Frequently Asked Questions

A fixed price offers planning certainty but requires a clearly defined scope. Time and materials billing is more flexible and suits projects whose requirements are still evolving. In practice, a hybrid model often works best: fixed prices for defined packages, time and materials with a budget cap for the unknowns.

An agency quote for a web project typically consists of the line items concept, design, development, content and data migration, quality assurance, project management and launch. Serious quotes describe transparently which services are included, which assumptions apply and how change requests are handled.

The cost of a business website depends on scope and structure, design ambition, the CMS used, the required features and the effort for content. A concrete figure can only be given seriously once these requirements are clarified – typically in a free initial consultation.

The cost of a professional online shop depends on the feature scope, the design effort, the required integrations and the data migration. Flat-rate prices quoted without a requirements analysis are rarely reliable – as a rule, the effort can only be quantified seriously after an initial consultation.

The cost of maintenance and care depends on the system in use, the number of extensions and integrations, the desired response times and the scope of content maintenance. Monthly maintenance plans or hour quotas are common – the specific need is typically clarified in an initial consultation.

The free initial consultation usually takes around 30 minutes and is held by phone or video call. You describe your plans, we ask targeted questions and give you an honest first assessment – at no cost, with no obligation and explicitly without a sales pitch.

A web project at an agency typically moves through clearly defined phases: from the initial consultation through concept, quotation, design and development to quality assurance, launch and ongoing support. Each phase ends with a tangible deliverable you can review and approve – keeping you in control of direction, cost and schedule at all times.

Depending on the scope, a website project typically takes a few weeks to a few months. The biggest factors are the feature scope, the number of feedback rounds and the timely delivery of content such as copy and images.

Depending on the scope, developing an online shop typically takes a few weeks to several months. The biggest factors influencing the duration are the feature scope, how individual the design is, integrations with ERP and inventory systems, data migration, and the timely delivery of content and product data.

As a client, you contribute three things above all: knowledge about your company and your goals, timely feedback in the review rounds, and content and access credentials – such as copy, images, product data and domain logins. A finished specification document is not required; the requirements are developed together with the agency.

Launch marks the start of live operation: in the first days the project is closely monitored, followed by regular updates, maintenance, backups and security patches. As needed, search engine optimisation, performance monitoring and the development of new features come on top – you decide on the scope of the ongoing support.

Shopware 6 can be connected to an ERP system in three ways: ready-made connectors from the Shopware Store, middleware platforms, or a custom-built integration via the Shopware API. Which route fits depends on your ERP system, the data to be synchronised and your processes. Typically, products, stock levels, prices, customers and orders are kept in sync.

A migration to Shopware 6 typically runs in five phases: analysis and planning, building the new shop, data migration, testing including SEO redirects, and finally the go-live. The existing shop stays online throughout, so sales continue uninterrupted. The duration depends on data volume, custom features and integrations.

The cost of a custom Shopware plugin depends primarily on the feature scope, the complexity of the business logic and the third-party systems that need to be connected. Flat-rate prices without a requirements analysis are rarely reliable. As a rule, you will receive a realistic effort estimate after a short initial consultation with a concrete description of the desired functionality.

Shopware 6 is a dedicated shop system for merchants with more complex requirements such as ERP integration, B2B functionality or large product ranges. WooCommerce is an e-commerce extension for WordPress and is usually a good fit for content-driven websites with a smaller shop component. Which solution suits you depends on your product range, your processes and your existing system landscape.

Shopware 6 combines a modern, API-oriented architecture with features that matter to mid-sized merchants: B2B functionality, multi-language support, flexible sales channels and a large ecosystem of extensions. Built by a German vendor, it is also geared towards the requirements of the European market. For many mid-sized companies it offers a practical middle ground between website builders and costly custom platforms.

A staging environment is a copy of your live system on which updates, plugins and new features can be tested safely. For online shops with ongoing revenue it usually makes sense, because failed updates in the live system can disrupt the checkout process and thus directly affect sales.

PageSpeed measurably affects user experience, conversion rate and Google rankings: 53% of mobile users leave pages that take longer than 3 seconds to load (Google/SOASTA). Since 2021, the Core Web Vitals have also been an official ranking factor. For online shops, performance is therefore usually not a nice-to-have but an economic foundation.

No one can seriously promise absolute security – but the risk can be reduced considerably. The key factors are regular updates, secure configuration, encrypted connections, two-factor authentication, backups and monitoring. In our experience, outdated shop systems and unmaintained plugins are among the most common entry points for attacks.

With managed hosting, the provider not only supplies the server but also handles its ongoing administration: updates, security patches, backups and monitoring. You focus on your business while the service provider takes care of the technology. This distinguishes managed hosting from classic web hosting or root servers, where maintenance and configuration remain largely your own responsibility.

Hosting provides the infrastructure your website runs on: server, storage, network and their operation. Maintenance, by contrast, looks after the application itself – updates for the shop system or CMS, security patches, plugin care and functional testing. A professionally operated website usually needs both, as each layer covers its own risks.

Local search results matter in B2B as well: many decision-makers deliberately search for providers with a regional connection, following patterns like "agency + city". A well-maintained Google Business Profile, consistent company data and locally optimised pages usually improve visibility for such queries considerably.

First measurable improvements typically appear after 2 to 3 months, while stable top rankings usually develop over 6 to 12 months. How fast it goes depends primarily on the level of competition, the technical condition of the website and the quality of its content.

Yes – but only with a strategic approach. A company blog pays off when it answers your target group's actual questions, builds topical authority and is cleanly interlinked. Blogs filled with arbitrary content and no strategy, on the other hand, rarely produce measurable results.

Structured data based on Schema.org makes web content machine-readable for search engines and AI systems. It enables rich results such as star ratings, prices or FAQ snippets and thereby increases click-through rates: pages with complete schema markup achieve 58.3% more clicks (Semrush) and are cited 3.1 times more often in AI Overviews (Google I/O 2026).

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimising content so that AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google AI Overviews cite it as a source in their answers. GEO complements classic SEO with factors such as quotable statements, source citations, structured data and machine-readable content.

Yes, under certain conditions: shops that only use technically necessary cookies and rely on analytics that do not access the visitor's device generally need no consent under § 25 of the German TDDDG – and therefore no cookie banner. Consent-dependent services such as Google Analytics or advertising pixels must be replaced or removed for this to work.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, EU 2025/40) applies directly in all EU member states; its core obligations take effect on 12 August 2026. For online retailers this means: shipping packaging must be recyclable, empty space will be limited (max. 50% from 2030) and labelling obligations are added. Non-compliant packaging may then no longer be placed on the EU market.

The German Accessibility Act (BFSG) has required B2C online shops to make their entire purchase process accessible since 28 June 2025 – from product search to payment. The technical benchmark is WCAG 2.1 at level AA, referenced by EN 301 549. Violations can lead to fines of up to 100,000 euros as well as warning letters from competitors and consumer associations.

Three areas matter most for product photos: copyright (usage rights are required for every image – including manufacturer photos), unfair competition law (the image must show the product accurately, and decorative items must be labelled) and, for AI-generated images, the EU AI Act labelling obligation that takes effect on 2 August 2026. Violations frequently result in formal warning letters in Germany.

An online shop in Germany generally needs at least: a complete imprint (Impressum), a privacy policy, a withdrawal notice with a model withdrawal form, transparent prices in line with the Price Indication Ordinance (including VAT, shipping costs and unit prices where applicable) and an order button with unambiguous wording such as "order with obligation to pay". From 19 June 2026, a mandatory withdrawal button is added.