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Selling products online has never been easier! With the technology available, the hardest part is deciding which to use. Read on to learn the advantages and disadvantages of your options along with where to find the solutions to meet your business needs.
There is no average cost for a full e-commerce website solution. But there is an average for which type of e-commerce solution you're talking about. Multiple factors contributing to this average include:
- Turnkey vs. original e-commerce software
- Template vs. custom design
- Online marketing & promotion
Turnkey vs. original e-commerce software
Let's look first at the e-commerce software that will power your online storefront. When deciding which avenue to take, the following factors need to be considered:
- Budget
- Timeline & Resources
- Flexibility & Scalability
- Support & Training
- Administration & Maintenance
 Turnkey e-commerce solution provider
Turnkey e-commerce software is software that has already been developed and is provided to you for purchase or "rent". Thousands of shopping cart software providers are available, but only a handful of good ones. You can spot the good ones by focusing on certain criteria. They will specialize in shopping cart software, offer expert sales consultations, free support, and an above-standard list of features.
Many poor shopping cart software providers are companies specializing in web hosting, graphic design, or other technology services and they have added their e-commerce software as an additional benefit. E-commerce software is much too important to be an "added benefit" that you receive at a low cost. Don't make that mistake.
Many solid turnkey e-commerce software solutions are available to you for either purchase or lease. The companies that specialize in this service have spent years of research and millions in development already, thus offering you a multi-million dollar solution at an incredibly low cost. Since they focus their efforts on appealing to thousands of customers, their software must meet the objective of an infinite variety of business needs. Plus, since they receive monthly payments from thousands of customers, the price you pay is incredibly low by comparison.
Resources
The resources needed to utilize turnkey software depends on how many products/services you will be selling. Many companies offer a choice between manual and automated product uploads, but you will have to get your products online somehow. If you sell 100 products, you can probably get the job done with one person, over the course of a day. If you sell 1000+ products, you'll need to allocate either more people or more time accordingly.
Flexibility and Scalability
Flexibility and scalability may not seem that important when you are first looking through your options. You'll scan through the many features and functionalities offered by numerous providers and you may believe that everything you need can be found in their software, based upon the features they are advertising. Be careful here!
Make a list of the most important components you need for a successful online business. Then cross-examine your needs list with their features list to ensure that most, if not all, of those components are built right in. If you have any questions regarding their offerings, give them a call. Get answers before making any final decisions.
Training and Support
The downfall of 99% of turnkey e-commerce solution providers is their lack of training and support. They'll provide you with the software, links to access the administration panels, and then you are on your own. So if you will need or want additional support, keep that element in mind as you research turnkey providers.
Administration & Maintenance
Most turnkey providers offer web-based administration using point-and-click features and real-time updates. All of this boils down to logging into your administration area, adding, editing, or deleting selected content, clicking a button, and you're all set. Since the technology is built into the software, the cost is included with your overall fee.
Budget
Designers/Developers Cost: $75 - $90/hour
Overall Price Tag: $99.95/monthly - $999.50/annually
Timeline: 1 - 4 weeks to launch
Interactive Firm
Though many interactive web design and development firms had fallen during the technology crash years ago, there are still many quality contenders in this field. With these firms, you can expect to receive a fully customized e-commerce solution complete with original design with features and functionality built specifically for you, to be used only by you. Of course, the robust components will continue to be added and perfected as long as you can continue writing checks. When the money runs out, the project stops. If your pockets are incredibly deep and your company has a specific need to have software designed and developed specifically for them and has the financial resources to fund it, then this may be an option for you.
Resources
This option requires very little resources on your part. The interactive firm that you have chosen will need a contact person for direction and definition of the scope, process, and status notifications of the project. But other than that, you can keep shoveling money to them and they'll take care of the rest.
Flexibility & Scalability
The flexibility and scalability of software developed just for your company is as endless as your pockets are deep. You will need to meet with your service provider to identify an initial project scope and define all of your needs and objectives. However, as long as you can keep writing checks, they can keep adding flexibility!
Support & Training
Top-notch support is given during normal business hours. These firms will generally put in the overtime if the price is right, but on average, you will receive service and support Monday through Friday, 9-5. Their support will be outstanding, mind you, and it better be!
Administration & Maintenance
An interactive firm can maintain your online business for you, for an hourly fee or a monthly retainer. Or, depending upon how you had your software built, they may have built in an easy maintenance plan, for twice the cost as the administration development is twice the battle. Or you can hire personnel internally for the sole purpose of database, HTML, programming, and design maintenance.
Budget
Designers/Developers Cost: $125 - 175/hour
Overall Price Tag: anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000
Timeline: 3 - 12 months
Template vs. Custom Design 
Web Design Templates
The explosion of web design templates available provides an excellent resource for companies with smaller budgets to have a professional web site in both appearance and usability. Templates can be bought for a wide variety of categories from online storefronts to portal sites. Template designs can be modern, classic, technological, feminine, masculine, and more! In addition to the graphic designs within a template, many providers also offer the HTML developed pages corresponding to the templates.
Price Range, Exclusive: $299 - $1299
Price Range, Non-exclusive - $29 - $99
Timeframe: 1 day
Custom Web Design
For many businesses, there is just no substitute for a custom designed website. Custom designs offer personalization, specialization, and the uniqueness only found in original graphic design work. With many firms, you have the opportunity to work directly with your designer throughout the design and development process, ensuring that you will get the precise results you need.
Most design firms adhere to a traditional cycle of consultations, mock-ups, review, modifications, approval, and implementation. The length and end result of each phase will depend largely upon your timeline and budget.
Development is often a neglected concept when referring to "web design" but most design firms group standard HTML, ASP, PHP, and JavaScript development within the overall budget. You would receive mock-ups for your home page and internal pages. Once approved, the design firm would then implement, through development, your chosen designs throughout a site ranging from 5 pages to 500 pages.
5 - 10 Page Site (without e-commerce)
Price Range: $2,000 - $10,000 ($8,000 average)
Timeline: 2 - 4 weeks
250+ Page Site (with e-commerce)
Price Range: $2,000 +
Timeline: 1 - 6 months
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