How Hard/Expensive to Setup a Shopify Store?

EightImmortals on 17/01/2025 - 14:12

Had a mate call me this morning wanting me to setup a shopify store for him to sell small crafty nick-knacks that he makes (cos I'm the 'computer guy'). He seemed to be under the impression that it would be a 10 minute job and then all he would have to do is send out the orders as they roll into his phone. :)

He would be starting from scratch and has no domain name or associated email addresses and is mostly computer illiterate. (nice guy though. :) )

He has had a local guy quote him $1500 to set it all up and manage it for him for $150 PM, he didn't give me too much detail other than that so I'm assuming all my mate wants to do is build the product and ship it out.

So I started down the rabbitt hole this morning and could se pretty quick that it would be (for me anyway) a pretty big job, plus there would have to be ongoing site maintenance, it doesn't seem like a set and forget proposal. But then I've never done it before so maybe I'm the dummy?

I thought I'd tap into the collective knowledge of OB to get some ideas.

Is setting the whole thing up simply that I am perceiving?
If I do it for him will I be encumbered with maintaining the site?
Does the cost from the other guys seem reasonable?

I don't want to discourage my friend as he is trying to make some income rather than relying on the OAP which is to be commended.

TIA

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Comments

  • Drakesy on 17/01/2025 - 14:17

    Ya getting sucked into the 2019 COVID shopify fad.

    bit late to the game unfortunately.

    • EightImmortals on 17/01/2025 - 14:31

      Nah he's been doing this for a long time and just wants to go online.

  • Xyzzy on 17/01/2025 - 14:23

    If he grabbed the free Square the other day (or even if he didn't), the Square account comes with a free shopping website.
    My wife uses it for selling some craft stuff she does. Was simple to set-up and just works.

  • geekcohen on 17/01/2025 - 14:31
    +1

    Is setting the whole thing up simply that I am perceiving?

    Yeah it is relatively simple as long as he doesn't want too many customizations

    If I do it for him will I be encumbered with maintaining the site?

    Not if you set it up right, but its a possibility. You could fall into that trap.

    Does the cost from the other guys seem reasonable?

    It seems pretty good. $1,500 all setup, but $150 a month for management seems a bit much though. That is probably 2 hours of work a month roughly. In some ways he would be better to spend the $1,500 a month and then you maintain it for a slab.

    The whole e-commerce website thing might sound good, but there are the monthly fees, credit card fees, shipping stuffing around. Does he have the time for this and understanding the costs?

    As an SMB owner that also has another FT job, I don't have an e-commerce store but doing quotes, emails and phone calls can get a bit much. My Dad sells stuff online mainly through eBay and he is always going down to the post office because he got an eBay sale. He only works part time, so he can fit it in.

    Anyone, I could talk until I am blue in the face about all this stuff.

    • EightImmortals on 17/01/2025 - 14:42

      Cheers, he is retired so has plenty of time.

      • geekcohen on 17/01/2025 - 14:45
        +2

        Perfect.

        Something to consider as well is that some tasks are not as easy as just using a phone; a desktop/laptop may be required to attend to more stuff. If he is computer illeterate, then you could end up being phone tech support and running his online business for him.

        Sometimes with these things it is easier to palm it someone else and make it their problem with 0 involvement because otherwise if you do it, then you get all the tech calls when there is an issue.

        • EightImmortals on 17/01/2025 - 15:03
          +2

          Yeah that's my concern. I don't mind helping out but I don't want a full time job either. :)

  • Sweet3st on 17/01/2025 - 15:52
    +1

    I think the time consuming thing will be customising to his needs… he probably doesn't even know what these are. Different e-commerce solutions suit different businesses, but Shopify is popular, if a bit exxy. I agree with the poster above to pay for the set up only. He may need some help with the maintenance to start with, but it should mostly be pretty routine and he can do himself.

  • JimmyF on 17/01/2025 - 16:14
    +2

    that it would be (for me anyway) a pretty big job, plus there would have to be ongoing site maintenance, it doesn't seem like a set and forget proposal. But then I've never done it before so maybe I'm the dummy?

    No you got it right on the first go.

    Lot of work to setup the store, customize it, upload all the products and photos etc.

    Then ongoing monthly work to update listings, stock levels etc

    cos I'm the 'computer guy'

    Oh so you'll be doing it all for free. Yeah run.

  • happydude on 17/01/2025 - 19:54

    It is really not hard but I wouldn't want to hold the hand of a computer illiterate doing it.

    It is really how long is a piece of sting - You can run JB HI-FI on it (and they do) or a small site with a single product.

    If they are 100% happy with one of the templates 'as is' then its probably ok to help them. If they are the sort of person that is pedantic on fonts and placements where you will need to custom CCS ect I'd tell them where to go.

  • serpserpserp on 17/01/2025 - 23:01
    -1

    What did the adults in the room say when you asked them?

  • omguleh on 18/01/2025 - 00:29

    Took a few nights to set my one up, it’s very easy.

  • AustriaBargain on 18/01/2025 - 03:57
    +1

    What's his expected revenue from the Shopify store? If it's low then the Shopify transaction fees won't really add up to much. He could just pay a designer to design him a decent looking Shopify site and learn to manage it himself. $1500 is pretty low for an ecommerce site that looks like a legit site we'd all trust. He should want to see examples of Shopify stores others had built by him and maintained by him, what is the $150 buying exactly?

    • EightImmortals on 18/01/2025 - 09:02

      I'm not sure what the revenue will be, he seemed to think enough so that it will no longer be classified as a hobby.

  • CantonasKungFuKick on 18/01/2025 - 08:39

    Why use Shopify and not just a WordPress site? Genuine question as I'm also the computer guy.. and built the WordPress option for my wife.

    You can build a simple site and add the products then add the woocommerce plug-in which is free and take payments. All we pay is the hosting and name which is hardly anything.

    • EightImmortals on 18/01/2025 - 09:03

      Thanks, will look into it.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 18/01/2025 - 16:25
      +1

      Because Shopify is easier than WordPress for people with zero technical ability?

      • geekcohen on 20/01/2025 - 11:20

        This. Shopify is easier than Wordpress and you don't have to worry about the maintenance of plugins/code updates, PHP changes. Wordpress is a lot more maintenance than Shopify.

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