The direct answer
A Shopify store build for an established NZ business typically costs between $15,000 and $70,000 NZD, depending on whether the design starts from a purchased theme or from scratch, the size of the product catalogue and the complexity of the required integrations. Here is what goes into that number.
Theme vs custom build
The biggest variable in a Shopify project cost is whether the design starts from a purchased theme or an original design.
A theme-based build uses an existing Shopify theme as the foundation. It is configured and customised to fit the brand, with modifications to layout, colours, typography and sections. This is the faster and lower-cost route. The ceiling is whatever the theme was built to support, which is not always enough for a brand that needs to look distinctly itself.
A custom Shopify build starts from scratch. The design is original, built specifically for the business, the catalogue and the customer. The result is a store that looks and works exactly as intended. The cost is higher and the timeline longer, but for businesses where the brand experience is a commercial differentiator, it is usually the right call.
Rough ranges by project type
A theme-based Shopify launch with a small catalogue runs roughly $10,000 to $20,000 NZD. A custom Shopify build with an original design and standard integrations sits at $25,000 to $50,000. Shopify Plus builds, or projects with complex wholesale logic, subscription products or custom checkout flows, run $50,000 and above.
Platform migration adds cost. Moving product data, customer records and order history from Magento, WooCommerce or another platform requires careful handling and adds two to four weeks to a standard timeline.
What affects the final cost
The number of product SKUs and how clean the existing product data is. The integrations required, such as accounting software, ERP systems or shipping providers. Subscription or B2B wholesale functionality. Whether the brand needs a fully original design or can work within a theme's constraints. The amount of content migration involved.
Ongoing costs after launch
Shopify charges a monthly subscription fee that varies by plan. Transaction fees apply unless Shopify Payments is used. Apps installed on the store carry their own monthly costs, which add up faster than most businesses anticipate. A studio can help assess the ongoing app stack cost before it is locked in.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to build on Shopify or WooCommerce?
The upfront build cost can be similar. Where Shopify often wins over three to five years is total ownership cost. WooCommerce requires hosting, security management and plugin maintenance. Shopify handles infrastructure and updates. The business pays for that in its monthly fee but avoids unplanned developer costs.
Do I need Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is worth considering when a business reaches roughly USD 800,000 in annual ecommerce revenue and needs the additional checkout customisation, B2B functionality or multi-storefront capability. Below that threshold, standard Shopify covers most requirements at a significantly lower monthly cost.
How long does a Shopify build take?
A theme-based Shopify launch typically runs six to ten weeks. A custom build sits at ten to sixteen weeks. A platform migration adds two to four weeks on top of the build timeline.
What Shopify plan should I start on?
Most established businesses launching on Shopify for the first time start on the standard Shopify plan. The features cover the requirements of most retail operations. A studio can help assess whether specific feature requirements push the business toward a higher tier before the project starts.
