The verdict in three sentences
A Singapore brand should pick its ecommerce agency on payments, regional logistics and marketplace integration, because those decide margin far more than the homepage design. A 100 point scorecard lets you compare four pitches objectively and drop any proposal that hand waves PayNow or cross border shipping. Plan for 15,000 to 90,000 SGD depending on scope, and walk away from any agency that keeps your store or domain under its own account.
What the store must do from day one
Most Singapore D2C brands already sell on Shopee, Lazada or social commerce. The own store has to lift margin and own the customer relationship without breaking the marketplace flow. That means stock synced across channels, local payment habits and shipping that covers Malaysia, Indonesia or Australia without manual quotes.
| Capability | Why it matters in Singapore | 2026 market ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| PayNow and card checkout | PayNow QR is a default habit for local buyers | 1,500 to 5,000 SGD |
| Buy now pay later | Lifts basket size for fashion and lifestyle | 1,000 to 4,000 SGD |
| Shopee and Lazada stock sync | Avoids overselling across channels | 3,000 to 12,000 SGD |
| Regional shipping rates (SG, MY, ID, AU) | Duties and rates shown at checkout | 2,000 to 8,000 SGD |
| Multi currency storefront | SGD, MYR, AUD, USD prices | 1,500 to 6,000 SGD |
| PDPA compliant consent and data handling | Personal Data Protection Act obligations | 1,000 to 4,000 SGD |
If you consider a nearshore partner, Kolonell's prices are published in EUR: Premium ecommerce package from 3,050 to 5,340 EUR (2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA) delivered in 21 to 30 working days, with the 50 to 500 product option at 760 EUR. Regional marketplace connectors are scoped separately.
The 100 point scorecard
Score each agency during or right after the meeting. Anything under 60 points is not worth negotiating.
| Criterion | Points | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| Live ecommerce work with PayNow and regional shipping | 20 | Real test purchase on a client store |
| Marketplace integration experience | 15 | Named connector approach, overselling safeguards |
| Ownership of code, domain and accounts | 15 | Written clause, accounts under your entity |
| Realistic timeline and plan | 10 | 6 to 12 weeks with dated milestones |
| PDPA and consent handling | 10 | Cookie, consent and retention approach |
| Training and documentation | 10 | Sessions, recorded walkthroughs |
| Post launch support | 10 | Monthly fee, response times |
| Quote clarity | 10 | Every option priced, no vague lines |
| Total | 100 | Suggested threshold: 70 |
Red flags in agency meetings
- Nobody asks how many SKUs and variants you manage, or how much revenue Shopee brings.
- PayNow is described as a later phase without a price.
- Your Shopify or WooCommerce store will be created under the agency's account.
- No case study with a cross border checkout you can test.
- A 4 week promise for 300 SKUs with marketplace sync.
A serious agency talks about mobile conversion, page weight, returns and channel margin before showing you mockups.
Mini case study
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Illustrative example: Mei Ling, founder of a modest wear label in Singapore, sells 1,400 orders a month, 70% on Shopee, at an average of 62 SGD. Marketplace commissions and fees cost her roughly 14% of that revenue in her own estimate. She scores four agencies at 55, 68, 77 and 84 points, with quotes of 18,000, 32,000, 46,000 and 88,000 SGD. She picks the 77 point agency at 46,000 SGD. If 30% of her Shopee orders move to her own store, she saves about 14% on 18,228 SGD a month, or 2,550 SGD, and pays back the project in around 18 months, before counting the value of owning customer emails.
FAQ
How much does an ecommerce build cost in Singapore in 2026?
The 2026 market ballpark runs from 15,000 to 90,000 SGD depending on catalogue size and integrations. A 200 SKU store with PayNow and Shopee sync often lands between 30,000 and 55,000 SGD.
How long does it take?
Count 6 to 12 weeks, including 1 to 2 weeks of product content on your side. Product photography is the most common source of delay.
Should we leave Shopee and Lazada?
Rarely, as they bring discovery. The goal is to shift repeat buyers to your own store, where you keep the margin and the data, while keeping stock synced across channels.
What does PDPA mean for the store?
The Personal Data Protection Act governs how you collect, use and retain customer data, including consent for marketing. Ask the agency to show its consent flow and to document retention rules before launch.
Who should own the domain and accounts?
Your company, always. Insist on a written clause and check that the payment gateway and store accounts are opened under your entity.
Let's scope your project. Share your SKU count, sales channels and target markets, and we will return a scoped quote with a Premium package from 3,050 to 5,340 EUR and a 21 to 30 working day timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
