The verdict in three sentences
A contract cosmetics manufacturer should invest 9,000 to 16,000 EUR excl. VAT in Lyon, or 12,000 to 22,000 EUR in Amsterdam, in a B2B website built for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, delivered in 7 weeks. The main lever is a qualified brief form that filters out founders without a budget and hands your sales team usable requests. With an average contract worth 40,000 to 150,000 EUR, three qualified leads a month are enough to pay back the site, and a second language (+25 %) opens other European brands.
What a DTC brand wants before calling you
The founder of a digital skincare brand compares four to six manufacturers before launching a first range. She wants to know within two minutes whether you make her formats (serums, emulsions, anhydrous, sun care), from what minimum order, with which certifications (ISO 22716 for good manufacturing practice, Cosmos or Ecocert for organic) and in how many weeks. If your website does not answer, she moves on.
Here is the 2026 grid for a contract manufacturer B2B website (order of magnitude, Lyon region agencies, EUR excl. VAT). Amsterdam agencies typically quote 30 to 40 % more, hence the 12,000 to 22,000 EUR range, with Dutch and English as standard.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial scoping and positioning | 1,000 to 1,800 | Targets, offers, arguments per brand profile |
| UX/UI design, 12 to 18 templates | 2,500 to 4,000 | Lab photos, format iconography |
| Capability and format pages | 1,500 to 2,500 | 6 to 10 technical pages |
| Certification and quality pages | 600 to 1,200 | ISO 22716, Cosmos, audits, traceability |
| Qualified brief form and CRM | 1,200 to 2,500 | Conditional logic, scoring, CRM push |
| B2B SEO copywriting | 1,200 to 2,500 | 10 to 15 optimised pages |
| Testing and go-live | 1,000 to 1,500 | Tests, GDPR, training |
| Total, first language | 9,000 to 16,000 | 7 weeks |
| Second language | +25 % (2,250 to 4,000) | Technical translation and SEO |
The brief form: your sales filter
A generic contact form fills the inbox with requests for 300 bottles. A qualified brief asks six to eight conditional questions: product type, number of SKUs, first batch volume, positioning (natural, organic, clean, derma), formulation budget, target launch date. It computes a score and routes the lead to the right person.
| Qualification criterion | Cold lead | Qualified lead |
|---|---|---|
| First batch volume | Under 1,000 units | 5,000 units and more |
| Number of SKUs | 1 | 3 to 8 |
| Formulation budget | Undefined | 8,000 to 25,000 EUR |
| Launch date | Vague | 6 to 12 months |
| Funding | None | Raised capital or existing revenue |
| Estimated conversion rate | 2 to 5 % | 20 to 30 % |
| Contract value | Under 10,000 EUR | 40,000 to 150,000 EUR |
The form can send small projects to a standardised launch offer (off-the-shelf formulas, 1,000-unit minimum) rather than losing them. Your sales team only handles high-potential requests.
Payback calculation
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Website cost (mid-range, two languages) | 15,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Maintenance and hosting | 1,800 EUR excl. VAT per year |
| Qualified leads generated | 3 per month, 36 per year |
| Signing rate | 20 % |
| Contracts signed per year | about 7 |
| Average contract value | 60,000 EUR |
| Estimated gross margin | 30 % |
| Annual margin generated | about 126,000 EUR |
Even if you divide these assumptions by three, the site pays for itself within the year.
Mini case study
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Claire, sales director of a 45-person contract manufacturer near Lyon, orders a two-language website for 14,500 EUR excl. VAT. Before, the lab received 25 requests a month, only one of them useful, and Claire spent 10 hours a month sorting them. With the qualified brief, she receives 12 requests a month, 3 of them qualified. Two contracts signed in the first year, at 55,000 and 90,000 EUR, bring 145,000 EUR of revenue and about 43,500 EUR of gross margin at 30 %, three times the cost of the site. Sorting time falls from 10 hours to 3. A Dutch manufacturer paying 20,000 EUR in Amsterdam would see the same logic, with payback in under a year.
FAQ
How much does a website for a contract cosmetics manufacturer cost?
Between 9,000 and 16,000 EUR excl. VAT in Lyon, or 12,000 to 22,000 EUR in Amsterdam, in 2026 for a B2B site with technical pages and a qualified brief. Add 25 % for each full additional language.
Should we display our ISO 22716 certification?
Yes, it is one of the first selection criteria for brands. A dedicated page with downloadable certificates, audit dates and scope costs 600 to 1,200 EUR.
Can we show our formulas without giving away our know-how?
Yes, by presenting formats, active ingredient families and anonymised client cases. Detailed sheets stay reserved for prospects under a non-disclosure agreement.
How long until go-live?
Seven weeks on average, if lab photos are shot in week 2. A professional photo day costs 800 to 1,500 EUR.
Should the website connect to our CRM?
Strongly recommended: every brief lands in the CRM with its score. Integration usually costs 500 to 1,200 EUR depending on the tool.
Let's scope your project. Describe your formats, certifications and the brand profile you target: we will price the scope, give an indicative budget and a 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.
