How Much Does an Online Shop Cost in Switzerland?How Much Does an Online Shop Cost in Switzerland?

You want to sell your products online and wonder what an online shop costs. The question is harder than for a website, because a shop does not only cost money to build. Fees, subscriptions and upkeep continue every month. Here you see what to expect before your first order comes in.

Three ways to your own shop

• Set up a shop builder yourself: low start-up costs, but a lot of your own work on design, products and settings.
• Shop platform set up by professionals: the platform stays, but design, payments and shipping are configured for you.
• Custom shop: built around your processes, without the limits of a platform.

Which way fits depends less on budget than on your processes. If you sell 20 products to consumers, a platform is often enough. If you have resellers with their own prices or special ordering processes, a platform quickly reaches its limits.

One-off costs

At 147codez there are two shop options:

• Shopify store: from CHF 3'900. Set up and designed, then you manage products and orders yourself.
• Custom webshop: from CHF 5'900. Your own shop built around your processes, with payment by TWINT and card.
• Reseller area as an add-on: CHF 1'900. Resellers log in, see their own prices and buy on invoice.

On the market, simple shops from freelancers are roughly in the range of a few thousand francs, larger agency shops with connections to inventory or accounting systems quickly reach five figures.

Important when comparing: ask whether the products are entered for you or whether you add them yourself. With a hundred items including images, variants and descriptions, that quickly adds up to several days of work.

Running costs that are often forgotten

• Platform subscription: shop platforms cost roughly CHF 30 to 300 per month depending on the plan.
• Payment fees: every card or TWINT payment comes with a fee, usually between one and a few percent of the amount.
• Extensions: apps or plugins for reviews, shipping or filters often cost extra each month.
• Maintenance: updates, backups and security. With us from CHF 90 per month.
• Product upkeep: new items, images, prices. That is working time, even if it does not show up on an invoice.

So do not just look at the build price, but at the costs for the first two to three years. Only then will you see which option is really cheaper.

What a shop in Switzerland also needs

• TWINT: many customers expect it. Without TWINT, some will abandon their purchase.
• Prices in francs with correct VAT information.
• Shipping costs that match your carrier's rates.
• Terms and conditions, legal notice and privacy policy under Swiss law.
• A clear return and exchange policy, clearly visible before checkout.

One example from our work is sportster24.ch, a bike and sports store with online booking.

Is an online shop worth it?

A shop does not sell on its own. Without visitors it stays empty, no matter how good it looks. So plan from the start how customers will find it: through your existing customers, social media, Google Ads or strong product pages for Google search. For ads, we set up Google Ads and Analytics for CHF 690. Start with a few products that sell well rather than your whole range. That way you see early on what works online. Nobody can promise you in advance how much a shop will sell.

Frequently asked questions

Shopify or a custom shop, which is cheaper?

Shopify is cheaper at the start. Over the years, subscription, fees and apps add up. A custom shop costs more to build, but fits your processes exactly.

Can I manage the shop myself?

Yes. With the Shopify store that is exactly the plan: we set it up, you manage products and orders yourself.

Can I also sell to resellers?

Yes, with the reseller area for CHF 1'900. After logging in, resellers see their own prices and can order on invoice.