Basically, what is the cost of setting up a website where vendors can create accounts and either do work by the hour or sell parts. Additional add-ons would include a chat function between customers and vendors. Are their companies that have templates for these sites? How much might a custom one run?
Note: I am not looking to build something as large scale as any of those, but a micro version of one to begin that will serve a particular market. Also, what might the running costs be? As you can probably tell I'm new to this space and will be looking for mentors.
Setting up a small vendor-based eCommerce website, like a mini Alibaba or Upwork, costs between $10,000 and $300,000, depending on features, customization, and scalability. A basic platform with essential features like vendor registration, product listings, and payment integration may cost around $10,000 to $30,000. For an intermediate platform with enhanced UI/UX, multi-language support, and advanced search, the cost ranges from $30,000 to $100,000. A fully customized, scalable platform with features like AI-driven recommendations and mobile apps can exceed $100,000. To save costs, consider starting with a minimum viable product (MVP) or leveraging pre-built frameworks.
