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The headline question every founder asks before commissioning an online store: what will it actually cost? Answers from agencies vary wildly — from ₹20,000 quotes to ₹20,00,000+ proposals for what sounds like the same thing. This guide breaks down what drives eCommerce cost in India, what the realistic ranges are by complexity, and what hidden costs catch most founders by surprise.
What Actually Drives Cost
What Actually Drives Cost
eCommerce website cost is driven by six factors:
Platform choice: WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, or custom — each has different build costs and ongoing fees.
Design complexity: Template-based vs fully custom design changes the design budget by 5-10x.
Product catalogue size: 100 products is not the same as 10,000 products. Catalogue migration, attribute setup, and category architecture all scale with size.
Integration count: Each payment gateway, shipping provider, ERP system, or marketing tool adds development and testing time.
Custom functionality: Subscription models, multi-vendor marketplace features, B2B pricing, configurators — each adds significant development.
Migration scope: Moving from an existing platform with order history, customer data, and SEO equity adds substantial complexity.
Realistic Cost Ranges by Complexity
Realistic Cost Ranges by Complexity
Indian market pricing for 2026, assuming a professional agency:
Starter store (₹50,000 - ₹1,50,000): Up to 50 products, template-based design, single payment gateway, basic shipping. Suitable for a side hustle or first online experiment.
Standard store (₹1,50,000 - ₹4,00,000): 100-500 products, customised design, multiple payment gateways, automated shipping integration, basic CRM integration. Suitable for a serious small-to-medium retail business.
Advanced store (₹4,00,000 - ₹12,00,000): 1,000+ products, fully custom design, complex integrations (ERP, CRM, marketing automation), abandoned cart recovery, advanced reporting, multi-language. Suitable for established brands and growing retailers.
Enterprise / marketplace (₹12,00,000+): Multi-vendor marketplace, B2B portal, custom workflows, deep ERP integration, complex catalogue with 10,000+ SKUs, custom mobile app. Suitable for serious commerce operations.
What Is Often Excluded From the Quote
What Is Often Excluded From the Quote
Most quotes cover design and development only. The following are routinely excluded but always needed:
Content production — product descriptions, photography, lifestyle imagery
Payment gateway KYC and merchant account setup
Logistics aggregator account setup
SEO setup beyond basic on-page optimisation
Marketing automation tool setup (email, SMS, WhatsApp)
Analytics implementation and tag management
Hosting and SSL costs (ongoing)
Post-launch maintenance and support
Add 30-50% to the development quote to get a realistic total budget for the first year.
Ongoing Operating Costs
Ongoing Operating Costs
Beyond the build, expect:
Hosting: ₹2,000 - ₹20,000/month
Plugins and tools: ₹10,000 - ₹50,000/year
Maintenance: ₹5,000 - ₹25,000/month
Marketing and advertising: ₹20,000 - ₹2,00,000+/month
Payment gateway fees: 2% of revenue
Logistics costs: variable, typically ₹50-150 per order
For a mid-sized store, monthly operating cost (excluding marketing) is typically ₹15,000 - ₹50,000.
Where to Spend and Where to Save
Where to Spend and Where to Save
Spend on:
Design quality — first impressions matter
Performance optimisation — slow stores convert poorly
Payment gateway diversity — every option you don't offer is lost revenue
Post-launch maintenance — neglected stores break in expensive ways
You can save on:
Custom themes if a quality premium theme suits your brand
Bells and whistles in version 1 — launch with essentials, add features as revenue justifies
Stock photography for early lifestyle imagery before commissioning custom shoots
Why Choose Neel Networks
Why Choose Neel Networks
Our eCommerce development services cover the full spectrum from starter stores to enterprise builds. Pricing is itemised and transparent — you know what every component costs before signing. We also offer WooCommerce development specifically for businesses choosing that platform.
Costs vary widely based on what you actually need. To get a custom quote for your specific eCommerce project, get in touch with the Neel Networks team.
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