Why there is no price list
Promoting an online store is not one product. It is a chain of steps: bringing people in, getting them to a product page, completing an order and bringing them back. One shop can live on Instagram and a Telegram channel. Another needs Google Ads, SEO and a presence on Uzum. Two quotes with different totals may simply cover different jobs.
There is also a split that often gets missed. The total usually has two parts: payment for the specialists, and the ad budget that goes to platforms like Meta or Google rather than to the agency. If a contractor gives you one figure without saying what is inside, ask for a breakdown.
What the budget is made of
These are the cost lines that appear in most projects. You will not need all of them on day one, but you should know where they will show up.
- Paid ads on Meta and Google: the money spent on impressions and clicks, paid in sum at the platform's rate.
- Specialist or team time: campaign setup, ad testing, daily optimization.
- Content: product photos and video, Reels, product descriptions, Stories.
- The website or its improvement: speed, a convenient cart, payment via Click and Payme, a link to Telegram.
- SEO: catalog structure, category copy, technical fixes.
- Analytics: counters, events, reports on orders and traffic sources.
- Marketplace fees if you also sell on Uzum or OLX.
What makes promotion more or less expensive
The biggest factor is the niche. In crowded categories such as clothing, electronics or cosmetics, the cost of a click and of an order is usually higher than in a narrow niche with few sellers. Next come average order value and margin: if you sell low-priced goods on a thin margin, ads have to be run with more care.
Season and geography matter too. Before Navruz, International Women's Day and holiday sales, competition for attention rises. Delivery also changes the economics. If you do not ship to Samarkand or Fergana, showing ads there makes no sense.
Finally, the condition of the store itself. Sending traffic to a site that loads slowly or loses buyers at checkout simply burns budget.
The website is the foundation, not a separate line
Many owners count the website and the promotion separately and then wonder why orders are few. Traffic lands on a page. If that page is awkward on a phone, does not show stock or does not accept the payment method people expect, part of your spend disappears at that step.
Before launching ads, check whether the store opens quickly on mobile data, whether prices are clear in sum, whether Click, Payme and cash on delivery are available, and whether orders reach you in Telegram. If you are building the store from scratch, plan website development in Uzbekistan together with advertising and SEO from the start, so you do not have to rebuild the structure a few months later.
How to compare contractor offers
Ask which channels you will get and why those ones. Find out who owns the ad accounts and analytics counters: access should stay with you. Ask what you will see in reports. Orders and cost per order matter more than likes and reach.
Warning signs include a guaranteed result without any review of your store, no analytics in the work plan, and reluctance to explain where the ad budget goes. A sensible contractor asks about margin, stock and delivery first and names a price afterwards.
Where to start on a limited budget
Start with one or two channels closest to the purchase: Instagram and Telegram ads to create demand, and Google for people already searching for your product. Set up analytics, run a small test, look at the cost per order and only then scale.
If you want to know what budget your particular store needs, the markdev team can review your niche, website and channels and suggest a plan without unnecessary cost lines. Describe your task and we will talk it through.
FAQ
Why do agencies quote such different prices for online store promotion?
The scope differs. Some quotes cover only paid social, others include the website, content, SEO and analytics. Part of the figure may also be ad spend rather than a service fee. Compare what is included, not just the total.
Is the ad budget included in the agency fee?
Usually not. Ad spend is paid to platforms such as Meta or Google, while the agency is paid for setup, management and optimization. Clarify this before signing anything.
Can I promote a store without a website, using only Instagram and Telegram?
Yes, and it is a common way to start. As you grow, a website gives you your own storefront, analytics, online payment and SEO, so it is worth planning early.
How do I know whether promotion pays off?
Compare revenue from ad-driven orders with ad spend and contractor fees, taking margin into account. That requires working analytics. Without it you see clicks and reach, not profit.
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