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Ecommerce guide
What a full-service ecommerce agency actually does, how it compares with hiring several specialists or building your own team, and how to decide which is right for your shop.
Ivan Latter, Owner, Focus Ecommerce · Updated 21/10/2026 · 8 min read
Key takeaways
A full-service ecommerce agency is one team that handles every part of running an online shop: building and maintaining the website, the day-to-day operations behind it, and the marketing that brings in customers. Instead of hiring a web developer, a marketing agency and an operations manager separately, you work with one partner.
Plenty of agencies call themselves full service but only cover one or two of these areas. Many specialise in development, or in paid ads, or in content. So it’s worth checking exactly what’s included before you sign.
The work usually falls into three areas.
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There are three main ways to get your ecommerce work done. Here’s how they compare.
| Full-service agency | Several specialists | In-house team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who you manage | One partner | Several suppliers | Your own staff |
| Joined-up strategy | Built in | Up to you to coordinate | Good, if the team is complete |
| Range of skills | Broad | Deep in each area | Limited to who you hire |
| Speed to start | Weeks | Weeks per supplier | Months to recruit |
| Fixed costs | One monthly fee | Several fees | Salaries, tools, training |
| Best for | Growing shops without a full team | Shops with one clear gap | Larger brands with budget |
It’s usually a good fit if most of these sound familiar:
If you already have a strong in-house team and only need help with one thing, such as Google Ads, a specialist may suit you better.
Most charge a monthly fee based on how much they handle. At Focus Ecommerce, full-service ecommerce management starts from £695 a month. What affects the price:
Many ecommerce agencies focus on one area, usually building websites. A full-service agency also runs the shop day to day and handles the marketing.
Yes. Many businesses keep some work in-house and hand the rest to an agency.
Often, for smaller and growing shops, because you share a team’s skills rather than paying several full-time salaries.
Ivan Latter
Owner at Focus Ecommerce. A lifetime in retail and running ecommerce store
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