Cost Estimation for Design & Development of a Shopify Ecommerce Store

Are you thinking about setting up a Shopify store? With over 4.8 million online stores using Shopify, it’s a popular choice, and for good reason! Shopify is easy to use, offers robust features, and is suitable for businesses of all sizes. That’s why Shopify’s market capitalisation has increased from $2.05 billion in 2015 to $96.35 billion in 2024.

However, as is the case with any new venture, you’ve got to carefully consider the financial side of things. No one wants to dive into a project without understanding the expense. After all, running out of money isn’t fun for anyone! The good news is that a well-designed Shopify store will bring you a good ROI, but what sort of costs are encountered first and along the way? Let’s break down your Shopify store design and development cost in this blog.

Factors That Influence the Cost of Your Shopify Ecommerce Store

When you're gearing up to launch your Shopify store, understanding the factors that influence the setup and operational costs is crucial. Let's break down these components, giving you a clearer picture of what to expect and how to navigate your budgeting strategy.

1. Plan Selection - Your Shopify Foundation

Choosing the right Shopify plan is like selecting the foundation for your online store. This is one of the main and first considerations for building a Shopify store.

Shopify offers a number of plans, each with its own set of features and pricing:

• Basic Shopify - Ideal for new ecommerce businesses, this plan offers all the essentials to get you started.
• Shopify - A step up, this plan suits growing businesses with increasing sales.
• Advanced Shopify - Designed for scaling businesses, it offers advanced features to support your growth.

Selecting a plan is more than just looking at the monthly fees. Consider the long-term implications on functionality, scalability, and the tools you need to succeed.

2. Design - First Impressions Count

The design of your Shopify store plays a vital role in attracting and retaining customers. Shopify theme development cost can vary significantly depending on whether you opt for a free theme, paid theme, or custom design.

Investing in design is about creating a memorable user experience that aligns with your brand identity and appeals to your target audience.

3. Development - Tailoring Your Store

Whether you're adding custom features or integrating third-party apps, your Shopify website development cost will significantly impact your overall budget. Minor tweaks and adjustments might only require a few hundred pounds. However, integrating advanced functionalities or custom-built features can escalate costs, potentially reaching thousands of pounds. Choose a development path that aligns with your business objectives and provides the best ROI.

4. Add-ons and Extensions - Enhancing Functionality

Shopify's app store is filled with plugins that can extend the functionality of your store. Whether it's inventory management, SEO tools, or marketing integrations, each app comes with its own pricing, ranging from free to premium monthly subscriptions.

Selecting the right mix of add-ons is crucial for enhancing your store's capabilities without inflating your budget unnecessarily.

5. Payment Processing - Facilitating Transactions

Shopify offers its own payment solution, Shopify Payments, which eliminates transaction fees. However, if you opt for third-party payment gateways, you'll need to consider additional fees, which vary by provider.

Understanding the transaction fees and how they'll impact your overall costs is vital for financial planning.

6. Recurring and Hidden Costs - Planning for the Future

Beyond the initial setup, consider recurring costs such as domain renewal, SSL certificates, and any subscription-based services. Also, be aware of potential hidden costs or fees that could arise.

Anticipating these ongoing expenses ensures you're not caught off-guard and can maintain a healthy budget.

Check out some of the Shopify websites we've built:

• Veins Paris
• Amarte
• JooSee Vienna

Detailed Cost Breakdown for Shopify Ecommerce Website Design & Development

Let's delve into the specifics of what you can expect to budget for each aspect of your Shopify store.

Hosting

Your hosting is included in your monthly Shopify subscription. Here are the different subscription options:

• Basic Shopify: £25/month, offering all the essentials for a startup store.
• Shopify Plan: £65/month, tailored for growing businesses.
• Advanced Shopify: £344/month, best suited for scaling businesses with advanced features.

Payment Processing

Avoid transaction fees by using Shopify Payments.

Credit card rates vary:

• Basic (2.2% + 20p)
• Shopify (1.9% + 20p)
• Advanced (1.6% + 20p)

Utilising third-party payment gateways incurs additional fees, typically around 2% + a fixed fee per transaction, varying by provider.

