Making an e-shop a business that actually sells, rather than one that simply does not exist.
Creating an e-shop is the process of creating an e-shop for your business that helps you sell products around the clock, integrates with your business software and grows with your business. Web Systems offers WooCommerce e-store development and custom e-commerce solutions for B2B companies that need their e-store to run for years and tie together the entire business process: warehouse, checkout, accounting and logistics.
In Estonia, e-commerce is offered by DIY platforms such as Mozello and Voog, as well as custom development providers. Our focus is on B2B companies whose online store is not just a business card, but an essential part of their business process. Orders come in from the e-shop, are automatically moved to the ERP, the warehouse system is updated and couriers receive parcel data without manual intervention.
Web Systems has been creating web development and e-commerce solutions for over 20 years. Our e-stores work for both smaller and larger companies, such as Upgreat, Sowood, RC-Modelshop, Hekamerk, The Clash, Coffee Centre, Kintar and many others.
Table of contents
What is e-shopping
E-commerce, or the creation of an online shop and e-commerce development, means building an online sales platform. In such an environment, customers can select products, make payments and choose delivery. Technically, it includes a product catalogue, shopping cart, payment solutions, delivery and warehouse system integrations, and a content management section where products can be added, edited and promotions can be made.
The difference from a normal website is clear. Website building focuses on communicating information and presenting the brand. E-commerce is directly linked to sales. Every click, loading speed, payment method and delivery method can affect whether an order is completed. Therefore, an e-shop has different technical requirements and a more thorough development process.
What e-commerce solutions we create
The needs for setting up an online shop are different. A small local online shop is very different from an international multilingual online shop. Below are the four main types of e-commerce development we deal with.
Standard WooCommerce e-shop
Suitable for most small and medium-sized e-shops. The solution is based on the WordPress and WooCommerce platform and includes custom design, payment solutions, logistics and basic integrations with business software. Typical development time is 6 to 10 weeks.
Growing B2C e-shop with multilingual support
Larger product range, multiple languages (WPML), more complex campaigns, coupons and loyalty programmes. Suitable for a company that is already selling actively and needs a platform that grows with the business.
B2B e-shop and client portals
Price levels for customer groups, credit limit, company-specific order processes and integrations with CRM and business software. Suitable for companies that sell both to end consumers and resellers.
Custom e-commerce development
Suitable when standard WooCommerce does not cover all needs. For example, complex business logic, a special product structure or custom integrations. We develop on Laravel or Node if needed, with a customised user experience. See also the e-commerce development page.
WooCommerce vs custom e-commerce
One of the first decisions to be made when setting up an online shop is the choice of platform. There are several options available in Estonia: DIY platforms such as Mozello, Voog and ShopRoller, casting systems such as Shopify and Magento, and custom development. We recommend WooCommerce for most businesses as it offers good flexibility without excessive maintenance costs.
WooCommerce advantages
- Flexible and extensible, thousands of plug-ins, custom development and easy integration with external systems.
- SEO-friendly, RankMath or Yoast, control over URL structure and rich snippets for products
- Easy to manage, the WordPress admin is familiar to many and basic training usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
- Suitable for both small and large e-shops, the same platform can be used to manage a small or very large product catalogue.
- The company is not dependent on a single vendor, WordPress and WooCommerce are open source and can be hosted in different server environments.
You can read more about the WooCommerce platform on the separate WooCommerce e-shop page.
When to choose a custom-development
Custom e-commerce development is suitable when the standard WooCommerce does not cover the business specifics:
- E-business has complex business logic, such as dynamic price calculations or B2B credit.
- Specific integrations are required, for example with a legacy ERP system or custom logistics partner.
- The product catalogue is very large or has a specific structure.
- A unique user experience is needed, which the WooCommerce template does not provide.
Integrations with business software
The value of an e-shop comes largely from how well it interacts with other systems. Manually copying orders into the accounting system, correcting stock levels in a separate e-shop and checkout system, and manually creating packing labels all take time and increase the risk of errors. A well-integrated e-shop does these activities automatically.
