A small online store built by a New Zealand agency usually costs NZ$5,000 to NZ$15,000 or more before GST. On top of the build, you’ll pay payment fees on every sale, and either a monthly platform fee (Shopify) or yearly hosting (WooCommerce).
What you pay for
- The build: design, store set-up, payments, shipping and the pages a store needs.
- Loading products: names, descriptions, prices, variations, stock and photos. With hundreds of products, this can be a big part of the price.
- Ongoing costs: platform or hosting, payment fees, apps or plugins, and updates.
WooCommerce or Shopify?
| WooCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A free plugin that turns a WordPress website into a store | A hosted store platform you rent monthly |
| Monthly platform fee | None; you pay for hosting | From US$39 a month on the Basic plan |
| Payment fees | Set by your payment provider (Stripe, PayPal) | Shopify Payments, or extra fees with other providers |
| Who owns it | You: you can move it to any host | You rent it: you stay on Shopify |
| Best for | Small shops that want a store of their own with low running costs | Shops that want everything managed in one place |
Source: Shopify New Zealand pricing. Shopify bills in US dollars.
Both are good. For a small New Zealand shop selling a few dozen to a few hundred products, WooCommerce usually costs less to run, because there’s no monthly platform fee and you can keep your store when you change providers.
Costs that catch people out
- Payment fees on every sale. Card providers charge a percentage of each sale plus a small fixed fee. Check their current NZ pricing.
- Apps and plugins. Extra features (reviews, subscriptions, bookings) can add monthly fees.
- Product photos. Good photos sell, and they take time to shoot and edit.
- Your policies. You need clear terms of sale, shipping and returns. Writing them is usually not included in the build.
How to keep the cost down
- Start with your best-selling products and add the rest later.
- Send your products in a tidy spreadsheet, with photos named to match.
- Keep shipping simple at first: a flat rate and free shipping over an amount.
- Choose a store built on a proven platform rather than custom code.
At Upfront Sites, our online store is built with WooCommerce, with a fixed price for the store plus a fixed amount per product we load. The calculator shows your exact price before you get in touch.
Move the slider to the number of products you sell and see your price straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to charge GST on my products?
It depends on whether your business is GST-registered. Your accountant can tell you; we set up your store either way.
Can I sell to Australia?
Yes. You can add shipping rates for Australia and other countries, and show prices in NZD.
Can I add products myself later?
Yes. Both WooCommerce and Shopify make it easy to add, change or hide products.
Sources
- Kiwi Web Design, Website cost calculator NZ (updated July 2026)
- Shopify New Zealand, Plans and pricing
