How Much Does an eCommerce Agency Cost?

Understanding the cost of working with an eCommerce agency isn’t as straightforward as glancing at a menu. Unlike ordering a sirloin steak at a restaurant, where prices are clearly listed, the cost of eCommerce agency services varies widely.

Why? Because no two agencies operate the same way, and many factors influence pricing. From the scope of your project to the level of expertise required, every element impacts the final figure. As an eCommerce retailer, it’s only natural to want a clear understanding of what partnering with an agency will cost. After all, no one signs on the dotted line without knowing the bottom line.

To help you make an informed decision, let’s explore the key metrics that determine eCommerce agency cost and how those numbers translate into value for your business.

The True Cost of eCommerce Agency Services Before we dive into what really matters when it comes to the cost of working with an eCommerce agency , here is a range for how much you should expect to pay for different services:

eCommerce Development—developing an eCommerce solution is the most expensive service that eCommerce agencies offer. Things like the design, functionality, and platform of your website impact the cost of such projects. In general, when working with an agency, you could expect to pay anywhere from $30,000 to $500,000+. Email Marketing—hiring an agency to handle your email marketing could cost you something in the range of $2,000 per month. The size of your list, frequency of campaigns, and whether template design is included or not will impact your monthly cost. Annual Support Plans—an annual support plan agreement with an eCommerce agency covers everything you need to sell and market your products online. If you’re the owner of an SMB, this will cost you somewhere between $30,000 to $144,000+ annually. Hourly Rates—charging per hour is the best choice for some projects. Sometimes, it’s even a necessity. And when that’s the case, you should expect to pay between $140 to $250 per hour for highly-skilled eCommerce agency team members.

Key Factors That Influence eCommerce Agency Pricing You’ve probably noticed that the prices for different services vary significantly. Anything between $30,000 to $500,000+ for an eCommerce website? Support plans that cost anything between $30,000 to $144,000+ annually? Really?

While Salt Bae charges $1,000 for a Wagyu steak wrapped in edible 24-karat gold leaf, that’s hardly an indication of a range. You can’t say that a steak would cost you anything between $15 to $1,000. That’s definitely not true. So, what’s going on with those eCommerce agency rates?

There is a truth, universally acknowledged, that you can apply to pretty much anything- including the eCommerce agency you choose to work with. They can be fast, good, or cheap – but they can only be two . Retailers should be aware of the selection criteria they use when choosing an agency to work with for their online store and most importantly, their livelihood. While you want a good and cheap product fast, that’ll never be the case. If it’s good and cheap, it won’t be fast. If it’s fast and good, it won’t be cheap. You get it.

Experience Unlike steak houses, most eCommerce agencies serve a global clientele. There are agencies based everywhere around the world that offer different levels of work quality. In the end, you get what you pay for.

Location Even though U.S.-based eCommerce agencies are more expensive than most overseas agencies, they’re the safest option. You’ll get to work with a team that’s in the same timezone and speaks your language (no locale/country-based restrictions and regulations to explain, zero corporate firewall issues to overcome).

Access Paying U.S. salaries adds to the overall cost, and it gives you peace of mind that if your website goes down during your working hours, the team will step in and assist almost immediately. You also know you won’t be assigned a development resource that doesn’t speak the same language once you sign the contract and send the first payment.

Reliability You know that a contract with a U.S.-based company is a real, legally binding contract. There are just so many things that can—and probably will—go wrong with offshore agencies. If it gets bad (or worse), what is the legal recourse when working with a company that is headquartered in another country? Something to consider.

Is Investing in eCommerce Agency Services Worth It? Just like with anything else, you get what you pay for when you work with an eCommerce agency. The value of working with an eCommerce agency is clearly there. A reputable agency doesn’t want to just build your website and slip into the background. They want to partner with you and become an integral part of your internal team.

A good agency aspires to provide strategic guidance, and keep you up to date on eCommerce trends and constantly changing best practices. Ultimately, the retailers’ online success becomes fundamental to their own success. Is it worth it for you, though? That’s the real question. And luckily for you, it’s a question with a simple answer.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, you should spend 7-8% of your gross revenue on marketing if you’re doing $5 million annually in sales, with a net profit margin of 10-12%. True, your first year with a new eCommerce site may take a significant amount of that marketing budget but, if done correctly, it will pay for itself and the ongoing maintenance and improvements you’ll need. This leaves a larger cut of future marketing budgets for other initiatives.

So, to determine whether working with an eCommerce agency is feasible for your business or not, all you have to do is check if their fees are within 7-8% of your gross revenue. Keep in mind that this number goes up to 20% for smaller businesses in more competitive industries.

The Hidden Costs of Skipping eCommerce Website Maintenance Another thing that’ll help you decide if the cost of working with an eCommerce agency is worth it for your business is to calculate the cost of not working with one. For many eCommerce retailers, anything going wrong with their website is nothing short of a disaster. That’s why the cost of an eCommerce agency is totally worth it.

So, what can go wrong if you don’t work with an eCommerce agency? A lot. Aside from missing out on the benefits (technical expertise, a pool of resources, proven processes and procedures) of hiring an eCommerce agency, the cost you’ll pay will mainly be in the form of a lack of reliable support, and all the consequences that come with it.

Technical problems will ALWAYS occur, it’s the nature of the beast and an eCommerce agency brings a dedicated team to the table to provide technical support. When this happens, you’ll get site issues like slow page loads, errors on checkout, broken user interfaces, and an overall bad user experience that makes 88% of your online consumers less likely to return. You’ll lose conversions due to these issues and as a result, lose revenues.

While that sucks, what sucks, even more is not getting help when you need it most. You’ll have to hope that your freelance developer is available and armed with the experience of solving similar products for multiple customers when things go south. And they will.

Whether your freelancer isn’t available because they’re sick, on vacation, taking some time off, or their cat died for the third time, there is one thing all freelancers have in common: they don’t have a standby replacement. An eCommerce agency , in contrast, is a team of highly-trained professionals who are available on demand and have your back in every situation.

TL;DR We tend to believe that “you get what you pay for”—a low price often signals low quality. This logic applies to just about everything, including your eCommerce website. If you’re an enterprise-level eCommerce retailer aiming to boost revenue, partnering with a U.S.-based eCommerce agency is the smartest move. It’s a proven way to achieve faster results with less hassle and lower risk.

When you’re weighing the cost of agency services, the question isn’t whether it’s justifiable—it’s whether the agency has a strong track record and fits your budget. If the answer is yes, then it’s time to move forward. But not all agencies are the same. At Smart Solutions, we don’t just work for you—we work with you, as a true partner in your success. Our goal is to deliver the best value for your investment, ensuring you see results that make a difference.

Ready to take the next step? Let’s get on a call and discuss how our team can help your business grow.

Check out this guide to learn about working with eCommerce agencies.

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