How to calculate the budget for launching a store
LightSEO · Money
How to calculate the budget for launching a store
The question "how much does a store cost" almost always sounds like a question about development. In reality, development is only one of the cost items, and often not the largest one in the first year.
3 months
of operating without profit is normal
One-time
Startup costs
🛠
Development and setup
Structure, design, content, integrations – the actual work on the store.
🌐
Domain
A small sum once a year, but it has to be registered in your own name.
📸
Content
Photo shoots, descriptions, banners. This is the most often underestimated item, and it adds up to a noticeable sum.
🎨
Logo and brand identity
If you don't have them yet, this is a separate job outside the scope of website development.
Monthly
Recurring costs
Platform or hosting. The most predictable part. SSL goes here too, if it isn't included in the plan.
Services. Telephony, CRM, email marketing, SMS, website chat – each one is inexpensive on its own, and together they add up.
Advertising budget. At launch it usually exceeds everything else combined.
Maintenance. Minor edits, updates, technical issues. Even if you do it yourself, it costs your time.
Often forgotten
Hidden costs
Payment system fees. They are charged on every order, and over a month they add up to a noticeable sum.
Delivery and packaging. If you cover part of it, include it in the cost of each order.
Returns. In some niches this is a significant percentage that has to be budgeted for in advance.
Order processing. Once there are dozens of orders a day, you need a person for it – that is a salary to budget for, and "we'll manage somehow" stops working.
Key point
The most common budgeting mistake
Spending the entire budget on the website. A store without ads and SEO doesn't sell, however good it is. A simpler solution plus money for traffic works better than an expensive website with no visitors.
Not setting aside a reserve. Three months of operating without profit is a normal period on the way to payback and no sign of failure.
We'll calculate the budget for your project
We'll tell you how much you really need for the launch and the first months of operation – with advertising included on top of development.
