Short answer
The sprint splits into one week of requirements and catalog structuring, one week of build with feature scope locked, and one week of testing, copy, and go-live prep. Three weeks was the minimum needed to build something defensible: not feature-complete, but stable enough to handle real customer volume without embarrassing the business or losing orders. No new requirements are accepted after the end of week one, which is what keeps the third week available for testing instead of firefighting.
By May 2020, we had heard the same conversation from three different clients in one week: the physical store is closed, we need to sell online, how fast can we do this. The answer, when done right, was three weeks. This is the pattern we settled on.
Why Three Weeks and Not Faster
The pressure in early lockdown was intense. Every business that had depended on foot traffic was suddenly trying to figure out digital. There were people promising one-week stores and two-day launches. Some of those delivered. A lot of them produced something that broke under the first wave of real orders or could not handle inventory properly.
Three weeks was the minimum to build something defensible. Not perfect, not feature-complete, but stable enough to handle real customer volume without embarrassing the business or losing orders.
The week-one breakdown: requirements and catalog. We spend the first week getting the product catalog structured, payment gateway accounts set up, and the core user flows mapped. If there are SKUs, variants, or inventory that needs to be migrated from a physical system, this is when we deal with it. Week one is the least visible week to the client and the most important.
Week two: build. Storefront, checkout, payment integration, order management flow, basic admin. We keep feature scope locked. No new requirements after the end of week one.
Week three: testing, copy, and go-live prep. We run through the full customer journey, get the client to test their own checkout flow, verify that orders land in the right place, and prepare for launch. We also brief the client on how to manage the store post-launch - not a manual, just a focused walkthrough.
Stack and Platform Decisions
We do not have one default platform for every build. What we use depends on the business.
For small catalogs - under two hundred products, no complex variants - a hosted platform with a local payment gateway integrated is typically the right call. Fast to configure, reliable, manageable by the client after handoff without engineering support.
For larger catalogs, businesses with existing systems that need to talk to the store, or clients who need more control over the checkout experience, we go with a more configurable approach that requires more build time but pays off in flexibility.
What we consistently avoided in 2020 was overkill. A business selling fifty products out of a home kitchen does not need enterprise commerce infrastructure. Getting them live quickly with something solid is more valuable than a sophisticated system they will not understand how to manage.
The Foundation That Holds
"Defensible foundation" is how we described the goal to clients. Here is what that means specifically.
Payment processing that routes money reliably. This sounds obvious, but it is where a lot of quick launches fail. We tested every Philippine payment method the target audience was likely to use: GCash, credit card, bank transfer where applicable.
Order tracking that the client can use without calling us. If every order requires studio intervention to process, the client is not running a store - they are outsourcing order management. The admin flow has to be simple enough for a non-technical person to handle on their own.
Mobile checkout that works. A significant portion of Philippine online shopping happens on mobile. If the checkout breaks or is painful on a phone, you are losing sales.
Inventory that does not oversell. This one burned several clients during the lockdown demand spikes. Basic inventory locking on checkout prevented orders that could not be fulfilled.
What We Charge
Every project is scoped individually, and the scope determines the cost. We can say that a three-week sprint for a small-to-medium catalog typically lands in the low-to-mid range for custom ecommerce development work in the Philippines. If your business is larger or needs integrations, the scope and cost go up accordingly.
The conversation starts with understanding your catalog, your customers, and your operational process. From there, we can give you a real number.
Questions · 04
Frequently asked questions
Can an online store really launch in a week?
During the 2020 lockdowns there were people promising one-week stores and two-day launches, and some of them delivered. A lot of them produced something that broke under the first wave of real orders or could not handle inventory properly. Three weeks was the shortest span that reliably produced a store the business could actually run.
Which platform should a small Philippine catalog run on?
For small catalogs, under two hundred products with no complex variants, a hosted platform with a local payment gateway integrated is typically the right call, because the client can manage it after handoff without engineering support. Larger catalogs, stores that need to talk to existing systems, or clients who want more control over checkout call for a more configurable approach that takes more build time. A business selling fifty products out of a home kitchen does not need enterprise commerce infrastructure.
What makes an ecommerce foundation defensible?
Four things specifically: payment processing that routes money reliably across the methods the audience actually uses, tested against GCash, credit card, and bank transfer where applicable; order tracking a non-technical person can operate without calling the studio; mobile checkout that works, because a significant portion of Philippine online shopping happens on a phone; and inventory locking at checkout so the store does not oversell. Overselling burned several clients during the lockdown demand spikes.
What does a three-week sprint cost?
A three-week sprint for a small-to-medium catalog typically lands in the low-to-mid range for custom ecommerce development work in the Philippines. If the business is larger or needs integrations, the scope and cost go up accordingly. Every project is scoped individually, and the conversation starts with your catalog, your customers, and your operational process.
