Time and again, the question is what exactly does an online shop cost. Unfortunately, there is no general answer to this question, as many factors are responsible for the final costs. We would like to break down the individual key elements for you in more detail and take a look at the various cost plans and cost structures as examples of Webflow and Shopify. This allows you to get a first idea of the costs you can expect with an online shop.
Different shop solutions can generate different costs
Determining the costs in a lump sum is not easy. Because in addition to all the basic technology, ancillary factors such as experts, consultants and support also play an important role. If you want to create an online shop, you can even do this in-house at the lowest cost. However, it is questionable whether such an online shop then looks good, is functional and impresses users with its accessibility. Because even with the best shop systems, an online shop is not simply created overnight. There are also costs that cannot be negated. This includes the costs for the desired system on which the online shop is based. Relying on free systems here is unfortunately not effective, as there is usually a lack of functionality and usability.
Determine costs independent of the system
It is important to determine the costs for the online shop, which are generated independently of the selected system. Hosting, the domain and also the necessary expertise to program and operate the online shop are mentioned here. Some of these costs can be calculated very precisely, but are also subject to fluctuations, depending on your requirements.
Setup and programming costs
Programming an online shop from scratch is extremely cost-intensive, as every line of code has to be rewritten. That is why most companies rely on ready-made solutions. A mix of both would be an online shop based on a low-code solution such as Webflow. And we would like to continue working on Webflow and Shopify at this point. Because here you will find the ideal mix of low workload and a good solution for your online shop, which offers you sufficient flexibility and performance.
Expert care and support costs
In addition to simply creating the online shop, ongoing support in the company also plays a not unimportant role. Here, it is not only the type of shop system that matters, but also the individual needs of your company. With good in-house IT, demand is usually lower, as it can often simply help maintain the online shop. In smaller companies without their own IT or without significant knowledge in this area, support for the online shop should be chosen larger. Because smooth operation is important for profitability. As a result, the online shop usually has higher costs. These costs can only be calculated more precisely when the scope and size of the shop and thus the expenditure can be calculated.
Domain and hosting costs
Hosting can have very different costs and depends on many factors. There are low costs when renting hosting space from one of the many providers. However, data security and also the available storage capacity are often very limited here. Companies can also literally invest a small fortune in setting up, connecting and operating their own server. It is therefore very difficult to give a lump sum of the costs here. From a few euros a month to a three to four-digit cost per month, everything is included here. It is therefore important here to seek advice from competent experts in order to find and choose the solution with the best price-performance ratio.
The situation is similar with the domain. It can be bought or rented. The bigger and more well-known the company, the more sensible it is to spend money on your own domain and secure it permanently. Young companies and startups, on the other hand, usually rent the domain to save costs. Here, too, prices fluctuate between a two-digit and a three-digit amount per year.
Different shop systems and cost plans
At this point, we would like to take a closer look at the two options Webflow and Shopify. Both providers are ideally suited for an online shop, but offer completely different approaches and different pricing models. In order to explain the costs of an online shop to you in more detail, the pricing of the two providers is important. We'll show you the costs and models in detail.
Webflow costs at a glance
One of the frequently chosen options is Webflow. Because with Webflow, companies can often even create their own online shop and scale it very well. However, it should be said that the learning curve at Webflow is very steep, which means, among other things, that an in-house solution often remains the worse choice. Therefore, the above-mentioned costs for creating the shop must always be included in the price if this is created by experts. With Webflow, it is also important to differentiate between the site plan and the account plan. Because these are two different models. We cannot recommend the free version of Webflow for companies, as the restrictions on functionality and the domain mean too many disadvantages for companies.
Site plan, e-commerce plan or account plan?
