How Much Does It Cost to Make an E Commerce Site like eBay?

Can a marketplace be too large?

Well, it is so in the digital world!

Yes, you’ve got it! We’re talking about the e-commerce sites and their unbeatable dominance over the recent years. As time proceeds, more and more customers (who were not even interested in buying or selling products online) are moving into this modern and qualitative way of commerce executed in the ‘electronic’ way.

...and which is the most known, the most appreciated, the most used one? Which e commerce site is the king of the kings?

eBay of course. Plus, you’ve got Etsy as its sibling.

The Thing about eBay

Let’s face it! ebay has been and still is one of the most important and popular e commerce sites in the globe. It was one of the oldest as well that brought this trend to the online world by using technologies like multi vendor e commerce scripts, which are organised and readymade platforms to share products in a public marketplace operated entirely in the Internet. It makes products and businesses available to people instantly turning purchase or shopping go digital.

Plainly put, eBay allows customers to buy and sell products online. It is a platform where different customers and businesses meet and make commerce take a leap ahead towards progress.

Today, this remarkable e commerce website has over 117 million active users all over the world with the numbers growing.

Apart from buying and selling products online, eBay also allows auction for those who are interested in it.

All this information may turn you crazy to clone eBay and make an e commerce site of your own.

But, you’re worried about the costs, right?

Well, let us discuss it

An Overview of the COSTS!

When you want to make something, you have to INVEST

An estimated cost range for developing a particular e commerce platform just like eBay or etsy may cost you nearly 200,000$. That’s huge for starters!

Let’s try to narrow it down by these following measures (and let’s see if we can cut some costs).

1. Go For Platforms at First

Readymade platforms are offered by developers. Some business owners use these platforms as a trick to develop an e commerce site like eBay or etsy and save costs at the same time. The platforms rather work like templates to put in your products and price for launching them online. These platforms again reduce the clutter of work in the post-production state of the development of the site.

But, they are priced at 750$ to 800$, which is relatively less than designing one by yourself.

2. Neglecting Mobile Platforms Isn’t Going to Be Wise

Why mobile apps? It is because of their cost effective features. Why don’t you go for an eBay or etsy clone app with all the features you want intact? They’re quite interesting.

Mobile apps are functional. They reach your customers much conveniently. Designers even argue that the layout of the mobile e commerce site is rather a customer engaging factor in most cases.

The apps are not as complicated as desktop platforms or the traditional PC platforms. Customers get to understand the layout instantly. The options appearing in the app are much clutter-free to enable a user with the kind of navigation he or she basically wants. However, well organised eBay clone scripts perform a major role here. The scripts must be systematic to ensure a smooth interaction of it to the mobile app design.

Otherwise, it’s another clutter!

3. Costs for Developing Technologies

Front and back end operations might add some extra costs to the list. These operations are highly based on technology.

Things like the UX and UI design are one of the most essential elements that would help in ‘selling your website’. Then, you’re coming to the software platforms like designing the php shopping cart script, the database, login options for social media, APIs, software for the purpose of shipping and accounting, payment getaways and many more. However, these are essential features of an e commerce website and you may not discard any if you have thought of cost reduction.

4. The Part Where You may Need Brains and Man Power

Making the UI or the buying the accounting software is strictly related to the technical zone. You add a multi vendor clone script or an eBay or etsy clone wordpress theme to your website – there are not any material human labour involved. Consider these costs entirely devoted to the digital gear your e commerce site requires.

You’re going to need project managers, QA engineers and, of course, developers to custom design your dream e commerce website.

That comes with a cost too!

Some Extra Words

Well, added to the costs of the readymade platforms, these few factors may require a bit of expenditure from your wallet.

But, don’t compromise them for your ultimate e commerce site.

It is because it’s going to be your key in making a lot of money!