Are you creating an eCommerce website for your business in Dubai/UAE for the first time? If yes, you may have several questions in your mind related to the costs, such as:
Here, we will share some helpful insights and information about eCommerce website costs in Dubai/UAE. We will also share the significant determinants of eCommerce website costs, which will help you make better decisions when hiring a website agency or a web developer in the UAE.
Let’s start!
> Cost of eCommerce Websites in Dubai/UAE
eCommerce Cost Using WooCommerce
The cost of creating an eCommerce website in Dubai/UAE using WooCommerce (a WordPress plugin) may start at AED 5000. At Innomedia, charge AED 4000 to create a WooCommerce store.
eCommerce Cost Using OpenCart
OpenCart is a robust and commonly used CMS for building eCommerce stores. The cost of an eCommerce website in Dubai/UAE using OpenCart may start at AED 7000.
eCommerce Cost Using Shopify
Shopify is another great platform for creating e-commerce websites. The cost to create a Shopify store in Dubai/AE may start at AED 7000.
eCommerce Cost Using Custom PHP
The costs of an eCommerce website using custom PHP may increase because of the effort involved. The eCommerce website cost in Dubai/UAE using PHP may start at AED 10000.
The eCommerce website development cost in Dubai/UAE is not fixed. It may vary depending on factors like scope of work, developers vs companies, CMS platform, etc. However, the average price of building an eCommerce store in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE starts at AED 5000. At this cost, you will get all the essential features needed to run your eCommerce business.
> What's Included in eCommerce Packages?
Below is the list of items that your web developer or agency must provide you with under their eCommerce packages (even with the basic one):
#1 CMS (Content Management System)
Most web development agencies in Dubai/UAE include CMS (like WordPress, OpenCart, or Drupal) as part of their eCommerce website package. They won’t charge you additional costs for using a CMS. Instead, using CMS can reduce the overall cost of an eCommerce website. A CMS enables you to manage your website’s content easily without hiring a web developer. Therefore, before signing off on an eCommerce quotation, you must ensure that it should have CMS as an integral part of it.
#2 SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
No matter the eCommerce cost you pay to any web developer or website agency in Dubai/UAE, make sure SSL is part of your package. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is an internet security protocol that encrypts data to keep it safe. All websites that capture users’ sensitive data (name, email, payment details, address, etc.) must run on SSL. To enable SSL for an eCommerce website, your developer has to ensure that their server has an active SSL certificate and that all the pages of your eCommerce store open with https://. Your web developer should be able to handle and ensure that your eCommerce website runs on SSL.
What’s more! SSL also helps websites rank on search engines. And it’s a mark of trust among informed shoppers.
#3 Assistance to Upload Products
An eCommerce website quote should also include assistance from the web developer in uploading the products. At least before launching your online store, your developer or agency should help you with the product uploading. They should also be able to provide you with a manual or documentation so that you can manage existing products and upload new products after your website is launched.
If your web developer asks for additional costs to upload the products to your site, wait to sign off and avoid them. Product uploading assistance should always be included in the cost of an eCommerce website in Dubai/UAE.
#4 Basic On-page SEO
If the basic on-page SEO is done correctly, your eCommerce website can gain visibility and traffic from search engines. Most professional eCommerce developers in the UAE include on-page SEO in their quotations. Before hiring a developer to build your eCommerce website, check their quotation to see if they offer basic on-page SEO. Basic SEO integration may include SEO-friendly URLs, meta titles, meta descriptions, header tags, etc.
#5 Website Training
To take control of your website and manage the products & content quickly without the help of any web developer, you must learn the basics of your CMS/backend. Your web developer should also provide manual or one-on-one training to manage the essential things on your eCommerce store. This will help you make immediate changes to your website and save you maintenance costs.
#6 Logo Design
Some professional eCommerce service providers (like Innomedia) also offer free logo design, free web hosting, and domain names with their eCommerce website packages. Getting a free logo design service can reduce the overall eCommerce website costs.
#7 Service Warranty
All the professional eCommerce developers & designers in Dubai/UAE provide service warranty on their work. After the launch of an eCommerce website, business owners may need the assistance of web developers to resolve issues & bugs that may appear post-launch, which is why a service warranty from your web developer should be part of their eCommerce package.