ECommerce Website Design Cost

• Free themes - Shopify offers an array of free themes that are professionally designed and mobile-responsive.
• Premium themes - Ranging from around £70 to £200, these themes offer more customisation options and unique design elements.
• Custom design - Hiring a designer for a bespoke storefront can cost anywhere from a few thousand pounds to over £10,000, depending on your requirements and the designer's expertise.

Website Development Cost

Shopify website development cost differs considerably based on many different factors. The more complex your store design and desired functionalities are, the higher the development costs. Custom features like advanced product filters, unique user interfaces, or bespoke customer journeys require additional development work, which can increase costs.

Consider the costs for ongoing support, updates, and maintenance post-launch. Regular updates, bug fixes, and enhancements are crucial for the smooth operation of your store and can impact long-term development costs.

Given these factors, the development cost for a Shopify website can range significantly:

• Basic store setup - For a simple store using a template with minimal customisations, costs can start from as low as £1,000 to £2,000.
• Mid-level customisation - A store with a good level of customisation, more sophisticated design, and some integrations might range from £5,000 to £10,000.
• Highly customised store - For a fully customised store with advanced features, unique design, and multiple integrations, costs can exceed £20,000, depending on the project's complexity.

Add-ons and Extensions

Shopify's app marketplace offers numerous plugins to enhance your store's functionality. Prices vary widely, from free to premium subscriptions, depending on the app's complexity and provider.

Business Costs

This includes expenses like branding, marketing, SEO, and customer service setup. Initial marketing and branding can range from a few hundred to several thousand pounds, depending on the scale and channels used.

Additional Features and Functionality

Custom features like advanced product filters, custom checkouts, or unique user interfaces can significantly increase development costs. It's vital to balance these enhancements with your budget and ROI expectations.

Launch and Post-Launch Costs

Factor in the costs for your store's launch, including promotional activities, initial ad spends, and any launch-specific content or SEO strategy. Post-launch, ongoing marketing, and optimisation will contribute to recurring expenses.

Recurring Costs

Beyond the initial setup, recurring costs include subscription fees for any apps or services, domain renewal, and any Shopify plan upgrades. Regularly reviewing these costs ensures they remain aligned with your business goals.

Tips for Cost Optimisation in Shopify Ecommerce Store Development

Embarking on your Shopify ecommerce journey is undeniably exciting, but it's also essential to ensure that your venture is financially sustainable. Let's explore some savvy tips to optimise your costs without compromising on the quality and performance of your Shopify store.

Smart Selection of Add-ons and Extensions

Prioritise add-ons that are essential for your store's operation. It's easy to get swayed by the variety of apps available, but not all of them will be crucial for your store.

Monitor and Review Recurring Costs

Conduct regular reviews of your recurring expenses, including app subscriptions and additional services, to ensure they're still necessary and contributing to your store's success.

Continuously assess the ROI of paid apps and services. If an app isn't delivering value proportionate to its cost, consider alternatives.

Effective Marketing and SEO Strategies

Invest time in SEO to build organic traffic, which can be a cost-effective way to attract customers compared to paid advertising.

Creating quality content, like blogs and guides related to your products, can enhance your SEO efforts and attract a targeted audience without hefty marketing expenses.

Lean Inventory Management

Regularly analyse your inventory turnover to avoid overstocking, which can tie up capital and increase storage costs.

Build a Thriving Ecommerce Business Today

We hope that this has given you a better understanding of the factors at play when determining your Shopify ecommerce website development cost. Unfortunately, it is one of those “how long is a piece of string?” subjects. However, you can see that there are different plans to choose from, and then from here you have factors such as your choice of theme, add-ons, and marketing expenses.

One of the ways you can ensure your budget is optimised and put to the best use is with the help of Appnova, a leading Shopify Plus website development agency. Our team of seasoned Shopify developers and ecommerce strategists is here to transform your vision into a thriving online business. With Appnova, you gain a partner who is invested in your success. Our expertise in Shopify design and development, coupled with a deep understanding of the ecommerce ecosystem, positions us uniquely to propel your business forward.

Partner with Us

• Bespoke design - Tailored, user-centric design that reflects your brand and resonates with your audience.
• Robust development - Cutting-edge development practices to ensure your store is secure, scalable, and sales-driven.
• Strategic growth - Insights and strategies derived from data to drive growth, enhance customer engagement, and boost conversions.

Contact Appnova today, and take the first step towards building a Shopify store that stands out, delivers, and grows. Your ecommerce success story starts here!