One-Time Setup
Building the right foundation before your site begins running.
Every TSG relationship begins with a one-time setup, the foundational work of building or migrating your website into the Dealer Authority System correctly. This isn't a separately-billed fee, it's work covered as part of your tier pricing.
What setup delivers is the same for both tiers: a clean catalog, organized site structure, proper technical configuration, and a stable starting point for your site to operate on.
See the Tier Hub for what each tier setup covers.
Why Foundation Work Happens Before Monthly Billing Starts
Your tier is designed for ongoing operation, the monthly work of running a professional website. It's not designed to correct inherited problems, reconstruct past technical decisions, or guess at how a website was previously built. That work is what setup covers, and why the setup amount inside your tier pricing reflects the actual foundation work being done rather than an arbitrary onboarding fee.
What most dealer websites actually have
Products added inconsistently across brands
Promotions changed and never cleaned up
Apps installed, forgotten, still billing monthly
Content updated piecemeal across years
Technical debt accumulated quietly
Why setup work matters
If foundation work were skipped, your monthly tier would inherit whatever state your previous website was in, including all the inconsistency, duplicated apps, and accumulated technical debt.
Foundation work gets done once and gets done right; ongoing operation runs on stable ground rather than inherited debt. A clean start prevents long-term friction.
The Six Components of Setup
Setup is built around six specific work areas, each addressing a different foundational need. Every setup includes all six, they're not optional add-ons.
Website Build or Migration
Your site is built fresh or migrated into the Dealer Authority System: template implementation, core architecture, page migration or rebuild, URL structure and redirect management.
Catalog Cleanup & Baseline Accuracy
Core product data reviewed and aligned before go-live: catalog cleanup, specification verification, baseline content alignment, compliance and disclaimer review.
Site Governance Setup
Structure established to keep your site consistent over time, so it doesn't start accumulating the same technical debt that prompted setup: template alignment, content governance, baseline documentation.
Technical Configuration
Core technical systems configured correctly from the start: analytics and tracking, search indexing, site structure alignment, integration setup.
App & Integration Review
We review every app and integration on your website, identifying what should stay, what should be replaced, and what should be removed. (See the cleanup savings below.)
Dealer Onboarding Session
A walkthrough so you and your team understand how the system operates from day one: site walkthrough, operational alignment, day-to-day usage guidance.
From Access to Launch
Setup follows the same structured process for every dealer. What varies is depth, a dealer migrating from an existing website has different work than one starting fresh, but the steps are the same.
Timeline · Most setups complete in 3 to 5 weeks from kickoff to launch.
Access & Initial Review
We access your current environment (theme, apps, domain, structure) and document what's there.
Site Evaluation
We determine what should stay, be replaced, or be removed: legacy apps, outdated themes, conflicting code.
Clean Build Planning
We define the best path forward (reuse, full rebuild, or hybrid) and confirm it with you before work begins.
Site Development
We build within the Dealer Authority System. During this phase, your existing site remains live and untouched.
Domain & Technical Alignment
We finalize domain setup, redirects, and indexing, including the work that protects your existing search visibility.
Site Testing
We verify navigation, functionality, and stability against real-world use cases before launch.
Launch
Your site goes live on the new system and your tier's monthly operation begins. The switchover happens at launch, not at kickoff, so your existing site stays live through most of the process.
What Actually Happens During the Transition
The most common question from dealers switching sites is: "What happens to my current website while you're building the new one?" Here's the honest answer.
Your existing site stays live until launch
Setup happens in parallel. We build the new environment separately; your current site keeps serving customers throughout. You don't go dark during the build.
Your URL and domain stay yours
Your domain is your property. At launch, we point your domain at the new site. Customers continue using the same URL they always have.
Your search visibility is protected
If you have existing rankings or backlinks to specific product pages, we map those URLs to the new site's equivalents and configure proper redirects. Your SEO history transfers rather than resets.
Your customer accounts and order history are preserved
Customer data, order history, and account credentials migrate with you. Customers shouldn't notice the transition beyond a modernized site.
What doesn't transfer automatically
Some things don't move cleanly between websites. These are flagged during evaluation (Step 1) so there are no surprises at launch: custom code specific to your old website, third-party app data tied to apps you're removing, theme customizations without equivalents in the Dealer Authority System, and content that conflicts with the new site structure.
Dealers migrating from an existing website don't lose their site, their URL, their customers, or their search history. What they lose is the technical debt.
Your Role During Setup
You provide
Business information (location, service area, hours, contact)
Product confirmations (which brands and lines you stock)
Site access (current website, analytics, domain)
Brand assets (logos, custom product photos)
Decisions when asked (approval points, migration choices)
TSG handles
Site build or migration
Catalog cleanup and baseline
Site governance setup & technical configuration
App audit and recommendations
Domain and DNS management, launch coordination
Dealer onboarding session
You don't need to know Shopify. You provide inputs and approve decisions. TSG does the work.
Activities Outside Setup
Setup is foundation work. It does not include:
Ongoing optimization
Handled through your tier.
Manufacturer catalog onboarding
Separate Packs per brand (Pro includes 3; additional and Advanced Packs priced separately).
Configurator setup
Separate SafeBuilder add-on for 4+ option products.
SEO content strategy
Search Authority Engine, included in Pro and Charter tiers.
Promotional setup
Handled by Promotion Engine for custom promotions beyond manufacturer campaigns.
Custom development beyond baseline
Scoped as separate work when needed.
Why these boundaries matter: Setup stays focused on foundation specifically. That's what keeps it predictable, priced fairly within tier scope, and completable in 3 to 5 weeks. A setup that tries to cover everything never finishes, and costs more than it should.
Setup Plus Ongoing Operation: Your First-Year Investment
The full first-year picture depends on which tier you're starting at, and most of the setup and Pack onboarding work is already bundled into tier pricing.
$5,000 setup + $3,000/month × 12
Setup covers site implementation and onboarding for up to 3 Packs from Small, Mid-Size, or Large tiers. Additional Packs beyond the first 3, or Advanced Packs, are priced separately.
$10,000 setup + $6,000/month × 12
Setup covers custom site design and onboarding for unlimited Packs of any tier, including Advanced. No separate Pack fees during the partnership.
These numbers reflect honest total onboarding, not a teaser price that grows into surprise later. A standalone Shopify agency building equivalent work typically charges $8,000 to $15,000+ for setup and catalog onboarding alone, with no ongoing relationship. Pro's $41,000 first-year total covers that same work plus twelve months of operation, content development, promotion handling, and Search Authority Engine, purpose-built for safe retail.
Want your specific number? Request a Free Evaluation →What Launching From a Clean Foundation Looks Like
What starts happening
Your website reflects what you actually sell, accurately
Customer-facing pages are structured, professional, and fast
Technical infrastructure operates cleanly (analytics, indexing, integrations)
Monthly app costs drop as redundant tools retire
Your team understands the system and can operate it confidently
What stops happening
Accumulated technical debt causing unpredictable problems
Apps you're paying for that nobody uses
Inherited inconsistencies creating customer confusion
Website maintenance feeling like a constant uphill battle
The result: launching from a clean, accurate foundation, with no guesswork.
Start With a Clean Foundation
Setup is where every TSG relationship begins. It establishes the foundation everything else runs on, and once it's complete, your site operates as intended.
If you're ready to understand what your specific setup looks like, which brands need Packs, whether SafeBuilder applies, migration scope for your existing site, request a Free Evaluation. Three business days, written scope statement, no commitment.
The standard isn't what makes the content good. The dealer is.