Before you pay for a website, it helps to know which kind you actually need. Many small businesses in New Zealand end up with more site than they use, or a site that cannot do the one job they needed. There are three common options: a one-page landing page, a small business website with a few pages, and a full online store. Here is what each one is good for.
Option 1: a one-page website
A one-page website puts everything on a single scrolling page. It usually has a header with your name and what you do, a short section on your services, a few photos or reviews you supply, and a contact form at the bottom.
It suits you if:
- You are just starting out and need to look legitimate online.
- Most of your work comes from word of mouth, and people just need a way to check you out and get in touch.
- You offer one main service, such as a tradie, cleaner, photographer or mobile business.
- You want something live quickly without a big spend.
The limits: there is only so much you can fit on one page. It is harder to rank for lots of different searches, because Google sees one page about everything rather than a page for each service.
Option 2: a small business website
A small business website typically has around five pages: home, about, services, gallery and contact. Each page has a clear job. The services page explains what you offer. The gallery shows your work. The about page builds trust. The contact page makes it easy to reach you, often with a map.
It suits you if:
- You offer several services and want to explain each properly.
- Customers like to see past work before they call.
- You want to show up in Google for a wider range of searches.
- You have a physical location or service area and want people to find it.
The limits: customers cannot buy from you on the site. They enquire, and you take it from there by phone or email.
Option 3: an online store
An online store lets people browse products, add them to a cart and pay there and then. On a platform like Shopify, the store handles payments, stock, shipping rates and order emails for you.
It suits you if:
- You sell physical products, such as clothing, gifts, food or prints.
- You want to take orders while you sleep instead of invoicing by hand.
- You plan to grow your range over time.
The limits: a store is more work to set up and run. Products need photos and descriptions, shipping needs to be worked out, and platforms usually charge a monthly subscription on top of the build. If you do not sell products, a store adds cost without adding much value.
A quick way to decide
| If you mainly want to... | You probably need |
|---|---|
| Look professional and get enquiries | One-page website |
| Explain several services and show your work | Small business website |
| Sell products and take payments online | Online store |
You can also start small and grow. Plenty of businesses launch with a one-page site, move to five pages once they know what customers ask about, and add a store when they start selling products. Just make sure whoever builds your first site can scale with you.
What this costs with Mocked Up
Our web design packages are fixed price in NZD, designed from scratch and mobile-friendly:
- Starter one-page website, $299. Up to 5 sections and a contact form, ready in 3 business days.
- Small business 5-page website, $499. Home, about, services, gallery and contact. Custom design, not a template, with a contact form and Google Maps. Ready in 5 to 7 business days.
- Brand bundle, $999. The 5-page site plus 2 custom-branded t-shirts, 1 hoodie and 1 cap, in 7 to 10 business days.
- Full build e-commerce store, $1,499. A full Shopify store with up to 25 products loaded, payments and shipping set up, in 2 to 3 weeks.
For a closer look at what drives price, read our guide on how much a website costs in NZ. If you are launching a clothing label, our guide to starting a clothing brand in NZ covers the store side as well as the product side.
Ready to start?
Browse the web design packages and email us with what your business does. We will point you to the option that fits, even if that is the smallest one.