We have developed integrations with the most common business software in Estonia:
Directo, Erply and Merit Aktiva
Popular choices for small and medium-sized Estonian companies. Orders move automatically from the e-shop to the business software and stock levels are synchronised. This reduces manual work and the risk of errors.
NOOM, SmartAccounts, SimplBooks
Cloud-based accounting systems for a start-up or growing e-shop. API integration allows data exchange to be automated.
Scoro, SAF, Excellent Books
Suitable for larger companies where CRM, project management and accounting are closely linked. We create custom integrations for more complex business logic.
Logistics partners
Omniva, Smartpost, DPD and Cargoson. Parcel machines, courier delivery and international shipments. Automatic generation of parcel codes and tracking information for the customer.
Payment solutions
Montonio, EveryPay, Stripe and PayPal. Bank links via Swedbank, SEB and LHV. Leasing and instalment payment options where needed.
Custom integrations
If you use an old ERP system, your own warehouse system or a custom application, we develop a REST API or SOAP integration according to your needs.
What e-shop owners say about our work
Web Systems on partner, kelle peale saab kindel olla. Töö on täpne, kommunikatsioon selge ja kvaliteet ühtlane — Nahakliiniku digitaalne pool on hoolega hoitud. Selline järjepidevus on meie jaoks olnud koostöö suurim väärtus.
Meie koostöö Web Systemsiga kestab juba peaaegu 20 aastat ning selle aja jooksul oleme nende meeskonnale usaldanud nii veebiarendused, sisemised süsteemid kui ka reklaammaterjalid. Kahe aastakümne jooksul on tehnoloogia korduvalt muutunud, meie vajadused kasvanud ja turg arenenud – Web Systems on alati kaasas käinud ning pakkunud lahendusi, mis vastavad ajale. Selline pikk partnerlus ei sünni juhuslikult: see põhineb usaldusel, järjepideval kvaliteedil ja arusaamisel, et tehtud töö peab päriselt toimima. Web Systems ei ole meie jaoks teenusepakkuja, vaid meie meeskonna loomulik osa.
Pöördusime Web Systemsi poole ambitsioonika ideega – luua Eesti esimene kinnisvara e-pood. Meeskond ei piirdunud pelgalt tehnilise teostusega, vaid tuli kaasa mõtlema, kuidas teha lahendus kliendile võimalikult sujuvaks. Tulemus rääkis ise enda eest: esimesed korterid broneeriti otse veebist ära – midagi, mida Eesti kinnisvaraturul polnud varem nähtud. Soovitame Web Systemsi kõigile, kes otsivad partnerit, kellel jätkub nii tehnilist oskust kui ka julgust uusi ideid ellu viia.
Meie äri – autode müük ja täisteenusrent kolmel Baltikumi turul – nõuab IT-partnerit, kes on kättesaadav iga päev, mitte ainult siis, kui tahame uut lehte teha. Web Systems on meie kõrval just sellisena: nad on ehitanud mobire.ee ja morecar.ee platvormid, hoolitsevad nende igapäevase toimimise eest ning arendavad süsteeme koos meie ärikasvuga. Meeskond tunneb meie äri, mõistab erinevate turgude nüansse ja suudab reageerida kiiresti ka keerulistes olukordades. Meie jaoks on Web Systems osa meie igapäevasest töövoost – mitte väline teenusepakkuja, vaid sisuline partner.
Oleme kasutanud Web Systems OÜ veebiarenduse teenuseid ning jäänud koostööga väga rahule. Projekti käigus oli suhtlus selge, kiire ja professionaalne ning kokkulepitud tähtaegadest peeti kinni.
Arendaja suutis hästi mõista meie vajadusi ning pakkus välja ka omapoolseid lahendusi, mis aitasid lõpptulemust oluliselt parandada. Valminud veebileht ja e-pood on funktsionaalne, kasutajasõbralik ja visuaalselt kaasaegne.
