Short answer: if you are just testing products, a marketplace such as Shopee or Lazada is the fastest start. If you want your own brand, customer data and repeat buyers, build your own online store website. Shopify is the easiest but charges monthly (Basic is US$19/month billed yearly); WooCommerce is a free plugin on WordPress that you own completely, with the most detailed SEO control. Daaistudio builds WooCommerce stores with SEO, priced by the features you actually need.
The questions people search most here are "what should I build my shop on", then "Shopify vs WooCommerce" and "Shopify vs Shopee". This guide compares them plainly and says which fits which kind of shop.
What to build an online store on: comparison
| Option | Cost | Who owns customer data | Design and SEO | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace (Shopee, Lazada) | Free to open; fees per order | The platform | Little control, beside competitors | Testing, products people already search in the app |
| Shopify | Basic US$19/month (yearly) or US$25 (monthly) | You | Themes, customisable to a point | Shops that want their own site fast without running servers |
| WooCommerce (WordPress) | Free plugin; pay hosting and the build | You, completely | Fully custom design, fine SEO control | Brands that want Google traffic and room to grow |
| Yearly-plan site builders | Yearly subscription | You (within platform terms) | Template-based | Small shops wanting a simple storefront |
Shopify prices are from Shopify's Thailand pricing page (checked 5 Oct 2026). With an external payment provider, the Basic plan adds a 2% fee per transaction.
Shopify vs WooCommerce
- Maintenance: Shopify runs servers and security for you; WooCommerce needs someone to update and back it up.
- Long-term cost: Shopify is monthly forever, plus apps that often charge monthly; WooCommerce is a one-time build plus yearly hosting.
- Ownership: with WooCommerce, files and database are entirely yours and can move hosts any time.
- SEO and content: WordPress gives detailed control of articles, URL structure and schema, which suits shops that want customers from Google.
Already selling on Shopee: do you need your own site?
You do not need to stop selling on Shopee, but your own site does what a marketplace cannot.
- Brand searches: people searching your brand find your site, not another shop selling something similar.
- Repeat customers: you keep the list and send offers by LINE or email yourself.
- Credibility: wholesalers, resellers and corporate buyers often check the brand's site before ordering in volume.
- Google and AI: product and category pages on your own site can rank and be recommended by AI.
Not sure which option fits your shop?
We look at your products, current sales channels and what customers really search, then tell you plainly where to start, with prices, on the first call, free of charge.
What an online store website needs
- Product pages in your own words: not copied from the manufacturer; size, material, use and real photos.
- Category pages: one category per search term, such as "women's leather bags".
- Payments Thai buyers use: PromptPay and cards through payment providers with WooCommerce plugins.
- Clear shipping cost and time: shown before checkout, which reduces abandoned carts.
- Shop policies: returns, warranty, contact channels.
- Fast on mobile: right-sized WebP product images.
Online store SEO for Google and AI
- Product schema: price, availability and reviews in a format Google can read.
- Google Merchant Center: so products can appear in Google's Shopping tab.
- Articles that answer buyer questions: sizing guides or model comparisons help AI recommend your shop.
- Consistent shop details: name and contact channels match across your site, marketplaces and social profiles.
More in SEO website design.
What an online store costs with us
Online stores are quoted by the features you actually use, such as number of products, product options, payments, shipping and languages, because shops differ so much. Every price is in the plan before work starts, with no hidden costs. After launch, site care + SEO GEO is 7,000 THB/month (first month 4,000 THB). Details on pricing.
Example: for Kitano Megumi, a Japanese specialty food brand, we built three WooCommerce sites: the main site, the shop and the order site. See our work page.
Summary
Testing products? Start on a marketplace. Want a site fast without running servers? Shopify. Want to own everything and win customers from Google? WooCommerce, alongside your marketplace shops. For help deciding where your shop should start, get a free plan.
Sources
- Shopify Thailand: pricing (checked 5 Oct 2026)