How to create an online store: where to start

Opening an online store is not just "putting products on a website". It is setting up a small business from scratch: product, price, payment, delivery, customer service and promotion. This guide shows the right order to begin without getting lost.

1. Define what to sell and to whom

Choose a few products to start with and describe your customer. Calculate the price carefully, including cost, shipping and fees.

2. Choose where to sell

• Social media and WhatsApp: simple to start, but manual.
• Marketplaces: bring a ready audience, with their own rules and fees.
• Your own store: more control over brand and data, but more work to attract visits.

3. Build the store with the essentials

• Good photos. A phone is enough if the light is good.
• Clear descriptions: measurements, materials, delivery time and return policy.
• Payment: cards and local methods, with the fees known in advance.
• Shipping and delivery time: calculate before setting the final price.
• Company details and a privacy policy.

4. Organize customer service

Questions before and after purchase arrive every day. Set up WhatsApp Business and reply fast.

5. Make the store findable

• Product titles and descriptions written for Google.
• A Google Business Profile, if you have a physical store or service area. See how to create it.
• Instagram with useful content, not just prices.

6. Measure and adjust

Track visits, abandoned carts, orders and the cost of winning each customer. Only then think about ads. A one-page marketing plan helps you decide what to measure.

Common mistakes

• Starting with a huge catalog and no stock or delivery time defined.
• Not including shipping and fees in the price.
• Advertising before the store is ready to sell.
• Taking too long to answer questions.