Creating an Online Store in Dakar: Shopify, WooCommerce or Wix Compared

The verdict in three sentences

For a Dakar trader already selling on WhatsApp or Instagram, the question is not only "Shopify, WooCommerce or Wix?" but what the store costs over 12 months and who will run it every week. A platform store costs 60,000 to 250,000 FCFA in the first year (about 90 to 380 EUR: subscription, domain, add-ons, excluding photos and ads), while having a freelancer build it costs 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA in setup fees. The Online store course, level 3 Intermediate, 75,000 FCFA for 14 hours, covers this comparison in module 1, then has you build, fill and open your own store.

Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix: the 12-month comparison

Module 1, "Choosing your platform and budget", has you price your own case. The figures below are 2026 rough estimates for a small store in Dakar, to be recalculated with current prices and exchange rates, since Shopify and Wix subscriptions are billed in dollars or euros.

In practice: WooCommerce is often the cheapest but requires you to handle updates and backups yourself (covered in module 6). Shopify is the easiest to run but weighs more each month. Wix sits in between and suits a small catalogue. The starting budget recommended by the program is 60,000 to 200,000 FCFA for the domain and the first months of subscription, depending on the platform.

For Wave and Orange Money, none of the three platforms is enough on its own: you need a gateway that bundles payment methods, such as PayDunya, CinetPay or PayTech. Module 4 compares their fees, payout delays and required documents, and keeps cash on delivery for your first orders.

Do it yourself, hire a freelancer or an agency

The real comparison is also about who builds. The next table uses the course page's 2026 estimates for Dakar and Abidjan.

Module 1 even has a lesson on "what you do yourself and what you hand to an agency", with a scoping page. When a need goes beyond what you can do alone (a custom feature, a link to point-of-sale software), the course tells you when to call a provider and which questions to ask.

What you build during the 14 hours

The Online store: create it, fill it and run it course, taught in French, has six modules and 24 text lessons, an exercise after each lesson, a PDF handout and a quiz per module. It contains no code: Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix are configured through menus.

After module 1, you set up the structure and legal pages (legal notice, terms of sale, personal data under Senegal's law 2008-12) in module 2. In module 3, you publish at least 20 products with variants, SKUs and consistent photos, including through CSV import. Module 4 connects payment and delivery (Dakar, regions, the sub-region, international). Module 5 makes your products visible through Google Search Console, Merchant Center and the Meta catalogue. Module 6 sets the weekly routine: orders, abandoned carts followed up at 1 hour and 24 hours, Google Analytics 4, backups.

There are two projects to submit: your pre-production store with 20 published products (module 3), then your open store with its first orders and dashboard (final project). You need a computer for the build; daily follow-up then happens on a phone. Prerequisite: having taken level 2 "E-commerce: selling online in Senegal" or already selling online with a catalogue and fixed prices. This level belongs to the E-commerce and online selling track.

Mini case study

Consider a hypothetical learner: Aïssatou, 31, sells wax fabrics and bags on Instagram from Parcelles Assainies. A freelancer offers her a store for 250,000 FCFA plus 50,000 FCFA a month for management. She opts instead for the 75,000 FCFA course and a WooCommerce store estimated at 100,000 FCFA in year one.

A simple illustrative calculation: over 12 months, the freelancer option would cost 250,000 + 12 × 50,000 = 850,000 FCFA, excluding subscription. The course option comes to 175,000 FCFA, a difference of about 675,000 FCFA, in exchange for 3 to 4 hours a week for 4 weeks and then a weekly routine. This says nothing about sales: the course page mentions 20 to 60 orders a month after 3 to 6 months for a small, well-run store, with no guarantee.

FAQ

Do I need to code to take this course?

No, the course contains no code. All three platforms are configured through menus, and the scoping lesson tells you when a need justifies paying a developer.

Can my customers pay by Wave or Orange Money?

Yes, through a gateway such as PayDunya, CinetPay or PayTech. Module 4 compares their fees and payout delays and keeps cash on delivery as an option.

How much time per week?

About 3 to 4 hours a week for 4 weeks, projects included, for 14 hours in total. The build mostly takes two or three focused evenings in modules 2 and 3.

How do I enroll and pay?

You pay 75,000 FCFA by Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33; access is activated within 24 working hours. It is not refundable once activated, so read the free module 1 first, which contains the platform comparison itself.

What does the certificate include?

A numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online via QR code and addable to LinkedIn, earned by passing the quizzes of all 6 modules with at least 70 %; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. Course access is lifetime, updates included.

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Take the next step. Enroll in Online store: create it, fill it and run it: 14 hours, 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR), numbered Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.