What a small online shop really costs to set up and run

A small online shop creates two kinds of cost: one-time for the build and ongoing for running it. On the market, simple shops often cost several thousand euros to build plus roughly €30 to €200 a month to run. We work with a fixed price instead, so you know from the start what's coming.

One-time versus ongoing costs: what's the difference?

Picture the shop like a physical store: the build is fitting out the store, which you pay for once. The ongoing costs are rent and electricity, which you pay every month to keep the doors open.

One-time (build): design, setting up products, payment processing, legal basics. Ongoing (running): hosting (the space where your shop lives on the internet), payment provider fees, any tools.

What does the build cost on the market?

These figures are typical market reference points for Germany and vary a lot by provider and scope. They show that “online shop” can mean very different things. That's why we talk about your actual needs first, not a standard price.

Payment providers and fees, explained simply

A payment provider is the service through which your customers' money reaches you, whether they pay by card, PayPal or instant transfer. In return, the provider keeps a small fee per sale, typically a small percentage plus a few cents per transaction.

Important: this fee only applies when you actually sell something. With little turnover it stays small, with lots of turnover it grows, but then you're earning too. We set you up with a reputable provider and explain beforehand which fee applies where.

Shipping, taxes and legal basics for German shops

This is where it gets murky for many, yet they're manageable building blocks:

• Shipping: you decide from what value shipping is free, which countries, which carrier. We build that cleanly into the shop.
• Taxes: VAT must be shown correctly and prices displayed as final prices. That's mandatory.
• Legal: a German shop needs an Impressum, a privacy policy, terms (AGB), a cancellation policy, and the so-called Button-Lösung, the clear “order with obligation to pay” button, so that orders are legally sound.

We build your shop GDPR-compliant and with this Button-Lösung from the outset, so you don't run into trouble later. For the individual legal texts (terms, cancellation) it's best to work with a legal adviser. We make sure they're integrated correctly on the technical side.

How long until my shop is live?

With us it takes 4 to 8 weeks, at a fixed price with a fixed timeline. In that time we handle design, product setup, payment integration and the legal-technical foundation. You supply the product info and images, and we put it together.

“Full shop or start with click & collect?”

Starting small is often the smarter way round. Not everyone needs a full shipping shop straight away.

• Click & collect: customers order and pay online but pick up in store. No shipping, less effort, ideal for a bakery, butcher or the local shop round the corner.
• Full online shop: shipping across all of Germany (or wider), sensible if you want to sell beyond your region.

You can start small with click & collect and expand to a full shop later. That saves you cost and hassle at the beginning.

What does it cost with you?

That depends mainly on the number of products and features. After the free first call you get a written quote with a fixed price, with no hidden hours.

Running costs (hosting, payment provider, tools) for a small shop are, in our experience, in the order of €30 to €200 a month, depending on how much you sell and which tools you use.

Want an honest read on what makes sense in your case and what you can skip? Let's take a look together in a free 30-minute call, no obligation. Write to info@aituria.de or book a slot directly.