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Ecommerce development agency in the Czech Republic that runs its own shops

We run snusit.cz and hemplife.cz ourselves, so we know an ordinary day for a shop owner: the Heureka feed gets rejected, a carrier changes its API, stock on the site does not match the warehouse. That shapes which platform we recommend. For selling in Czechia and Slovakia, Shoptet with a customised template is often enough. We build custom Next.js shops where off-the-shelf platforms stop fitting.

  • Own online shops snusit.cz and hemplife.cz live in production
  • Lighthouse 95+ as a target in the brief
  • Shoptet, Shopify and custom development in Next.js
  • With a custom build, you own the code and the data
Request a quoteShopify vs Shoptet vs custom build

Ecommerce development in short

Ecommerce development at Webforte means designing, building and launching an online shop on Shoptet, Shopify or as a custom build in Next.js with PostgreSQL. Webforte Technologies s.r.o. is an ecommerce development agency in Prague, Czech Republic (company ID 23364343). We choose the platform by product range, target market, order volume and required integrations. For selling in Czechia and Slovakia, Shoptet with a customised template is usually enough, because integrations with local carriers, payment gateways and the Heureka price comparison site already exist. Shopify fits multi-country selling; a custom build fits bespoke pricing, B2B price lists or complex ERP integration. Delivery includes XML feeds for comparison sites, structured product data, a connection to accounting or stock, and a Lighthouse 95+ mobile target. Webforte runs its own shops snusit.cz and hemplife.cz on Shoptet. At Snusit.cz, organic traffic grew by 561 % within 14 days after template and SEO work. Pricing is set by a quote after an initial call.

Shopify vs Shoptet vs a custom build

We build on all three, so we have no reason to push you towards the most expensive one. The table shows how they differ in day-to-day operation, not in platform marketing. Shoptet is a Czech platform and matters mainly if you sell to Czech and Slovak customers.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.

CriterionShoptetShopifyCustom build (Next.js)
Running costsMonthly plan, paid add-ons and template on top. Lowest entry cost.Monthly plan, paid apps and transaction fees when using an external payment gateway. Costs grow with the number of apps.No platform plan. You pay for hosting and maintenance. Highest upfront investment.
Czech market: carriers, payments, HeurekaIntegrations with Czech carriers, payment gateways and feeds for Heureka and Zboží.cz are built in and only need configuring.Handled by third-party apps of varying quality and Czech language support. The Heureka feed usually needs rework.We build integrations against carrier and gateway APIs. More work, but matched exactly to your order process.
SEO controlProduct titles, descriptions and URLs are editable. Template and filter structure only within platform limits.Fixed URL structure (/products/, /collections/). Everything else via Liquid templates and apps.Full control over URLs, canonicals, filters, structured data and server-side rendering.
SpeedDefault templates load many scripts. They can be sped up; at Snusit.cz we reached Lighthouse 95+.Solid baseline. Slowdowns come mainly from apps that inject their own scripts into every page.Pages are pre-rendered or rendered on the server. Lighthouse 95+ is a realistic target from day one.
ERP and stock integrationVia API and ready-made add-ons, e.g. for the Czech systems Pohoda or Money S3. Non-standard logic hits limits.Strong API and a large app ecosystem. Czech accounting systems often need middleware.We connect any system with an API or regular export, including two-way stock sync.
ScalingHandles large catalogues. Non-standard processes limit you sooner than order volume.Strong for selling across countries, currencies and languages.Grows with you, but every new feature has to be built and maintained.
When it makes senseYou sell mainly in Czechia and Slovakia with a standard order process.You sell internationally and need multiple currencies, languages and global apps.You have bespoke pricing, B2B price lists, a product configurator or a process no off-the-shelf platform supports.

Platform plans and fees change; check current prices with the provider. On the initial call we go through your numbers and recommend one option with the reasoning.

What running our own shops has taught us

We run Snusit.cz and hemplife.cz ourselves on Shoptet. We did not learn the problems below from client briefs but from our own orders. That is why we deal with them in your shop before they cost money.

