When a shop owner compares online-selling solutions, they often compare prices that are not comparable: a fixed subscription on one side, a percentage of sales on the other, and a till add-on somewhere in between. This article will not tell you whom to choose — it gives you a framework to do the maths yourself, using your own figures.
The three models on the market
Commission per basket
You pay little or nothing upfront; the platform takes a percentage of each order. This is the model used by marketplaces and some click & collect solutions. Its strength: no risk at launch, and often an existing audience bringing you customers you did not already have.
A fixed subscription
You pay the same amount each month, regardless of volume. Its strength: predictable, and it does not penalise growth. Its weakness: you still pay in quiet months, and it brings no audience — you bring your own customers.
A till add-on
Your till provider offers an optional “online ordering” module. Sometimes a good fit, on one condition: check that it can sell the way your trade works (by weight, to order, with your options), rather than simply take payment. A module designed for fast food does not become butcher-shop software because somebody changes the logo.
The calculation that changes the conversation
Judge commission over a year, not a month. The arithmetic is simple: at 10% commission, €2,000 of monthly online sales costs €200 a month — €2,400 a year. At €5,000 in monthly sales, that becomes €6,000 a year. Set your own assumptions: average basket, weekly order count and, above all, where you want to be in two years. The cheapest model in month one is rarely the cheapest in year three — mechanically, the more your click & collect succeeds, the more commission takes.
In the other direction, be honest about the subscription: if you sell €800 online each month, a high subscription weighs heavily in proportion. The right question is the crossover point — at what monthly volume does a subscription become cheaper than commission? That figure decides, not the brochure.
What commission actually pays for
Commission is not a scam: it funds the platform’s audience. If a marketplace actually brings you new customers, the percentage pays for acquisition work you did not do. The problem starts when commission applies to your customers — those who already know you, would have called, and simply use the website because it is more convenient. Paying a percentage on Mrs Martin’s roasting joint when she has been your customer for fifteen years: that is the real issue.
The hidden question: who owns the customer relationship?
Beyond the price, check three things in the terms: who holds the customer database (names, phone numbers and order histories); the address where your customers order (your domain or a page on theirs?); and what happens if you leave. A sales channel where you own neither the customers nor the address is not your channel — it is theirs, with your shopfront on it.
Our position, openly
RushPilot chose a fixed subscription and 0% commission: our prices are public, the customer database belongs to you, and your December sales do not change your bill. It is not the right choice for everyone — if your first priority is a ready-made audience, a marketplace can make sense. But if your customers already exist and you want to offer them online ordering, do the calculation above before signing anything — including with us. To see how we approach it, start with the setup guide.
