How much does an online store cost? Discover all the expenses of an online shop.

Your first online store: The cost of creating an online store

How much does an online store cost? An introduction to the topic

Starting an e-commerce business can be a great way to grow your business and reach a wider audience. One of the key aspects to consider is the cost of creating an online store. These costs can vary significantly depending on many factors, such as:

• The platform you choose,
• The functionalities that will be necessary,
• The level of customisation needed for the website.

In this article, we will discuss the costs associated with setting up an online store on WordPress.

The cost of creating an online store: what to pay attention to?

Creating an online store is a complex process that involves many elements. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• E-commerce platform: WordPress offers WooCommerce as a popular solution for creating online stores. The WooCommerce plugin itself is free, but you may need to purchase additional extensions.
• Themes and templates: You can choose between free and paid themes. Paid themes offer more features and better technical support, with prices ranging from 200 PLN to 1000 PLN.
• Plugins and extensions: To increase the store’s functionality, you may need various plugins, such as payment systems, marketing tools, or social media integrations. The cost of plugins can range from a few PLN to several hundred PLN per month.
• Security: An SSL certificate for an online store is essential for transaction security. An SSL certificate costs about 100-500 PLN per year.

For more information, read: How to set up an online store on WordPress with WooCommerce: What You Need to Know!

The cost of launching an online store: from establishment to implementation

Creating an online store involves several key costs. The process starts with domain registration, which depends on the chosen suffix and usually costs around 100-200 PLN per year.

Hosting, which ensures the storage of store files on a server, is another important element. Hosting costs for a small store average from 100 PLN to 300 PLN per month, while larger stores may have higher costs. Installation and configuration of WordPress, although possible to do independently, often involve professional services costs ranging from 500 PLN to 2000 PLN. The costs of designing and customising the website are also significant – hiring a professional designer or developer can cost from 3000 PLN to 15000 PLN, depending on the project’s complexity and individual requirements.

Website design costs: how to minimise expenses?

Designing an online store website is crucial for creating a professional image and effective functionality. However, there are ways to minimise costs. Choosing free themes available for WordPress can significantly lower initial costs, although paid themes often offer additional features and better support.

Similarly, free plugins can be beneficial before deciding on more expensive, paid solutions. Learning the basics of WordPress and WooCommerce can also help reduce expenses on external specialists by enabling self-management and customisation of the site, though it is a time-consuming process. Additionally, self-care in the store might lead to performance deterioration or errors.

Despite the desire to save, it’s important to maintain key elements like security and a professional appearance, which are crucial for the success and long-term development of the online store.

Ongoing costs of running a standard store

Monthly maintenance of an online store: fixed and variable costs

Running an online store involves regular costs, which can be divided into fixed and variable expenses.

Fixed costs are those incurred monthly regardless of sales volume, such as hosting fees, domain renewal, popular plugins, and e-commerce tools, as well as accounting services. Variable costs depend on store activities and can include marketing expenses, promotions, packaging and shipping orders, and payment processing fees. Understanding these costs is crucial for managing the budget and maintaining store profitability.

Cost of hosting and domain for an online store: how to choose the best offer?

Hosting and a domain are basic elements for maintaining an online store’s availability and performance. Choosing the right hosting depends on your store’s needs—small stores can use cheaper shared hosting options, while larger stores may need more advanced solutions like VPS or dedicated servers.

The cost of shared hosting for an online store usually ranges from 100 PLN to 300 PLN per month, while more advanced options can cost from 500 PLN upwards. The domain renewal cost is typically between 100 PLN and 200 PLN per year. It’s also worth noting the additional features hosting providers offer, such as an SSL certificate for the online store, technical support, and site management tools.

Marketing and promotion costs for an online store: how to invest your budget effectively?

Marketing and promotion support customer acquisition for the online store and increase sales. Promotional costs for an online store include advertising campaigns on Google Ads and social media platforms, content marketing, email marketing, and affiliate programs. To invest your marketing budget effectively, defining your target audience and choosing the appropriate promotion channels is important. Regular monitoring of campaign results and marketing strategy optimisation can help maximise return on investment. A well-thought-out marketing budget can range from a few hundred to several thousand PLN per month, depending on the scale of activities and business goals.

SEO cost for an online store: is it worth investing?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of optimising a website for search engines to increase its visibility in search results. Investing in SEO can bring long-term benefits, such as increased organic traffic, improved search result rankings, and sales growth.

The cost of SEO for a store can include:

• Fees for an SEO audit,
• Content creation,
• Technical site optimisation,
• Link building.

Hiring an SEO specialist or agency can ensure professional and effective optimisation of the online store.

Choosing the platform and software for the online store

Ready-made online store or custom software? How much does it cost to create an online store?

The decision between a ready-made online store and custom software depends on your business’s specific needs and budget. Ready-made online stores, like WooCommerce, offer quick and easy implementation, but they are mainly for smaller businesses or those in the early stages of development. A custom online store, created on demand, provides complete control and customisation to individual requirements but requires significant initial investments and regular maintenance and development costs. Choosing is worth considering long-term business goals, development opportunities, and the available budget.

Choosing e-commerce software: what determines the cost of an online store?

Choosing software for an online store impacts both initial and ongoing costs. Open-source software like WooCommerce or PrestaShop is usually free but may require investments in development, technical support, and additional plugins and themes.

Choosing an e-commerce platform like Shopify or Magento offers comprehensive solutions with built-in technical support and regular updates but involves monthly subscription fees and potential sales commissions. Depending on the chosen plan and additional features, these costs can range from a few dozen to several thousand PLN per month. Before deciding, it’s worth thoroughly analysing your business’s needs and anticipated growth to select the most cost-effective and efficient solution.

Hidden costs of building an online store

Unexpected expenses: what hidden costs can arise when implementing an online store?

Running an online store involves not only basic costs but also unexpected expenses that can arise at different stages of the business. Store owners must be prepared for additional costs related to site development, including software updates, unforeseen technical repairs, or introducing new features in response to changing market needs.

Additional costs should also be considered in terms of store marketing when advertising campaigns do not bring the expected results and require additional investments. E-commerce business insurance and legal fees related to data protection are other areas where unexpected costs may occur. Preparing for such expenses by reserving part of the budget for unforeseen circumstances is key to the store’s financial stability.

Warehouse costs and inventory management: how to minimise them?

Managing a warehouse is essential to running an online store that can generate significant costs. Fees for renting warehouse space, costs related to inventory management, and expenses for warehouse staff are the main elements to consider. Optimising these costs can be achieved by implementing efficient warehouse management systems (WMS) that automate many processes. Investing in software for sales analysis and demand forecasting can help in better inventory management, reducing the risk of excess stock or shortages. Alternatively, business models like dropshipping can completely eliminate warehouse costs, transferring inventory management to suppliers.

Summary

Setting up and running an online store is a complex process that requires careful planning and cost management. From choosing the platform and software, through designing and customising the website, to ongoing maintenance and hidden costs – every decision impacts the final budget of the venture. To minimise risks and effectively manage costs related to establishing and running an online store, consider working with a professional company.

Cooperating with us provides access to experts with many years of experience in e-commerce, who can help at every stage of the process – from choosing the right platform, through designing and customising the website, to optimising marketing activities. Our company offers comprehensive services that save time and money, ensuring the highest quality and efficiency of solutions. With an individual approach and full commitment, we can tailor our services to the specific needs of your business, helping you achieve success in the e-commerce world. Contact us to learn how we can achieve your business goals together.