Creating an eCommerce website can be an expensive proposition. Not only do you need to pay for the design and development of the website, but you also need to pay for hosting and domain registration.
However, there are ways to save money on your eCommerce website build. By following these tips, you can save money on your eCommerce website build and get a website that looks great and functions well.
Do Some of the Work Yourself
One way to save money on your eCommerce website build is to do some of the work yourself.
There are a number of tasks that you can do yourself, such as creating product descriptions, setting up shipping labels, and creating coupons.
Get Help from an eCommerce Partner
If you have a small- to medium-sized business, there are likely some tasks that your team doesn’t have enough time or expertise to do. When it comes to getting your eCommerce website off the ground or improving and maintaining it, this is where an agency partner can help.
An eCommerce partner will take care of all of the heavy lifting so that you can focus on your core competencies. Plus, if you hire a full-service eCommerce agency, like Classy Llama, they’ll be able to take care of your design, development, marketing, and strategy all in one place.
Agencies will typically offer either a managed solution or an unmanaged solution. With a managed solution, the partner takes care of pretty much everything for you. With an unmanaged solution, you’ll be responsible for more tasks, but the partner will likely help you develop a strategy and lay out a plan to get your eCommerce business up and running.
You can use an eCommerce agency in combination with other tips mentioned in this article. For example, if you create product descriptions yourself, an eCommerce partner can either edit them or write them from the ground up.
The lift your eCommerce agency partner provides you can save money by freeing you up to work on more important tasks, and also help you avoid problems like your website going down, resulting in lost revenue.
Be Frugal With Your Photography
You can save time and money on your eCommerce website build by using stock photography and graphics instead of hiring a professional photographer or taking the photos yourself. Any time you need photos that aren’t custom to what you’re selling, you can find photos to use on a number of websites with high-quality, royalty-free stock photos and graphics. This will allow you to get the same quality as a professional photographer, but for a fraction of the cost and time.
Choose Your eCommerce Platform Wisely
When it comes to eCommerce platforms, there are a lot of providers to choose from. However, not all providers are created equal. Some providers are more customizable than others, some have a better track record of providing quality eCommerce solutions, and some are only the right fit for the right size of business.
Choosing the right eCommerce platform provider will save you time and money on development costs. The provider will have already built the necessary infrastructure and will be able to get your website up and running quickly and efficiently. Additionally, the provider will be able to offer support and assistance with ongoing site maintenance.
Check out Classy Llama’s work with two eCommerce platforms here:
BIG COMMERCE
ADOBE COMMERCE (FORMERLY MAGENTO)
Keep Page Number to a Minimum
When it comes to developing and hosting a website, one of the best ways to save money is to keep the number of pages on your website to a minimum. This will help to reduce development and hosting costs. Additionally, it will also help your website to load more quickly, which is important for keeping your customers happy.
Remember, you don’t need to include every page on your website in order to have a successful online presence. Focus on the most important pages and leave the rest for later. You can always add more pages as your business grows.
Discover the Wonders of Content Management Systems
A content management system (CMS) is a tool that allows you to manage the content on your website without needing to know how to code. A CMS will allow you to add, delete, and edit pages on your website quickly and easily. This can be a great way to keep your website up-to-date with the latest products and promotions.
There are a number of different CMS platforms to choose from, each with its own set of features and benefits. Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento are all popular CMS platforms that are well suited for eCommerce websites.
When choosing a CMS platform, be sure to consider the needs of your business. If you need a lot of customization or if you have a lot of products, it may be better to use a more customizable platform. If you want simplicity and to get started quickly, then a more turnkey solution may be right for you.
Your Money Saving Future
Running an eCommerce business can be expensive, and the idea of building and running a website for your brand may give you a budget panic attack, but it doesn’t have to. Try these money savings tips and, if you really need some help, reach out to us here at Classy Llama. We’re always here to help eCommerce businesses like yours optimize their strategy and create wins for your brand.