget.

E-Commerce Platform/CMS pricing

Setup cost = R20,000 and up

Platform and hosting costs = from as little as R1,500 and up to R20,000/month

Running costs = How much does it cost to run a business?

Charges for equivalent functionality might vary substantially depending on how simple or complicated the eCommerce platform is, as well as what the license costs are.

The higher the set-up cost, the more customized your eCommerce site is. Big enterprises with a large, diversified product catalogue or unique shopping trips like wholesale purchases, on the other hand, will need to invest in a more adaptable platform.

These systems (like a customised CMS) are not meant for the typical business owner to set up because they need coding and programming knowledge. The building of your eCommerce site will incur additional setup costs, as well as continuing costs for maintaining and upgrading the site.

Some eCommerce SaaS (Software As a Service) services start at R200-R300 per month on the low end, with multiple options depending on your sales volume and the capabilities you want.

The following are some of the most popular hosted eCommerce solutions:

• Shopify
• WooCommerce
• Magento
• BigCommerce
• PinnacleCart

Marketing and E-Commerce SEO Services Pricing

SEO Agency Cost: R2,000 – R20,000 per month

The process of optimizing your website so that it appears higher in Google search results is known as eCommerce search engine optimization (SEO).

Your business will fail if you create the most beautiful website but no one can find it. As a result, it's critical to design your eCommerce website with SEO in mind.

Consistent investment in eCommerce SEO is required. To avoid being pushed out of Google results by your competition, ranking highly in search engines necessitates a lot of continual work.

Hosting

1. Domain Name

The cost varies depending on where you buy it and the extension you choose, such as.com or .shop. Buying from a private seller or at an auction is almost always more costly. Unless you can pay for a few years in advance, your domain name will be an annual expense. According to GoDaddy, the cost of a domain name is normally between R20 and R200 each year.

2. E-Commerce Hosting

It's time to pick a web host after you've registered a domain name. BigCommerce and Shopify, for example, are cloud-based solutions that provide web hosting as part of the subscription. That means you won't have to go looking for third-party hosting or deal with the headaches that come with it. The cost of self-hosting an eCommerce business varies from R800-R7,300 a month, depending on how much traffic your business receives, features it has, and automatic services like site backup.

3. SSL Certificate Costing

An SSL certificate might cost anything between R400 and R1000 per year. While this is one of the more expensive components of an online business, it offers the network security you'll need for clients to view and purchase on your site.

Payment Processing

Payment processing is a price that you should factor into your budget, even if it is not a start-up cost. Different systems provide various processing choices, each with its price tag.

Payment processing options for some of the most prominent eCommerce sites are as follows:

Payment Gateway (South African Based)

• PayGate/DPO

Cost - 0.5% + R99 per Month

Merchants

· Bidvest: 2.65% no monthly fees

· Standard Bank: Neg

· FNB: Neg

· ABSA: Neg

· Nedbank: Neg

Merchant + Payment Gateway

• PayFast

Cost - 3.5% + R2.00 per Transaction

• Peach Payments

Cost - 2.95% + R1.50 per Transaction

• PayPal

Cost - 2.9% + $0.30 for Transactions over $10

• Stripe

Cost - 2.9% + $0.30 per Transaction

• authorize.net

Cost - 2.9% + $0.30 per Transaction + $25 monthly fee.

This does not include any costs imposed by your bank. When it comes to total payment processing fees, WooCommerce and BigCommerce provide the best deals. They also feature some of the most adaptable payment alternatives.

Maintenance: Cost to Keep on Keeping on

Cost: R5,000- R100,000 per month

Maintenance is an important aspect of any site that has been customized in any way. Regular inspections and upgrades guarantee that everything operates well and that no unpleasant surprises arise.

Once the website is up and running, it will need to be maintained regularly. This is critical since certain issues are only revealed once the website is live with items. Furthermore, regular changes ensure that the website remains competitive.

Some of the ongoing costs related or maintenance to eCommerce functionality include data backups, inventory management, product marketing, etc.

So, how much does an eCommerce website cost overall?

There is no simple answer to the cost of establishing an eCommerce site when all of the aforementioned considerations are taken into account. This chart, on the other hand, can offer you an indication of the total charges that may apply to your situation:

Contact Go4ITAfrica today to create an eCommerce website that’s built to last! If you have queries regarding eCommerce website design, pricing or want a better idea of how much an eCommerce Website will cost, get in touch.

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