The verdict in three sentences
For a manufacturer already selling through supermarkets and retail chains, the e-commerce site rarely accounts for more than 15 to 25 % of the year-one budget: most of it goes to customer acquisition (20 to 40 % of revenue) and fulfillment (3 to 6 EUR per parcel). Shopify with a premium theme (8,000 to 20,000 EUR) is enough to test the channel up to 1 M EUR in online sales, while a custom headless build (35,000 to 80,000 EUR) is justified for a brand betting on experience and personalization. Plan a total budget of 150,000 to 350,000 EUR in year one and a pricing policy that avoids conflict with your retailers.
Three ways to launch direct sales
A cosmetics manufacturer near Toulouse, a textile brand in London or a specialty food producer in New York can choose between their own site on a hosted platform, a decoupled (headless) custom site, or a presence on marketplaces.
| Criterion (excl. VAT, 2026 order of magnitude) | Shopify + premium theme | Custom headless site | Marketplace (Amazon, specialist platforms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost | 8,000 to 20,000 EUR | 35,000 to 80,000 EUR | 2,000 to 8,000 EUR setup |
| Recurring cost | 1,000 to 4,000 EUR/year (plan + apps) | 6,000 to 15,000 EUR/year (hosting, maintenance) | About 40 EUR/month + commissions |
| Commission on sales | 0.5 to 2 % (payments) | 1.4 to 2.9 % (payments) | 15 to 20 % |
| Customer data ownership | Full | Full | Low or none |
| Time to launch | 6 to 10 weeks | 4 to 6 months | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Brand experience | Good, limited by theme | Maximum | Highly constrained |
| Suited up to | 1 to 3 M EUR online sales | No limit | Complementary channel |
Marketplaces are tempting for speed, but at 15 to 20 % commission plus internal advertising, they eat the margin that justified going direct. They mainly help clear SKUs or capture existing demand.
The full year-one budget
The head of a 2 to 20 M EUR manufacturer almost always underestimates non-website costs. Here is an estimate for a target of 300,000 to 500,000 EUR in online sales in year one.
| Year-one item | 2026 range (excl. VAT) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Website (Shopify premium or headless) | 8,000 to 80,000 EUR | Depending on option |
| Photos, videos, product pages | 6,000 to 20,000 EUR | 50 to 150 SKUs |
| Outsourced fulfillment | 3 to 6 EUR per parcel + storage | 20,000 to 45,000 EUR for 7,000 parcels |
| Shipping | 5 to 9 EUR per parcel | Often partly charged to the customer |
| Acquisition (Meta, Google, influencers) | 20 to 40 % of revenue | 80,000 to 160,000 EUR on 400,000 EUR |
| E-commerce manager | 45,000 to 60,000 EUR loaded | At least one dedicated role |
| Customer service and tools (CRM, email, reviews) | 5,000 to 15,000 EUR | |
| Year-one total | 150,000 to 350,000 EUR | Excluding cost of goods sold |
Acquisition cost then falls with retention: a brand reaching 30 to 35 % repeat customers often brings acquisition down to 15 to 20 % of revenue from year two. In London or New York, expect fulfillment at 3 to 7 GBP or 4 to 8 USD per parcel.
Avoiding conflict with retail partners
Your retail buyers watch your online prices. Selling below their shelf price triggers tension during annual negotiations. Three rules limit the risk: public price equal to or above the recommended retail price, site-exclusive offers (gift sets, large formats, personalization, limited editions) rather than discounts, and transparent communication with your retailers on the site's role (brand image, customer data, testing new products). The site then becomes a product lab rather than a competitor.
Mini case study
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Julien, CEO of a cosmetics manufacturer in Toulouse (8 M EUR revenue, 85 % through supermarkets), targets 400,000 EUR in online sales in year one, with a 55 EUR average basket, about 7,270 orders. Variable costs: products at 25 % of revenue (100,000 EUR), fulfillment at 4.50 EUR per parcel (32,700 EUR), payments at 1.8 % (7,200 EUR), acquisition at 30 % (120,000 EUR). Contribution margin: 140,100 EUR. Fixed costs: premium Shopify site 15,000 EUR, plan and apps 4,000 EUR, e-commerce manager 55,000 EUR, content 8,000 EUR, total 82,000 EUR. Year-one result: about 58,000 EUR, and above all 6,000 identified customers whose data will feed product launches. In year two, with 600,000 EUR in sales and acquisition at 22 %, the result exceeds 150,000 EUR.
FAQ
Shopify or custom for a manufacturer?
Shopify is enough in 80 % of cases to test the channel up to 1 to 3 M EUR in online sales. Headless at 35,000 to 80,000 EUR is justified if you need product personalization, rich content or very high performance.
How much does e-commerce fulfillment cost?
Regional fulfillment providers in France charge 3 to 6 EUR per picked parcel, plus 15 to 30 EUR per pallet per month of storage. Carrier or pickup-point shipping adds 5 to 9 EUR depending on weight.
What acquisition budget should we plan?
Allow 20 to 40 % of revenue in year one, or 80,000 to 160,000 EUR for 400,000 EUR in sales. The ratio drops by 5 to 15 points once repeat customers exceed 30 %.
Should we tell our retailers?
Yes, before launch. A site-exclusive offer and pricing aligned with the recommended retail price avoid most conflicts during annual negotiations.
Can we start with marketplaces?
Yes to test demand in 2 to 4 weeks, but at 15 to 20 % commission margin melts quickly. Use them alongside your own site, not instead of it.
Let's scope your project. Share your SKU count, online sales target and distribution constraints: we price a site between 8,000 and 80,000 EUR and the matching launch plan over 6 weeks to 6 months. 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.