Price comparison feeds

Heureka, Zboží.cz and Google Merchant Center read an XML feed, and each requires different fields. The most common errors we see: missing EANs, badly mapped categories, availability that does not match stock, and variants merged into a single item. The comparison site then fails to match the product to its catalogue or shows the wrong price, and you pay for clicks that do not convert. We validate the feed against each site's specification, map categories by hand and set up monitoring that alerts you when the number of items in the feed suddenly drops.

  • Manual category mapping for Heureka and Zboží.cz
  • EAN, manufacturer and availability for every variant
  • Google Merchant Center with no disapproved products as a target
  • Alerts when the feed item count drops

Carriers and payment gateways

At checkout the customer picks a pickup point and a payment method, then expects an email with parcel tracking. Each of those steps is an integration that can break. We set up pickup point selection for carriers such as Zásilkovna (Packeta), hand-off to carriers without retyping addresses, and gateways such as Comgate or GoPay so that the payment status flows back into the order. Before launch we place a real test order for every combination of delivery and payment, including a failed payment and cash on delivery.

  • Test order for every delivery and payment combination
  • Payment status written back to the order automatically
  • Shipping labels and tracking without retyping
  • Failed payment scenario, not just the happy path

Stock and accounting

The most expensive mistake in ecommerce is selling goods you do not have. It happens when the shop, the warehouse and accounting each keep their own numbers. At the start we decide which system is the source of truth for stock, prices and product data, and build the sync one way, or two ways with a clear conflict rule. We connect the shop to Pohoda, Money S3, Fakturoid or your own ERP via API or scheduled export. The sync interval depends on how fast your stock turns over.

  • One source of truth for stock, prices and products
  • Integration with Pohoda, Money S3, Fakturoid or your ERP
  • Sync interval based on stock turnover
  • Logged sync errors instead of silent failures

Returns and Heureka reviews

EU consumers have a 14-day right of withdrawal, and the easier the return, the fewer emails and negative reviews you get. We set up a withdrawal form, a clear returns procedure in the terms and conditions, and a return status the team sees on the order. We connect Heureka's Ověřeno zákazníky programme (verified customer reviews) so shop ratings come from real buyers. We reply to reviews factually, with a concrete fix and without getting defensive. An unanswered negative review reads worse to customers than the complaint itself.

  • Withdrawal form and clear returns procedure
  • Return status visible on the order
  • Heureka Ověřeno zákazníky
  • Guidelines for replying to negative reviews

Template speed

Most customers open a shop on their phone, and a slow category page with fifty products is where they leave. So we measure not just the homepage but the category page, product page and basket. On Shoptet we remove unused add-ons and scripts, convert images to WebP, lazy-load images below the fold and rewrite parts of the template in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. That is how we took the Snusit.cz template to Lighthouse 95+. In a Next.js build, pages are pre-rendered.

  • Measured on category, product page and basket
  • Unused add-ons and scripts removed
  • WebP images with lazy loading
  • Lighthouse 95+ on mobile as a target

Shops where you can check our work

Two case studies with published figures and one shop we run ourselves.

How the project runs

Five steps, each ending with something you can hold us to. On Shoptet usually 4 to 8 weeks, a custom shop with ERP integration 8 to 16 weeks. Calls run over video, in English.

  1. Audit and platform choice

    We go through your product range, target markets, delivery, payments, accounting and stock. If you already have a shop, we measure speed and check feeds and indexing. Only then do we recommend a platform.

    Output: Platform recommendation with reasoning and a list of required integrations

  2. Specification and quote

    We write down the scope: pages, features, integrations, data import, speed targets. Without scope there is no honest price, so the quote comes at this point.

    Output: Specification, timeline and price in one document

  3. Design and build

    We design mobile first: category, product page, basket and checkout. On Shoptet we customise the template; for custom builds we use Next.js and PostgreSQL. You see work in progress on a staging address.

    Output: Working shop on a staging address

  4. Data and integrations

    We import products and customers and set up feeds, carriers, payment gateways and the sync with stock or accounting. Every delivery and payment combination goes through a test order.

