Website Pricing: What It Really Takes to Design and Build a Professional Website, And About That AI …
Got sticker shock? If you’ve ever wondered why businesses like ours charge thousands of dollars to design and build an eCommerce website on Shopify or Squarespace, keep reading.
We’ve seen the ads. They make it sound so easy, don’t they? “Anyone can build a website with our platform!” Some DIYers (with the technical aptitude they can’t fathom others don’t possess) say the same thing.
Indeed, the days of coding a website from scratch are long gone. (Back in ancient times, we built websites using HTML.) Thankfully, WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, and others developed user interfaces that opened up website creation to the masses.
And yet … we’ve heard from so many clients who tried to DIY their website but ended up spinning their wheels, utterly frustrated, wasting much more precious time than they had ever anticipated.
The reality is that creating a professional website and eCommerce capability requires a unique blend of technical, business, and creative skills. Website experts like us have these skills and experience, and work on websites every single day.
Most of the people we work with are excellent at their product or service, but would rate their technical skills as moderate at best. Their world does not revolve around absolute and relative hyperlinks, CSS, when and where to use code snippets, updating a DNS record, the best approach for categories and tags, the pros and cons of mega menus, pondering SEO best practices, and so forth.
“But Can't AI Just Build It For Me?"
It's the question we're hearing more and more — and it's a fair one. AI tools have exploded in capability over the last few years, and the marketing around them has been, well, enthusiastic. So let's be direct about what AI can and can't do when it comes to building a professional business website.
AI can help with certain things as long as your prompts are incredibly clear and detailed. It can generate first-draft copy, suggest color palettes, help brainstorm page structure, and answer basic questions about platforms. For someone who's already technically proficient, AI can be a useful accelerator.
But here's where the promise falls apart: AI can give you options. It cannot make decisions for you. And building a professional website is an exercise of hundreds of large and small decisions.
What font conveys the right level of trust and approachability for your specific brand? Should your homepage lead with your story or your services? Does your target customer respond better to a bold hero image or a clean, minimal layout? Should you use a mega menu or dropdown navigation? Is a one-page site appropriate for your business, or do you need depth? When a Shopify section isn't behaving the way it should, what's the actual fix?
AI will offer you five answers to every one of those questions. Someone still has to know which answer is right for your business — and then execute it correctly. That someone is not a chatbot. That someone is a person who has built many websites, understands what works across different industries and audiences, and can look at your specific situation and make a confident call.
We've had clients come to us after spending weeks going back and forth with AI tools, generating version after version of copy, layout ideas, and color schemes, only to end up more confused than when they started. The bottleneck was never the content generation. It was the absence of someone to say: this one, for these reasons, done.
AI is a tool. Like any tool, it's most useful in skilled hands. We definitely use some AI in building websites, but it’s nothing we wouldn’t have already done anyway. It’s simply a time-saver.
HOW LONG IT ACTUALLY TAKES
How long does it take to build a thorough, professional website? To give an example, for an eCommerce website, we have a running checklist of over 120 discrete tasks, including decisions and revisions.
For a less technical, inexperienced person doing the same tasks, it could take at least double the time to complete, if not more. First, they have to realize all of the tasks that are necessary, and there’s an order to things. Even with AI, for a professional website beyond a one-pager, a DIY website project can stretch on for weeks and beyond. For a business owner who should be focused on running their business, that is an extraordinarily costly use of time.
AI doesn't change that math as much as people hope. Prompting, reviewing, revising, re-prompting, and then still having to execute the technical work manually — the time savings are real but partial, and the decision fatigue is real and total.
The DIY Pattern
A very common DIY pattern — with or without AI assistance — is to build a basic site, post one or two offerings, and plan to make improvements later. But "later" has a habit of never arriving.
This creates two real problems:
1. First impressions are permanent. A website that doesn't look professional and lacks essential elements sends visitors away — and they usually don't come back. An incomplete or rough site can actively hurt your credibility rather than build it.
2. Every week of delay is a week of lost opportunity. If your website had been up and running in a matter of weeks rather than months, you could have spent all that time attracting buyers, building your email list, and developing your social media presence. That time doesn't come back.
Who Is This Actually For?
A professionally built website isn't for everyone — and we mean that genuinely, not as a sales tactic.
The DIY or AI-assisted route may be right for you if:
You have a genuine interest in learning the technical side of website building
You have time to invest in the process and aren't under pressure to launch quickly
Your budget is extremely limited and you're willing to trade time for money
You're technically confident and enjoy problem-solving
Hiring us is likely the better fit if:
Your time is your most valued resource and you'd rather spend it on your business
You want a professional result the first time, without a steep learning curve
The technical side of websites is not your strength or your interest
You understand that a website is a business investment, not just an expense
You want an experienced perspective helping you make the right decisions — not just more options to choose from
PricE Comparisons
At Austen Agency, we structure and display our offerings in the way we would want to consume them. That includes:
Clear, transparent project pricing
Short and flexible plans for services such as technical support, social media, and email marketing
No auto-renewal so that clients can re-enroll on their timeline
And other helpful services, such as QR-enabled business cards and brochures
Because some business owners are just starting out, we offer a range of website types to accommodate various goals and budgets, starting at $450 for a non-eCommerce site.
Unlike other website marketing services, after we build your website, we do not make you dependent on us unless you want to be. You fully own your website and can get help from anyone to whom you give access. Most clients opt-in to our Technical Support Plans, but there can also be breaks. (But you’ll need to continue to pay Shopify or Squarespace to host your site.)
For perspective on pricing, here are costs published in “How Much Does a Website Cost (2024 Guide)” by Forbes and another by WebFX:
For comparison, here’s our Pricing:
Full eCommerce Website Design Price for up to 25 products or services (one-time cost) is $3500 base price + Add-Ons
Annual Maintenance Costs (what we call Technical Support Plans) are optional and sold in various terms from $360 to $720/year.
Your hosting provider (e.g. Squarespace or Shopify) ranges from $30 - $100+/month, depending on features. They always offer discounts for annual payments.
The Bottom Line: It’s an Investment
A professionally built website is the foundation of any serious business. The question isn't whether it's expensive; it's whether the cost of getting it wrong, or getting it done slowly, is higher.
For the right business owner — one who values their time, wants a professional result, and understands that decisions matter as much as execution — the answer is clear.
AI is impressive. Platforms are increasingly capable. And none of that changes the value of having someone experienced in your corner who can look at your business, understand what you're trying to accomplish, and build something that actually works. We’re here to answer any questions and discuss your online marketing needs. Schedule your free consultation today.
