Web & Design
Getting an Online Shop Built: Costs, Systems, and Process
From Shopify to Webflow: which systems exist, what a professional online shop costs, and how to get from concept to first sale.
Short answer
Having an online shop built by an agency typically costs between 5,000 and 25,000 euros, depending on the system, number of products, and integrations. Webflow E-Commerce or Shopify are enough for small catalogs, while complex requirements need custom solutions. It's important to follow legally compliant processes under German law, such as the button solution and the right of withdrawal notice, along with suitable payment methods and good product images. Also budget for ongoing costs like the shop system, payment fees, and maintenance.
What an online shop costs
The question of cost can only be answered with a range. A shop with twenty products and standard shipping is a different matter than a shop with variants, inventory management, and B2B pricing. As a rough guide:
| Shop type | One-time costs | Ongoing per month |
|---|---|---|
| Self-built website builder | €0 – 1,000 | €30 – 100 |
| Small shop with agency (up to 50 products) | €5,000 – 10,000 | €50 – 200 |
| Medium shop with integrations | €10,000 – 25,000 | €150 – 500 |
| Custom solution | from €25,000 | based on effort |
On top of that come transaction fees from payment providers and marketing costs. How websites are generally calculated is explained in the article Getting a Website Built.
Which shop system suits you?
- Webflow E-Commerce: Ideal for brands with a manageable catalog and high design standards. We're a Webflow partner and use it frequently.
- Shopify: Strong with many products, apps, and international sales.
- WooCommerce (WordPress): Very flexible, but dependent on plugins and correspondingly maintenance-intensive.
- Custom with Lovable: For bookings, configurators, or workflows that no standard shop can cover. Our own shop is built this way too.
You'll find a detailed comparison of the systems in the tech stack comparison.
Kernaussage
Choose the shop system based on your catalog and your processes, not on what's currently most well-known.
The process
- Concept: Catalog, target audience, shipping, payment methods, legal requirements.
- Design: Homepage, categories, product page, cart, and checkout in your corporate design.
- Setup: Products, variants, taxes, shipping rules, payment providers.
- Content: Product copy, images, 3D product visualizations.
- Testing and launch: Test orders, review legal texts, set up tracking.
- Operation: Maintenance, analysis, and marketing.
Legal requirements and checkout
German shops must meet strict requirements. This includes the so-called button solution: the order button must clearly indicate the obligation to pay, for example with "order with obligation to pay" [1]. There's also the right of withdrawal notice, terms and conditions, pricing information including shipping costs, and a complete privacy policy. For the legal texts, we recommend a specialized provider or a law firm.
A shop doesn't sell just because it exists. It sells when product images, copy, and checkout are good enough that buying is easier than hesitating.
Kernaussage
Plan at least as much time for product data and images as for design and technology.
If you first want to test a single sales page, read our article Getting a Landing Page Built. You can find more about our work on the Web Agency Cologne page.
What a digital agency delivers overall and what it costs is covered in the overview Digital Agency: Services and Costs.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to have an online shop built?+
With agencies, usually 5,000 to 25,000 euros for concept, design, and setup. Small shops with few products are cheaper, custom solutions with integrations significantly more expensive.
Which shop system is the right one?+
Webflow E-Commerce or Shopify are suitable for small to medium catalogs. WooCommerce on WordPress is flexible but needs more maintenance. For special cases, we build custom shops, for example with Lovable.
What ongoing costs does an online shop have?+
Monthly fees for the shop system, transaction fees from payment providers, hosting, maintenance, and marketing such as Google Ads.
What legal requirements must an online shop meet?+
Among other things: legal notice (Impressum), privacy policy, terms and conditions, right of withdrawal notice, pricing information including shipping, and a clearly labeled order button. For the legal texts, we recommend a legal text provider or a lawyer.
How long does it take to build an online shop?+
Six to twelve weeks for a manageable shop. Product data, images, and copy are decisive and often take the most time.
Do I need professional product images?+
Yes. Product images are the most important sales factor in a shop. As an alternative to a photo shoot, 3D product visualizations work well, especially with many variants.
Can I maintain the shop myself later?+
Yes. We set up shops so you can change products, prices, and content yourself, and we train you to do so.
Sources
- § 312j BGB – Besondere Pflichten im elektronischen Geschäftsverkehr, Bundesministerium der Justiz (2025)
#Online Shop#E-Commerce#Web Design#Webflow#Cologne
Author
Josef KujawskiManaging Director & Creative Director at Maluure
Josef leads the strategic and creative development of brands at Maluure. For over a decade, he has guided medium-sized businesses from brand positioning to digital delivery.
Managing Director of Maluure GmbH, Cologne. Specialising in corporate design, brand strategy and digital brand experiences.
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