The Webflow account plan is a type of plan that is particularly interesting if you want to manage several projects with one account. It is a plan that is of particular interest to developers and designers in business, as it can bring together a wide variety of projects in one plan. For you as an entrepreneur, these plans are usually irrelevant. Although the site plan in its various levels is more suitable for companies, it is intended purely for the operation of websites or even blogs and CMS. The e-commerce plans are getting really interesting. There are three different pricing models on offer, which are priced depending on the turnover of the online shop and the number of products offered.
Different e-commerce plans for different needs
It starts with the basic standard plan for 29 dollars a month. With this plan, the annual sales volume in the online shop must not exceed 50,000 dollars. Webflow also levies a two percent transaction tax on sales. The number of goods in the online shop is also limited to 500 different goods.
The most expensive plan currently costs 212 dollars a month and has almost no limits anymore. However, 3,000 individual goods in the online shop are also limited here. Depending on your company and your turnover, you can therefore choose the plan that is perfect for your online shop. So the costs vary between 29 and 212 dollars per month for Webflow alone.
Shopify costs overview
Shopify can be tested free of charge for the first 14 days if you want to get an idea of the system and its options in advance. After all, the decision for an online shop is usually made very consciously. If you want to try out the implementation in-house, we would recommend Shopify rather than Webflow, as the learning curve with Shopify is significantly flatter. However, even here, there will be costs for you in the long run. After 14 days, you have to choose between three different cost plans in order to continue operating your online shop.
There are three different packages to choose from
With Shopify, you can choose between three different packages, which cost 27 euros, 79 euros or 289 euros per month and which play a significant role in the functionality and integration of the online shop into your sales environment. As costs rise, not only do the number of employee accounts and inventory locations increase, but also the other functions. In addition, as monthly costs rise, the fees charged for transactions fall significantly again. Especially with many sales, it is therefore clearly profitable to rely on the more cost-intensive plans and then save on sales in return. Here, it is important to realistically evaluate the online shop and calculate from which sales figures which variant is worthwhile for you. Only then can you determine exactly which plan is suitable for your company and which of the other features you may need.
How do you find the right solution for you?
It is therefore not always easy to find the right system for your own company. There are two different factors that probably play the most important role in the selection process. On the one hand, the basic and convenient functions that your new online shop should have. The second factor is the existing budget, which is usually an exclusion criterion. Anything above the one-time and monthly budget is eliminated in any case. Within your budget, you should now strive to get your online shop up and running as professionally as possible. Because saving money at the wrong end of an online shop can, in the worst case, result in customers losing trust in your company.
Agency or freelancer? What are the focal points?
When it comes to the question of costs, personnel costs for external service providers always come into play. Many companies prefer freelancers here, as fewer people are of course employed here with the individual task. Unfortunately, this is a fallacy that many companies pay dearly for. Because a professional agency not only offers the manpower, but also the knowledge to be able to carry out the desired services quickly and efficiently. While a freelancer often takes a lot of time until a finished result is available, an agency can create an online shop in a very short time and fill it with life. In addition, competent contacts are always available to answer questions, which is often not the case with freelancers. We have already explained the difference between agency and freelancer in more detail elsewhere. Many of the reasons given there also apply to an online shop and its cost framework.
Conclusion: You have to reckon with these costs for an online shop
We have given you a first insight into what costs you should expect with an online shop. However, the costs cannot simply be determined on a lump sum basis. It all depends on the platform you choose, the size you need and scalability, how the costs develop. It is therefore important to contact experts right from the start, who will work with you to determine the framework conditions and help you find and implement the optimal solution. Tailored solutions that suit your company are always the best choice and usually offer the best price-performance ratio. After all, the chosen solution should still remain financially attractive for you without sacrificing services and options. Entry-level solutions are already available for little money if you do all the work in-house. This allows you to run your own online shop for less than 100 euros a month or even cheaper with Webflow. However, the more professional the online shop should be and the more content and customers it serves, the more money you should calculate monthly. In this way, several thousand euros per month can also be planned for the online shop. But then, as a company, you also earn the majority of your income through this shop. Expenditure must always be in relation to income.
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