In brief
You’ll have a store that takes real payments, applies the right shipping and tax rules, and sends complete orders through to fulfilment, with settings you can maintain without calling a developer.
You reached out because you’re getting ready to launch or relaunch, with a product list and a rough fulfilment plan that now has to run without daily manual fixes. I start with the order flow and the rules behind it, so the store behaves the same way every time. Once this is done, you’ll be able to run the shop yourself, with clean settings and a handover you can follow.
I treat the store like a working system, not a set of pages. I’ll confirm the platform, map the order steps from checkout to dispatch, then build the theme and catalogue around that. After that I’ll configure payments, shipping, tax, and emails, and I’ll run a launch checklist that catches the common failures before your first real orders.
A bit about me
I’m Marius du Toit, an e-commerce builder. I got into this work the same way most owner-managers do, by needing an online shop that behaved properly after launch. I now build stores in Shopify and WooCommerce, and I focus on the parts that decide whether orders flow cleanly or turn into daily admin.
People hire me when they want the store to keep working after I’m done. I use boring, explicit settings instead of clever shortcuts, and I test the full order path before launch, including edge cases like out-of-stock variants, shipping exclusions, and failed payments. You get a build you can run, plus a short window after launch to catch what only shows up with real customers.
After you order
Once you accept the proposal, I’ll book the build, confirm the platform and scope, then move through theme, catalogue, and configuration in a set order. You’ll see the store as it develops and you’ll approve key decisions before I lock anything in.
1. Kickoff and scope On order I’ll run a platform and scope call, then send a short checklist of what I need to begin. I’ll confirm how you want orders to be packed and shipped, what payment methods you need, and what your product data looks like right now, even if it is messy. 2. Theme and templates Week 1 I’ll set up the theme and build the key page templates your shop needs to sell and support orders. You’ll review the layout on mobile and desktop, and I’ll adjust navigation, filters, and product page sections so customers can find variants and understand delivery and returns. 3. Catalogue and rules Week 2 I’ll structure products, variants, collections, and menus so the catalogue stays manageable as you add lines. Then I’ll configure payments, shipping, tax, and checkout fields so an order arrives with the information you need to fulfil it without email back-and-forth. 4. Launch and fixes Go-live I’ll run a launch checklist, place test orders, and confirm the end-to-end flow from payment to confirmation emails. After go-live, I include a post-launch fixes week for the issues that only show up once real customers start using the site and real addresses hit your shipping rules.
Platform recommendation
A clear Shopify versus WooCommerce recommendation tied to your product count, admin needs, and how you want to handle shipping, payments, and daily fulfilment.
THEME SETUP AND BUILD
Theme installation and front-end build for your core pages, including navigation, collections, product pages, cart, and essential policy and support pages, set up for mobile first.
PRODUCTS AND COLLECTIONS
Product, variant, and collection setup using your spreadsheet or export, with a structure you can extend later. Includes options, sizing, and variant naming that stays consistent.
Payments configuration
Payment gateway setup and testing so payments authorise and capture correctly. Includes PayFast or Peach where required, plus the checkout settings that prevent missing customer details.
SHIPPING AND TAX RULES
Shipping zones, rates, and exclusions configured to match how you actually deliver, plus tax settings that apply consistently at checkout and on invoices and email confirmations.
CHECKOUT AND EMAIL AUTOMATION
Checkout fields, order confirmations, and essential automated emails set up and tested so customers get the right messages and you get the order information you need to fulfil.
Pricing below covers a full e-commerce store build, including setup, catalogue, payments, shipping and tax rules, checkout and email automation, and a guided go-live.
Priced items
Get started
If you want me to start the e-commerce store build, sign here and I’ll send the kickoff checklist and the first invoice to book the slot.
1. Sign the proposal to confirm the e-commerce store build. 2. Pay the 25% booking invoice within 14 days of the invoice date. 3. Send your product list and access details so I can begin setup.
Signature
Fee summary
Should we use Shopify or WooCommerce for this?
I’ll recommend one after a short scope call. Shopify usually wins for speed, stability, and fewer moving parts. WooCommerce makes sense when you need deeper WordPress control or unusual catalogue and content requirements, and you are comfortable maintaining plugins.
WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME TO START AND HOW MESSY CAN MY PRODUCT LIST BE?
Send what you have, even if it is incomplete. A spreadsheet export is fine. I mainly need product names, prices, variants, SKUs if you use them, weights for shipping, and any constraints like delivery areas or items you cannot ship together.
Can you set up PayFast/Peach and local shipping rates?
Yes. I can set up PayFast or Peach and run test payments so you can see a full order land correctly. I can also configure local shipping zones and rates, including free-shipping thresholds, regional exclusions, and different rules for heavy or oversized items.
HOW LONG UNTIL WE CAN TAKE REAL ORDERS AND WHAT BREAKS MOST OFTEN AT LAUNCH?
Once I’ve confirmed scope and received your product data, I can work toward a go-live date and track it against clear milestones. The most common launch failures are shipping rules that do not match real addresses, missing product weights, and payment settings that were never tested end to end.
Payment
To book the work, I invoice 25% when you sign. I invoice the remaining 75% when the order is delivered. Each invoice is payable within 14 days of its date.
Start requirements. I can start once I have access to your Shopify or WooCommerce admin, your product list (spreadsheet is fine), and your payment and shipping details needed for configuration and testing.
Platform choice. I will recommend Shopify or WooCommerce after the scope call. If the platform decision changes later, I will confirm any scope or pricing impact with you before I continue.
Product data. Catalogue setup depends on the data you supply. Missing weights, incomplete variants, or unclear shipping constraints slow down shipping rules and testing, because the rules need real numbers to calculate rates.
Approvals
Before go-live, I will share a checklist and a test order flow for you to approve. I only launch once you confirm the storefront, checkout, and core settings look right.
Third party services. Platform fees, theme licences, plugins, apps, domains, and email/SMS tools are billed by those providers. I can recommend options, but I do not control their uptime, pricing, or support.
Post launch fixes week. The post-launch fixes week covers adjustments from real orders, like shipping edge cases, payment settings, and small layout issues. New features or extra templates get quoted separately if you want them.
Limits of responsibility. I am responsible for the build and configuration I set up. I cannot take responsibility for supplier fulfilment, courier performance, chargebacks, or losses caused by account access shared outside your business.
