Welcome to eCommerce 101, here we will try to answer some of the basic questions that we get from first time eCommerce customers.
- How much will my new eCommerce website cost?
Your cost will depend on how complicated your product is. How many options does your product have?
Do your product sku have Size, Color, Width, or other options the users must select?
Do we need to check inventory based on those options?
Does your product require logic or configuration. This will add to the price. Conversely, if you are selling paperweights. Where each product is self contained with no options. This is very easy and very inexpensive.
eCommerce websites for small business can range in price based on your platform.- WooCommerce price range $3k – $20k (most on the lower end)
- Magento price range $15k – $75k (community edition – integrating to ERP and CRM will get you closer to the higher end)
- OpenCart $10k – $20k (We could do them for less, but not worth the headache.)
- Custom Shopping Carts $15k and up. We just built an awesome custom shopping platform for a printing company.
- How long will it take to build my website?
If we have all of your product categories, taxonomy, and product descriptions ready then we can typically build an ecommerce solutions in 30 days or less. We hate to say it but are biggest delay is always, without fail, getting content from you the client. So in a nutshell, we can can go as fast as you can get your content and photos ready.
If you are doing a redesign of existing eCommerce Store the process is a little different. If we are upgrading platforms or revamping the taxonomy and categories you can expect 30-45 days from start to finish. - Do I need professional photography?
Yes, you need to have professional photos taken of your product you intend to sell. Unless you are a professional photographer you need to hire someone to take photos. Your photos will make a world of difference in your conversion ratio once you start having traffic. We will not agree to do your eCommerce website unless you can provide professional photographs. - What is the most import thing I need to do to make sure my new business is a success?
Nothing is guaranteed but if you follow our advice you will have a much better chance at being successful. As they say in Texas, “this ain’t our first rodeo.” Our team has deep experience in eCommerce for small businesses and large. (Revlon, The PGA, Mouser Electronics).
For a New Business
A. Do you have a unique product that is not directly competing with Amazon? It’s not just the price, its the speed of delivery and crazy easy returns. Going head-to-head against Amazon is not a good long term strategy unless you have a real differentiator and a reason for your customer to shop at your store.
B. Do you have the Pay Per Click Advertising budget to drive traffic while you ramp up Organic eCommerce SEO? This can be expensive. Social media makes it easier if you have something cool, unique, or celebrity endorsed.
C. Measure your numbers, know them, live them, love them. ROI, AOV, CR, Penetration Rate, Cost of Acquisition and many more. We can teach you what to monitor and what is important. But you need to know your NUMBERS. Not just your eCommerce metrics. You need to know your business metrics.
Again, we have been doing this as a team since 1998 and as Seota since 2009. We can help if you will let us. - Can I do this myself?
Yes you can do anything yourself. The question is not if you can do it but if you can do it well enough to be successful. If learning eCommerce is the best use of your time then you are not a good fit for us as a client. We seek clients that want to dominate their niche or industry and they want to hire the best vendors to help them achieve their dreams.
Seota designs eCommerce websites in WooCommerce, Magento, Custom shopping carts and Opencart.
eCommerce is very competitive. If you have a viable product or concept and you need professional help then you should reach out to us. We are happy to help. Seota Digital Marketing is recognized as a top E-Commerce Design & Development Company on DesignRush
