It is no surprise that just having an online presence is no longer adequate to attract or retain customers. The modern customer purchasing habits have accelerated eCommerce shopping on the go and it has encouraged many businesses to adapt because there were 10.67 million internet users in Uganda in January 2020 according to Datareportal. The number of internet users in Uganda increased by 357 thousand (+3.5%) between 2019 and 2020. Internet penetration in Uganda stood at 24% in January 2020 which I believe has increased due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
This period of the pandemic has opened the eyes of many people especially in the business sector, many have adopted to the new normal of now appreciating the trend of coming up with online solutions for their businesses, this calls for the creation of for instance an eCommerce website that will be used as a virtual shop to display products as it helps one achieve more.
Setting up an E-Commerce website could be very tricky if not handled well. However, it all revolves around one’s initial goals, the expertise of the developer used, and how customized or flexible you want the website features to be. My recommendation, however(especially for a simple eCommerce site) is to use readymade templates like WordPress themes and other content management systems which tend to save a lot of money and time.
Alternatively, custom eCommerce software development is a longer and more expensive process that is suitable for businesses that want to raise brand loyalty and serve as many customers as possible in a global arena, it applies for both vertical and horizontal eCommerce websites.
The advantage with such sites is that they give the brand an original unique feel adding to its strength and Genuity.
With its flexibility, It also gives you the power over everything in terms of design, control, features, interaction among others and it’s easily integrated with mobile apps and other systems that may not be supported by readymade solutions as you do have it’s core resources.
Features of a Basic Ecommerce Website.
Before we dig into the cost of an eCommerce website, it’s important to know the basic feature of a typical eCommerce website. These contribute to the time spent crafting it and the cost obviously depends on the complexity.
| Feature | Description |
| CMS: Product management | This allows adding and managing of products/items for sale |
| CMS: Order management | Allows viewing of orders and disbursement products. It also stores order history. |
| Categories and products (shop page) | Virtual shop to display products organized in categories for both vertical and horizontal business |
| Basic product page | Displays product and description of a product, also displays different types of similar product |
| Product reviews(optional) | This displays reviews from customers which is important especially for vertical businesses |
| Product search | This is to filter products in the virtual shop |
| Cart and checkout | Tracks the products to be purchased and the payment process |
| Invoice and email management | Processes payment bills and notifications |
| Chatbot | To provide interactive support to clients that use the website |
How much does it cost to build an eCommerce website?
E-Commerce is an incorporation that is fused into an ordinary website for purposes of smoothly conducting business online. The price of designing an eCommerce website depends on the customer’s financial capacities and plan, just the same as development. We cannot name a single web design price because it all depends on the particular project.
Below is a list of factors that contribute to the final price of a website.
- Website hosting cost, domain, and SSL certificate price.
- The complexity of website design(custom or ready-made solution)
- Vendor (developer) rates (vary based on the location, experience, portfolio, etc.)
- Integration of 3rd party services like payment gateways, interaction mechanisms, and user experience desires.
- SEO expenditure
- Marketing and promotion
- Website’s product graphics and pictures
Who should build you a website?
Depending on the complexity of the website, in order to design and the total budget, the two options are freelancers and custom software companies
Freelancers tend to use readymade designs/setups to save time, and most affordable option because they work on time and have to get other works going, they also use these very setups on several other websites with minimal alterations. On the other hand, custom software companies have organized teams with a procedural approach to solving tasks given to them, the process includes UI/UX design, project management, quality assurance, and many other ways.
How much do eCommerce website maintenance and support cost?
Like any other product, websites need maintenance and support, this ranges from security, fixing broken links, and introducing new features on a website. These are all key features however putting more focus on security as cyber insecurity is at a rise currently, thus calling for frequent security updates and evaluation. The other factors are however equally important as they greatly influence the user experience. Please do remember we’re looking at having the users staying around for the longest possible.
Freelancers tend to be cheaper as they provide one-time maintenance and support services unlike custom software companies which have a process and procedure to follow in order to provide you maintenance and support especially on external projects
Bottom Line, How Much Does an ecommerce Website Cost in Uganda?
With the breakdown of all the factors that contribute to a working eCommerce website, it would be quite ridiculous zeroing to a final price of the E-Commerce website, however with estimation, it could roughly range from 1.5 million Ugandan shillings to any higher price depending on the earlier mentioned factors.