The verdict in three sentences
For a Berlin medical device distributor running a website built in 2017, a visual redesign at 25,000 to 35,000 EUR rarely fixes the real problem: an 800-SKU catalogue that nobody can keep up to date. A rebuild with a structured catalogue, between 45,000 and 70,000 EUR, costs more in year one but often ends up cheaper per quote request over a 3-year TCO. The right call rests on three numbers: the technical state of the current site, the number of product sheets to migrate and the value of a hospital quote request.
Redesign or rebuild: what each option actually covers
A redesign keeps the existing engine (often a 2017 WordPress or TYPO3 install with unmaintained plugins) and changes the skin: new branding, reworked home and range pages, mobile compatibility. A rebuild starts from a clean architecture: a catalogue filterable by specialty (operating room, intensive care, imaging, consumables), downloadable technical data sheets, CE marking and EU MDR class shown per product, and a quote request form at SKU level.
| Item (2026 estimate, Berlin) | Visual redesign | Rebuild with catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| Design and development | 25,000 to 35,000 EUR | 45,000 to 70,000 EUR |
| Time to launch | 6 to 10 weeks | 12 to 20 weeks |
| Migrating 800 product sheets | Copy and paste, same structure | Structured import, 6,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Data sheets and CE marking | Existing links kept | Dedicated, filterable, versioned fields |
| Quote request per SKU | Generic form | Multi-SKU quote basket |
| Monthly maintenance | 800 to 1,200 EUR | 1,000 to 2,000 EUR |
| Residual technical risk | High if plugins are obsolete | Low, recent stack |
The classic trap: a 30,000 EUR redesign on a fragile base, followed 18 months later by a forced rebuild after a security incident or an impossible PHP upgrade.
3-year TCO, line by line
Total cost of ownership adds up the initial investment, maintenance, hosting, catalogue updates and technical debt. Median assumptions for an 800-SKU distributor.
| Cost line over 36 months | Redesign | Rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | 30,000 EUR | 58,000 EUR |
| Maintenance (36 months) | 1,000 x 36 = 36,000 EUR | 1,200 x 36 = 43,200 EUR |
| Hosting and backups (EU, GDPR) | 2,400 EUR | 3,600 EUR |
| Product sheet migration | 4,000 EUR | 10,000 EUR |
| Technical debt fixes | 12,000 to 20,000 EUR | 2,000 to 4,000 EUR |
| Catalogue editing by staff (hours) | 6 h per week | 2 h per week |
| Estimated 3-year TCO | 84,400 to 92,400 EUR | 116,800 to 118,800 EUR |
On paper, the redesign costs roughly 30,000 EUR less. The "catalogue editing" line changes the picture: 4 hours saved per week over 150 weeks is 600 hours, about 21,000 EUR at the loaded cost of a sales assistant in Berlin. The real gap shrinks to around 10,000 EUR, and the rebuild captures requests the old site loses.
The criteria that decide
| Signal on the current site | Redesign is enough | Rebuild recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CMS version and plugins | Up to date, fewer than 10 plugins | Abandoned plugins, old PHP |
| Number of SKUs | Fewer than 150 | More than 400 |
| Product sheet updates | Rare, once a year | Monthly, new suppliers |
| Mobile PageSpeed score | Above 60 | Below 40 |
| Online quote requests | Fewer than 5 per month | Target above 30 per month |
| Hospital tenders | Not used | Sheets required by public buyers |
With 800 SKUs, manufacturers updating their instructions for use under MDR and hospital buyers comparing online before calling, the typical distributor almost always lands in the right-hand column.
Mini case study
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Jonas, managing director of a medical device distributor in Berlin (illustrative scenario), currently receives 12 quote requests a month through the website. His target with a new catalogue: 30 requests a month. With a 20 % conversion rate and an average order of 6,000 EUR at a 25 % gross margin, each signed quote brings 1,500 EUR of margin.
18 extra requests x 20 % = 3.6 more orders a month, about 5,400 EUR of monthly margin. The net TCO gap between the two options (about 10,000 EUR after staff hours saved) is recovered in under 2 months once the target is reached. Even counting the full 30,000 EUR gross gap and only 9 extra requests (1.8 orders, 2,700 EUR of monthly margin), payback arrives in about 11 months.
FAQ
How much does a new 800-SKU catalogue website cost in Berlin?
As a 2026 estimate, between 45,000 and 70,000 EUR depending on filtering depth, product sheet import and integrations (ERP, stock). Structured migration of the sheets alone weighs 6,000 to 12,000 EUR.
Can we keep our search rankings during a rebuild?
Yes, provided every old URL is mapped and 301 redirects are in place. Without that plan, losing 30 to 50 % of organic traffic for several months is common.
Should medical device prices be shown online?
Rarely in hospital B2B: a multi-SKU quote basket fits better. It qualifies the request (facility, quantity, deadline) and allows a reply within 24 to 48 hours.
How should CE marking and data sheets be handled?
Each SKU gets dedicated fields: CE certificate number, MDR device class, UDI and a versioned PDF instructions file. A clinic buyer finds the right document in 2 clicks instead of asking for it by email.
What timeline should we plan for a rebuild?
Between 12 and 20 weeks, including 3 to 5 weeks for the catalogue. Content migration is the critical path, so appoint a product owner on the distributor side from day one.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current website address and a catalogue export: we will price both scenarios, redesign and rebuild, with a 3-year TCO and a detailed schedule. 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.
