A shop’s website can take two forms: an online showcase, which shows products, opening hours and where the physical shop is, or an e-commerce store, which lets people buy. The choice depends on what you want to achieve: bringing customers into the shop or selling beyond your area too. A showcase usually costs €800 to €2,500, an e-commerce store €2,000 to €8,000. Many shops start with the showcase and add online selling once they’ve worked out which products do well.
I’m Toure Tia Kevin, a web developer in Bassano del Grappa, Italy. I’ve built websites for furniture (Casa Brummel), the jewellery store DJAHARA and the Arreda & Risparmia platform, with a shop and a management tool for resellers.
Showcase or e-commerce
| Online showcase | E-commerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | bring customers into the shop | sell online |
| What it shows | products, brands, hours, address | full catalogue with prices and a cart |
| Running it | simple | stock, shipping, returns, payments |
| Typical price | €800–2,500 | €2,000–8,000 |
A middle way is a catalogue with enquiries: the customer sees the products and asks about availability or price, without paying online. It suits made-to-measure or high-value products.
What a clothing shop needs
- Well-made product pages: photos from several angles, fabric, fit, garment care.
- Clear sizes and variants, with a size guide.
- Shipping and returns explained before purchase: costs, times, how to return. For distance sales to consumers, the 14-day right of withdrawal applies.
- Convenient payments: card, PayPal, bank transfer, possibly instalments.
- In-store pickup, if you have a shop: it’s often the preferred choice of local customers.
- Real photos: garments being worn and pictures of the shop make a difference compared with suppliers’ catalogues.
The physical shop still matters
Someone searching “clothing store near me” arrives from Google Maps. A Google Business listing with hours, photos, brands stocked and reviews; on the site, a page for each main brand or category. The site and the listing should say the same things.
Stock: a delicate point
If you sell both in the shop and online, availability has to be the same: otherwise you sell an item that’s already gone. The site can connect to the shop’s management software, if it can exchange data. I check this before the quote. For more complex needs, a custom web app can be built.
What it costs
The costs, payment fees and running expenses of an online store are explained in how much a WooCommerce store costs. For the full service, see the e-commerce website page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with a few products?
Yes, and it’s often the best choice: you start with the products that sell most and widen the range after the first orders.
Should I choose Amazon or my own site?
Amazon brings customers but takes commissions and removes your relationship with the customer. Your own site costs more at the start, but the customers are yours.
If you have a shop and want to work out which option suits you, get in touch.