Eriti hindame tehnilist pädevust, paindlikkust ning valmisolekut leida lahendusi ka keerukamatele ülesannetele. Samuti toimib järelteenindus sujuvalt – kõik täiendused ja parandused saavad kiiresti tehtud.
Soovitame Web Systems OÜ teenuseid kõigile, kes otsivad usaldusväärset ja kompetentset veebiarendajat.
Oleme teinud Web Systemsiga koostööd mitme kinnisvaraprojekti veebilahenduse loomisel ning iga kord on tulemus olnud nii kvaliteetne, et tagasi tulemise üle ei ole pidanud kahtlema. Meeskond mõistab kinnisvarasektori eripära – et iga projekt vajab oma nägu, kiiret turuletulekut ja lahendust, mis päriselt müüb. Tähtajad on alati peetud, suhtlus selge ja probleemid lahendatud enne, kui me neid ise oleme märganud. Web Systems on meile muutunud kinnisvaraprojektide veebilahenduste osas loomulikuks esimeseks valikuks.
Tartu Ülikooli Kliinikum on veebilahenduste osas teinud koostööd Web Systemsiga ning oleme olnud koostööga igati rahul. Meeskond saab aru, et suures meditsiiniasutuses on erinevad vajadused, erinevad osapooled ja nõuded, millega tuleb arvestada. Web Systems on pakkunud lahendusi, mis on olnud nii tehniliselt kvaliteetsed kui ka meie organisatsiooni eripäradele kohandatud. Eriti hindame seda, et meeskond kuulab, mõtleb kaasa ja arvestab alati meie soovidega.
Payment and logistics solutions
Correctly configured payment methods and delivery options have a direct impact on conversion. Each customer has their own preferences: some pay by bank transfer, others by card, others by instalment. The same applies to delivery methods, whether parcel machines, courier delivery or self-delivery.
Supported payment solutions
- Montonio, a payment solution in Estonia that combines bank and card payments under a single contract.
- EveryPay, an LHV offer that’s perfect for smaller businesses
- Bank links, Swedbank, SEB, LHV, Coop Bank and Luminor directly or through an intermediary.
- Stripe and PayPal, international payments suitable for selling abroad
- Leasing and instalments, ESTO or Inbank if applicable
Logistics solutions
- Omniva, Smartpost and DPD, parcel machines and courier delivery in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland.
- Cargoson, multi-vendor logistics platform for international shipments
- Parcel price calculation, automatic calculation by dimensions, weight and destination of the product
- Delivery classification, local and international orders with separate logic
Multilingual e-shop and international sales
If a company is planning to sell outside Estonia, multilingualism is an important basis. We create an e-shop in a combination of WordPress, WooCommerce and WPML that works in Estonian, Russian, English, Finnish and other languages. WPML manages both product and category translations and allows you to create SEO-friendly URL structures for each language.
Example: RC-Modelshop is an international e-shop that sells products to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and other countries. The solution includes multilingual content and different delivery tables for local and international orders.
The process of making an e-shop
There’s more to making an e-shop than writing code. A successful project requires business logic mapping, user journey design and technical development as a coherent process. Below are six key steps.
1. Preliminary work and business logic mapping
We map what you sell, who you sell to and what processes accompany an order: warehouse, accounting, payments and delivery. Based on this, we draw up a development plan.
2. UX/UI design
We design the user journey: finding a product, the shopping cart and the checkout process. The visual design is created in Figma, which the client can review before development. Every key click path is designed to support conversion.
3. Development
WordPress and WooCommerce configuration, custom functionality, different payment solutions, warehouse integration, product catalogue, categories and campaign system.
4. Integrations
We connect the e-shop to business software, payment solutions and logistics. For example Directo, Erply, Merit, Montonio, Omniva or DPD. Every API connection is tested thoroughly.
5. Testing and optimisation
We carry out manual tests, automated tests where needed and performance measurement. The checkout process is tested with real payment simulations. We also optimise page speed.
