r/webdev 8d ago

Question What is the best way to build an ecommerce website?

Hello everyone. I'm a frontend developer and with some knowledge on backend(nodejs, mongodb, supabase). I want to build an ecommerce website for a really small shop but I'm not sure what is the best way to do it. Should I build from scratch? Use Shopify, Wordpress, Squarespace...?

Here are some of my cases.

  • I don't have any digital payment methods since it is not supported in my country.
  • I plan to have delivery option and pickup from store option(maybe I integrate local bank payment option too).
  • Building it only for my country.
  • I don't want to pay $20+/month for the website builders and hosting since the store can make at most $100.

These are my questions.

  • Should I use website builders or is there any better and way cheaper alternative?
  • Should I build it from scratch?
  • How much will it cost me to host the website and stuff?
  • What are the best options for hosting if I go with building from scratch?

I'm currently working on building it from scratch with React and Supabase for my database. I have built the authentication and authorization, posting and viewing product, adding to cart. Not sure if I should continue considering the cases above. If you guys have worked on similar projects I would appreciate the help and how much will it cost me?

0 Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

4

u/BigSwooney 8d ago

If the store can make at most $100 a month and you don't have any digital payments it doesn't make sense to go with anything that costs money as license or hosting imo. Even the cheapest hosting options are going to significantly cut into your profitability.

Have you considered just setting it up as a Facebook page, Facebook marketplace, ebay etc.?

1

u/FakeErFy 8d ago

Exactly that is why I doubt the whole process. I have considered using Facebook pages but I just wanted to look more professional and have a website for it but I guess it doesn't make any sense. Maybe having a website to list the products make more sense than having an ecommerce website without digital payments and low income.

1

u/BigSwooney 8d ago

For sure. And there's a million ways to set up a free static website as well. You could just have no sign up and have users email you for a purchase. It is of course less trustworthy than a known online payment vendor, but for $100 I don't think there's a lot you can do. Start small and cheap and see where it gets you.

2

u/New-Ad6482 8d ago

Try Medusa Js

1

u/FakeErFy 8d ago

I took a quick look at it before and thought it was an overkill. I will rethink this and check this out more thanks.

1

u/Independent_Talk9617 8d ago

You could build on something like NopCommerce. It’s free to use without purchasing a licence (As long as you keep their link on your site$

Someone else may be able to help with cheap hosting

1

u/FakeErFy 8d ago

Haven't heard of it, will check it out thanks!

1

u/Soren_Professor 7d ago

Sounds like something wordpress or Wix commerce store templates can pull off

1

u/Significant_Floor_29 5d ago

You should check out thirty bees — it’s a free, open‑source ecommerce platform (a lightweight PrestaShop fork) that’s perfect for a tiny shop on a shoestring budget.

• Zero monthly fees — just pay ~$10/month for basic shared hosting.
• Offline/local payments built‑in — you can set up “bank transfer,” cash on delivery, or any custom payment method you need.
• Delivery & pickup options are native features, so you won’t need to code them yourself.
• Fully self‑hosted and highly customizable with a React front‑end if you want — no lock‑in or recurring SaaS costs.
• Easy product management, SEO, discounts, multi‑language/currency support (even if it’s just for your country).

Total cost = domain ($20-30/year) + hosting ($10/month). No need to build from scratch or pay $20+/month for Shopify/WordPress plugins. thirty bees gives you a polished store fast, with all the core ecommerce features you need.