26 August 2022
How to Start an Online Store in 2025 (Beginners Guide)
If you are a beginner looking for a detailed guide on how to start an online store, then you have come to the right place.
According to Sellers Commerce, 33% of the world’s population shops online. eCommerce is now a $6.8 trillion industry and will reach the $8 trillion mark by 2027.
As a result, this is the best time to start an online store and make money online.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through easy steps to start your online store:
- Step 1: Choose an eCommerce Platform
- Step 2: Decide a Product to Sell
- Step 3: Design Your Brand
- Step 4: Register Your Business
- Step 5: Set Up WordPress Hosting & Domain Name
- Step 6: Install WordPress
- Step 7: Set Up Your WooCommerce Store
- Step 8: Customize Your Online Store’s Design
- Step 9: Add Products to Your Online Store
- Step 10: Set Up Payments, Taxes, and Shipping
- Step 11: Extend Your Online Store With Plugins
By the end of this guide, you’ll have everything you need to build your own online store confidently.
Ready? Let’s get started.
Step 1: Choose an eCommerce Platform
The first and perhaps most important step in starting your online store is choosing which eCommerce platform to use.
Essentially, you have two main options for creating your online store: using WordPress.org with an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce or using a hosted platform like Shopify or BigCommerce.
Think of it like owning versus renting a physical store. With WordPress.org and WooCommerce, you will own your store completely. You choose your hosting, control all your costs, and can customize everything exactly how you want.
Using eCommerce platforms like Shopify is more like renting a store in a mall. While it’s easier to get started, you’ll have less flexibility, and the platform often forces you to upgrade to a higher plan as your business grows. Not to mention, you’re limited to the features they offer.
Read our full comparison on Shopify vs WordPress for more details.
Overall, we recommend going with WordPress.org for eCommerce. With WordPress and WooCommerce, you never feel locked in or limited by what you can create. Plus, you won’t face surprising cost increases as your store grows.
Additionally, WordPress also lets you choose the perfect eCommerce plugin for your specific needs.
Want to sell physical products? WooCommerce has got you covered. Want to sell digital downloads? Easy Digital Downloads work perfectly. Or do you need to create a membership site? Check out MemberPress.
As a result, for this complete guide, we will use WordPress.org with WooCommerce, as it is the most popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress.
Step 2: Decide a Product to Sell
Once you choose your online eCommerce platform, the next step in launching your online store is deciding what to sell. Your product selection influences everything about your business, including your brand identity and website features, as well as your marketing strategy and operational requirements.
To find the right online business idea, you can start by asking yourself these questions:
1. Who is Your Target Audience?
Before you choose a product, it’s essential to understand your ideal customer. Are they teenagers, professionals, or parents? Knowing who you’re selling to will help you pick a product that resonates with their needs, desires, and preferences.
2. Is There a Demand for This Product?
Conduct thorough market research to verify whether people are actively searching for this product. To assess demand, you can use tools like Google Trends and keyword research tools or check out your competitors.
A product that is in demand has a better chance of success.
3. What Problem Does This Product Solve?
Successful products usually solve a specific problem for the customer. Think about how your product can make their life easier or better. What gap in the market does it fill?
Products that solve problems tend to have a more engaged customer base.
4. How Can I Differentiate my Product from Competitors?
In a competitive marketplace, it is crucial to offer something unique or present your product in a way that stands out.
Whether it’s through branding, quality, customization, or a special feature, think about what will make your product more appealing compared to similar options.
5. