eCommerce Series Cost Estimates Part III

Catch the first two parts of the e-commerce series here and here.

Now that we have talked the hows and whys we need to discuss the cost of managing and running an on online business. E-commerce costs vary wildly due to factors such as size of business, products, design, needs, programming and functionality, and more. The point is each business must decide for itself what costs are sustainable and won’t cause financial ruin. Working with a company that handles many different aspects of building an e-commerce site is likely the best option as they can navigate each of these issues for you.

Here are some of the base rates for the larger platforms:

Shopify.com – $29/month, credit card fees, and $49 for the retail package

SquareSpace.com – $26/month (billed annually), 3% transaction fee

Wix.com – $17/month (billed annually)

WooCommerce.com – $129 for a single site

Magento – starts at $1,899/month

Bigcommerce – $29.95/month (billed monthly)

Payment Platforms

While some e-commerce sites provide their own payment platform, there are usually many options from which to decide. Most popular amongst them are PayPal, Square, and Stripe, but there are also Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, Visa Checkout, and others. Each one has fees and a cost structure associated with it.

When picking a payment platform keep in mind if you want a universal system across both your website and retail store. Options like PayPal, Square, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay may have fees per transaction or credit card fees attached to them. As you make decisions about your site, it is an expense you cannot forget. While a few cents doesn’t seem like much money as your site picks up more and more buyers the expense can add up quickly. Most credit cards charge a flat fee (a few cents) plus a percentage of the transaction.

Recap

In the end, there are a number of different ways to host and manage an e-commerce site. As you can see above, their costs vary depending on each company and what exactly you get for the price. Working with a company that knows the ins and outs of each platform as well as asking questions of the e-commerce company directly is the best way to find the perfect fit. It is also important to remember that if one doesn’t work out it is okay to try a different one. With so many options it is easy to try a few different ones.