I would also look into Shopify (https://createawebsitenow.com/build-online-store-shopify/). When you don’t need a lot of extras, it can be quite affordable and takes less technical skills.

I’d need a lot of expertise throughout, because I’m not particularly tech savvy. Would a wordpress product fit this bill or is it too small a project?

Thanks

Ali, thanks a lot for your input. A lot of people probably still conflate “freelance” with “working for peanuts”. However, just like every other area of business, it’s a matter of the value you provide and who you are working with. Even if you are not an agency, if you help other people grow their business, you can charge good money for that. Glad to hear it is working well for you and I hope others get inspired by your comment. Thanks!

The one element that I would suggest could use some recording is the titles of freelance.
I am a freelance web designer and i graduated in a web design program in Canada.
Even in freelance, you can get websites that cost up to $25,000. The last website i made took me 4 months to do it. It did the branding, front end, back end, data management, servers and all the exciting stuff.

So if a freelance won’t charge 23-25 for 4 months (70k/year) that’s also unfair. Everyone has bills =)

The price varies by project, this company did over a million in sales this year and their feedback to me was “even if we paid you 50k, that would not be enough”

Now, that may be an exaggeration in their appreciation but you have to realize, youre website is making you money when you’re sleeping. It’s a business tool, it’s no longer just a marketing tool. The hours you send on phone calls can be replaced by automation and direct money in your bank. It’s how much you value your time.

Most businesses do 50-60% business on e-commerce so look at it as a business investment. Times have changed and I really wish people could see what i am seeing

Hey Thomas, if you work with WordPress, the platform has a number of plugins to include live chat on your website. You can find them here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/live+chat/

Hey Terri, first of all, thanks for doing this valuable work!

Secondly, you can provide this information with a simple WordPress website. The cost would be about $50-60 per year for domain and hosting. The rest is free. You can see an example of how to build a WordPress website on our homepage: https://createawebsitenow.com/.

Be aware that, for an offering like this, you need to cover your bases in terms of local SEO. Since this is a local offer, you need to make sure you appear for searches in your region. Things like a Google My Business presence would also help with that.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I’m happy to help.

Hey Karen, thanks for the question. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer for it. As the article mentions, agency fees tend to be higher. If what you have been quoted is too high for you, I recommend you look for a freelancer who don’t have to pay staff and other costs and, therefore, tend to have more affordable fees. Hope this helps!

That’s very important insight, Tom. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

Hi Pat! You can definitely create a good-looking, simple blog for a cheap price by using the first option in the article – platforms like WordPress make it very approachable. If you have any doubts that I could address then feel free to get in touch!

I have the impression that you are NOT the way to go, so am I wrong??

Hey Catherine, yes it is. I would advise you to check the WooCommerce use cases to see the shops other people have built with WordPress. Good luck!