How much does an online store cost? Catalog, checkout and integrations

An online store quote depends on its product data, checkout, shipping and connections to other systems. We price that scope in dollars. A catalog with a standard checkout and a B2B portal with contract pricing need different amounts of work.

Describe one order first. Who buys, where the price and stock come from, how payment happens and what triggers dispatch all affect the implementation.

Product count is only one input

A hundred products with approved images and descriptions can be easier to import than a dozen products with complicated variants. Check the data format too.

Prepare a sample. Include ordinary items and one awkward case, such as a bundle, a made-to-order item or a product sold only in cartons. Share it before requesting an estimate.

Decide which system owns each field. If a warehouse system supplies prices and stock, define how often they update and what the store should do when the connection fails. That behavior belongs in the scope before coding starts.

What a store estimate should include

Ask the developer to price design, implementation and data preparation separately, particularly when your team will supply some materials while the agency prepares the rest. Compare proposals against the same requirements:

• category pages, search and product details,
• a cart, customer accounts and guest checkout where needed,
• the chosen payment provider and shipping methods,
• imports from a named data source,
• order messages and failed-payment handling,
• redirects when replacing an existing store.

Assign responsibility for product copy, photographs and sales documents before the work begins, so both sides know which materials need to be included in the quote. Having a policy link in the footer does not establish that legal drafting is included in the development price.

Why B2B needs explicit rules

Customer-specific prices require account assignments, discounts and a defined order of calculation. For payment on account, you may need to set a credit limit and identify who approves the order before the warehouse can release the goods. Purchase history needs the right permissions for each employee who uses a customer account.

Work through examples. Does a quantity discount combine with a contract price? Check whether a customer employee can place orders directly or needs a manager to approve them, then include the approval steps in your brief.

Our B2B ecommerce guide explains the operational decisions in more detail. Start with one usable ordering flow.

A scope example from Gastro Podhale

Gastro Podhale combines catering equipment categories, customer accounts, a cart, B2B inquiries and technical advice. A buyer may arrive knowing the exact appliance required or needing help with a larger order.

The project description shows two paths through the catalog: a buyer who is ready to place an order and someone who first needs a quote. The case study describes delivered features.

Compare the full first year

Add the implementation fee to platform or hosting charges, paid apps, transaction fees and maintenance. Who fixes failed product imports? The website maintenance guide provides a useful list of recurring items.

To request an ecommerce estimate, send a catalog sample, payment and shipping requirements, and an example order. If the budget calls for phases, agree the features needed for the first sale and price later additions separately. Keep both stages in the estimate.