6. Launch and training
The e-shop goes live and the client’s team receives training for product management, order processing and adding campaigns. After launch, you can continue with the maintenance service.
Completed e-shops
See examples of online shops and e-commerce stores we have developed for Estonian and international companies.
How we differ from other e-commerce players
In Estonia, e-commerce is offered by different types of service providers: DIY platforms such as Mozello and Voog, larger agencies, individual freelance developers and B2B software companies. Each approach suits a different business. Below are three things that set Web Systems apart.
- The work of the e-shop does not end with the shopping cart. A typical e-commerce merchant builds an online shopping cart and checkout system and finishes there. We also link your e-shop to your business software, warehouse system and logistics. This reduces manual order management and helps avoid errors.
- More than 20 years and knowledge of the Estonian market. We are familiar with the local ecosystem: Estonian bank links, Omniva, Smartpost, ESTO instalments and Estonian tax requirements. This helps to create a solution that fits the local business environment.
- A long-term partner. The e-shop will not be ready for launch. New products, campaigns, integrations and optimisation need continuous work. We continue to offer further development years after the initial launch.
Related services
An e-shop is often part of a larger digital project. See related services to help you create a complete digital environment.Frequently asked questions
What is e-shopping?
E-shopping is the process of creating an online shop, or online sales platform: product catalogue, shopping cart, payment solutions, delivery and content management. Web Systems offers e-commerce on the WooCommerce platform and custom e-commerce development if required. Similar concepts are e-commerce creation, e-commerce development and e-commerce development.
How much does it cost to set up an online shop?
E-shopping in Web Systems starts from €6,000 + VAT. The price depends on the size of the project: size of the product catalogue, integrations, design complexity and multilinguality. For a detailed price structure, see the e-shop price page.
Can you make an e-shop free of charge?
Technically yes. Mozello and Voog offer free plans where you can start an e-shop with no initial investment. However, the free plans have limitations: product limit, simpler design, subdomain, weaker SEO and more complex integration with business software. If a business wants to grow sales more seriously, it is worth considering more in-depth development.
What is the best e-commerce platform?
In Estonia, the most common platforms are WooCommerce, Voog, Shopify and ShopRoller. Web Systems recommends WooCommerce for most businesses because it is open source, flexible and does not tie the business to the monthly fees and restrictions of one platform. Voog may be suitable for a start-up e-store, Shopify for an international brand and WooCommerce for a growing business that needs more control.
What’s the difference between WooCommerce and Voog?
WooCommerce is a WordPress e-commerce plugin that is open source, flexible and allows custom development. Voog is an Estonian DIY platform that is easy to deploy, but has more limited additional features and custom integrations. Voog is suitable for a simple e-commerce store, while WooCommerce is suitable for a medium to larger e-commerce store where more flexibility is needed.
Can an e-shop be interfaced with business software?
Yes. Interfaces with business software are one of our core activities. Directo, Erply, Merit Aktiva, NOOM, SimplBooks, SmartAccounts, Scoro, SAF, Excellent Books and many others are supported. Orders are automatically transferred from the e-shop to the ERP and stock levels are synchronised. This reduces manual work and the risk of errors.
How long does it take to set up an online shop?
A simple WooCommerce e-shop can be ready in 6 to 10 weeks. A more complex e-commerce site with multiple languages and integrations can take 3 to 5 months. A custom e-commerce project can take 4 to 8 months. The timeframe also depends on the speed of customer-supplied content, such as product photos and descriptions, and feedback.
What is the cost of making an e-shop from?
The price for making an e-shop starts from €6,000 + VAT. This includes the WooCommerce platform, custom design, basic integrations such as Montonio and Omniva, product catalogue setup and training. For larger e-shops, the price depends on multilinguality, integrations and B2B functionality.
How is Web Systems different from other e-commerce players?
Our main strengths are the linking of the e-shop with business software and logistics, more than 20 years of experience on the Estonian market and long-term development opportunities. We don’t see e-shop only as a shopping cart and checkout, but as a part of a company’s overall sales process.