> eCommerce Maintenance Cost Breakdown
Website Hosting
For eCommerce website hosting, you may have to pay between AED 200 to AED 800 annually. A web developer can help you subscribe to a reliable & affordable web host.
Domain Name
The annual cost of a domain name may start at AED 50 for a ‘.com’ extension. However, for a ‘.ae’ extension domain name, you may have to pay AED 150 annually.
Plugins
Although, most plugins are available either free to use or at a nominal one-time payment. There could be some premium plugins that require you to pay annually to continue using them.
Monthly Maintenance
If you want to hire a web developer to maintain your website regularly, they may charge AED 500 per month or more depending on the frequency of changes required and the nature of your website.
> eCommerce Website Cost Determinants
To keep your eCommerce website cost in control, you must know about all the major factors that affect eCommerce pricing so that you can make informed decisions.
eCommerce platform
The development platform that web developers choose to create eCommerce websites can significantly affect the overall cost. There are many ways to build an eCommerce website. Some developers prefer using a CMS like WordPress, while others may use PHP frameworks like Laravel. Choosing any platform will give you the same result: A functional eCommerce store. However, the cost can change significantly if your developer uses a CMS vs a framework.
For example, the cost of creating an eCommerce website in the UAE using Laravel can start from AED 10000; however, the same website with the same features can cost you between AED 3000 and AED 5000 using a CMS like WordPress.
Website design
Choosing to design your eCommerce website can also affect the overall development cost. There are two main ways to develop a website. The first option can be to use a template/theme and customize it to suit your business requirements. The second option is to create a unique design (from scratch), also known as a custom web design. Choosing between these options can affect the cost of your eCommerce website. Using a template to build an eCommerce website may save you more than 30% of the cost that you may have to pay when using a custom design.
Web hosting
The hosting server plays a significant role in the success & budget of an eCommerce website. There are hundreds of options to host your website. Some web hosting companies charge as low as $100 per annum, while others may charge $250 per annum. When choosing website hosting for your eCommerce site, expensive options are only sometimes the best. Many hosting companies charge much less than others while providing the best support. If your web developer is experienced enough, they can guide you in choosing the best yet reasonable web hosting company for your online store.
3rd party integration
Advanced features: Your eCommerce website costs will rise if you need advanced features such as multilingual web pages, multi-currency options for users, etc.
> How to Save Your eCommerce Website Costs?
Do you need an eCommerce website on a budget? It’s possible! There are many ways in which you can save your money while building an eCommerce store.
Below are some of the best ways to save on your eCommerce development costs in the UAE:
Tip #1: Go for WordPress CMS
Developing an eCommerce website in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE may involve a significant amount of money, which may be difficult to spare, especially for small businesses and startups. However, when your web developer uses WordPress/WooCommerce to create an eCommerce store, it can save you more than 30% on your eCommerce web development.
Tip #2: Subscribe to an affordable host
As mentioned earlier in this blog post, many web hosting providers are reliable and, at the same time, affordable. Choosing one of them can also help you save on your eCommerce website development cost. Some of those hosting providers include InterServer, iPage, BlueHost, etc. Consult a professional web developer in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE who can help you choose the best hosting service.
Tip #3: Launch with basic features
If you want to save on eCommerce development costs, launch your website with the basic yet essential features first. This will help you save some money initially to invest in your marketing and other promotional activities. Gradually, you can enhance your website with new features as you move forward with getting sales & conversions on your website. Your web developer can also help you identify some areas on your existing eCommerce store that can be improved to get more sales & customers.
Tip #4: Use free plugins
Don’t jump in and pay for the plugins. Think about the features that can be added to your eCommerce website with the help of free plugins. Consult a professional WordPress developer in the UAE who can help you suggest some reliable yet free plugins to add great features to your online store. Using free plugins will not only help you save your initial web development cost, but it will also help you avoid paying on an annual or monthly basis for the paid plugins.
Tip #5: Use a theme
Using a WordPress/WooCommerce theme or template instead of a custom website design can save you significant money. Many WooCommerce themes can be used to build your eCommerce store. Most of these premium themes are available at a nominal price of as low as $70. Other than the low cost of these themes, they have several other benefits. These benefits include mobile-responsive design, support from their developers, demo content installation, and more.
