How much does a website for a shop cost (and why mine takes a month)

"Juan Carlos, how much will a website cost me?" It's the question I'm asked most. And the answer people usually get out there is an "it depends" and a meeting. It depends, of course it does. But I think it's basic good manners to put the prices on the table, just as I put them on the label of every piece in the shop. So let's get to the point.

In short: at Barronico a basic website costs €390 and takes one month, a corporate website costs €1,190 and takes two months, and an online shop costs €2,990 and takes three months. Fixed prices, no "from".

Why there are €0 websites and websites costing thousands

Today you can have a free website in an afternoon. A template, drag some blocks, paste four photos and you're done. And now they even promise that artificial intelligence will make it for you in five minutes. All of that exists, and for some things it's fine.

The problem is that website looks like everyone else's. It doesn't tell your story, it doesn't know who your customer is, it doesn't show up on Google when someone searches for what you sell, and it isn't designed to make people buy. It's a sign with your name on it, not a shop window.

What you pay for with a handmade website isn't the code. It's time and judgement: understanding your shop, deciding what gets said and in what order, writing the copy, choosing every photo, making it load fast on a phone and leaving it ready for Google to understand. It's exactly what I do with a shop window, but on screen.

My three prices, no small print

• +Basic website (Starter), €390, one month: custom design, essential structure, mobile-ready and technical SEO foundations. So your shop exists online with dignity and can be found.
• +Corporate website (Grow), €1,190, two months: everything above plus a broader structure, a blog, brand copy and extended SEO. For brands with a story to tell that want Google to find them for more things.
• +Online shop (Scale), €2,990, three months: everything above, ready to sell online. For when you want your shop to sell even with the shutter down.

All three are fixed prices. No "from", no surprises at the end. You know what you'll pay before we start.

What happens during that month (or those three)

Lots of people are surprised by the timeframe. "A month for a basic website?" Yes. Because it isn't about putting it together, it's about thinking it through. The work has three phases:

• +Audit: I look at what you already have, your shop, your competitors and what your customer is searching for. If you already have a website, I analyse what works and what doesn't.
• +Design and development: I build the website with you, with reviews. You see it progress and you give your opinion. No disappearing and coming back with something that doesn't represent you.
• +Launch and measurement: we publish it and measure it. With data, not intuition, you can see what needs adjusting.

That's Phygital Craft applied to a website: by hand and slowly, just like a workshop piece.

Which website your shop needs

Not every shop needs an online shop. I'll tell you that even though it would suit me to sell you the most expensive one. Think of it like this:

• +If you sell mainly in your shop and want to be found, show where you are and when you open, the basic website is more than enough.
• +If you have a brand with a story, collections, a craft to tell or you want to write to attract customers from Google, you need the corporate one.
• +If you want to sell to people who can't come to your shop, in other cities or other countries, you need the online shop.

Already have a website? You don't always need to throw it away and start from scratch. Sometimes rewriting the copy, changing the photos, tidying the menu and making it load fast on a phone is enough. Other times it's so badly built that fixing it costs more than making a new one. In the free audit I'll tell you which case yours is, without selling you anything you don't need.

These are some of the websites we've already made, from a fashion brand in Zamora to a wholesaler selling to opticians all over Spain:

What nobody tells you about the price of a website

The price of the website isn't the only cost, and it's worth knowing that beforehand. Always ask about these things, whether you hire me or anyone else:

• +The domain and hosting: your website's address and the place where it lives. Ask whether they're included and who pays for them each year.
• +Maintenance: updates, backups and small changes after launch.
• +Photos: a good website with bad photos doesn't sell. If you don't have photos of your product, factor that in.
• +Payment fees: in an online shop, every card sale carries a small fee from the bank or payment gateway.
• +Your time: I write and design, but nobody knows your shop like you do. You'll need to put in a few hours.

In my case, I'll say it plainly: the domain and hosting aren't included. You pay for them and they're in your name, because the website is yours and has to stay yours. The price includes the first year of basic maintenance: security and updates. From the second year you choose a care plan: €29 a month for the basic website, €59 for the corporate one (with one hour of changes a month) and €119 for the online shop (with two hours). Paying for the whole year, 12 months for the price of 10. Uploading new photos, changing products or writing on the blog is separate work, and I'll quote it separately.

Signs someone is selling you smoke

• +They promise the website in a couple of days without asking you anything about your shop.
• +They promise you first place on Google. Nobody serious can promise that.
• +There's no fixed price: everything is "from" and "we'll see".
• +They don't give you access to your own website or your domain. The website has to be yours.
• +They show you a portfolio where all the websites look alike.

How to hire

You buy through the online shop of BARRONVISUAL, Barronico's sister studio within Maison Barron. Same team, same Juan Carlos: there you'll find secure payment and the details of each level. And if you don't know which one suits you, start with the easiest step: ask me for a free audit of your website or your online presence and I'll tell you, straight, what I'd do.