    Output: Tested orders from basket to invoice

  5. Launch and the first month

    When migrating from an old shop we set up 301 redirects for every indexed URL and check Google Search Console. After launch we monitor feeds, orders and errors and train your team.

    Output: Live shop, training and a list of fixes after the first orders

How to tell a well-built online shop

We put these values in the brief. After handover you can verify them yourself or with another supplier.

Lighthouse on mobileMeasured on category and product pages, not only the homepage.
95+ as a target
Structured dataPrice and availability in the data must match what the customer sees.
Product, Offer, BreadcrumbList
FeedsValidated against each site's specification before launch.
Heureka, Zboží.cz, Google Merchant Center
MigrationSo rankings and links from the old shop carry over.
301 for every indexed URL
OwnershipYou pay the platform directly. For custom builds we hand over the source code.
Accounts and data in your name

What you get

  • Configured platform or Next.js shop on your hosting
  • Customised template for category, product page, basket and checkout
  • Import of products, variants, categories and, where needed, customers
  • XML feeds for Heureka, Zboží.cz and Google Merchant Center
  • Integration of carriers, payment gateways and accounting or stock
  • Structured product data and redirects from old URLs
  • Google Analytics 4 tracking including purchase events
  • Team training and written instructions for routine tasks

Who this is for

A good fit if

  • You want to sell to Czech or Slovak customers and need a local partner who knows Heureka, local carriers and payment gateways
  • You are weighing Shopify vs Shoptet for the Czech market and want an answer based on running shops, not on platform marketing
  • You are looking for a nearshore ecommerce development agency in the Czech Republic and want to talk directly to the developer
  • You have B2B price lists, a configurator or a process that off-the-shelf platforms cannot handle

Not a good fit if

  • You need a shop within a week on a minimal budget. Start with a standard template yourself.
  • You want a supplier who guarantees revenue or top rankings
  • You need a large agency with round-the-clock support across several time zones

Frequently asked questions

It depends on the platform, the extent of template changes, the number of products and above all the integrations: accounting, stock, carriers, payment gateways. Shoptet with a customised template costs considerably less than a custom shop with ERP integration. You pay the platform plan directly to the provider, not to us. You get an exact price as a quote after an initial call.

If most of your customers are in Czechia and Slovakia, usually Shoptet. It comes with ready integrations for local carriers, payment gateways and Heureka. Shopify is stronger for selling across many countries, but covers Czech services through third-party apps. If you already run Shopify, we can extend it for the Czech market instead of migrating.

Czech online retail runs on its own infrastructure: Heureka and Zboží.cz for price comparison, pickup point networks such as Zásilkovna, local payment gateways and accounting systems such as Pohoda. We work with these daily in our own shops. As a small team in Prague, you talk directly to the developer, with no account manager in between.

A Shoptet shop with a customised template usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. A custom shop, or one with accounting and ERP integration, takes 8 to 16 weeks. Most of the time goes into preparing data: products, variants, photos and category mapping. You receive a detailed timeline with milestones together with the quote.

Yes. Calls, email and documentation are in English. Shop content for Czech and Slovak customers is prepared in the local language. The specification, timeline and instructions are written down, so your team can follow every decision without relying on memory of a call.

You do. Accounts with the platform, payment gateway, carriers and Google tools are set up in your company's name, not ours. You pay Shoptet or Shopify directly. For a custom shop we hand over the source code and database, and it runs on a VPS or your own hosting. If you move to another supplier, there is nothing to buy back.

Yes. First we decide which system is the source of truth for stock, prices and products, then set up the sync via API or scheduled export. On Shoptet we use ready-made add-ons where they are reliable and build the integration where they are not. Sync errors are logged and reported rather than failing silently.

In the first weeks we monitor orders, feeds, stock sync and Search Console errors and fix whatever production traffic reveals. Your team gets training and written instructions. After that you can run the shop yourselves or agree ongoing support: template changes, new integrations, feed and speed checks.

Send us your shop link or a description of your range

Before the call we look at your platform, speed and feeds and tell you whether Shoptet is enough or something else makes sense. Then you get a quote.

Free consultation