Create your store

How to start an online store in India

Choose one product for one kind of customer, work out your costs, build a simple store, test it with a real order, then share it with people who already know you. Here is each step.

1. Choose a product and a customer

Start with something you can already get, photograph and ship. "Handmade earrings for college students" is easier to sell than "fashion for everyone", because you know who to show it to and what to say. Start small, with a few products you are sure of, and add more once people are buying.

2. Work out what each sale really costs

Before you set a price, add up everything one order costs you:

  • the product itself;
  • packaging;
  • shipping, and shipping back if the parcel is returned;
  • your payment gateway's charge, or the courier's charge for collecting cash;
  • your store platform's fee.

If your price does not cover all of this and leave a profit, change the price now. It is much harder to raise later.

3. Sort out the business basics

GST registration and other rules depend on what you sell and how much. Ask a local accountant before you start taking orders, and tell them you plan to sell online. A short conversation now can save you trouble later.

4. Pick a name and a domain

Choose a name that is short and easy to spell, then check that the domain and the Instagram handle are both free. Connecting your own domain makes your link look like a real shop, and it stays yours if you ever change platform.

5. Choose a store platform

Look at three things: what you pay each month, what you pay on each sale, and whether you can take the payment methods your customers want. ShopNx costs ₹0 a month and 1% of successful sales, plus 18% GST on the fee (see how it works). A monthly plan such as Shopify can suit a shop with higher sales.

6. Add your first products

You do not need a studio. For each product:

  • Photos: use daylight near a window and a plain background. Show the front, the back and the product in use.
  • Description: say the size, material and what is in the box. Answer what customers keep asking you.
  • Variants: set up each size or colour with its own price and image.

7. Decide how you take payment and ship

Most new shops in India should offer both prepaid and cash on delivery, because a customer who does not know you yet may not want to pay first. Compare a few couriers on price for your usual parcel weight. Write down your shipping charge, delivery time and return rule, and put them on your store where customers can read them before they order.

8. Place a test order on your phone

Most of your customers will shop on a phone, so test on one. Open your store on mobile data, find a product, choose a variant and go all the way through checkout. Check that the order appears in your admin. Then fix anything that confused you, because it will confuse your customers too.

9. Tell people who already trust you

You do not need ads for your first orders. Start here:

  • Message friends and past customers who would want to know, and share your link on WhatsApp.
  • Put the link in your Instagram bio and show each product in a reel or story.
  • Ask your first buyers what nearly stopped them from ordering. Their answers tell you what to fix next.

Your launch checklist

  • I know my product and my customer.
  • My price covers every cost and leaves a profit.
  • I have asked an accountant about GST.
  • My name and domain are chosen.
  • My products have clear photos, descriptions and variants.
  • Payment, shipping and return rules are on the store.
  • I have placed a test order on my phone.
  • I know who I will tell first.
Create your store See how the fee works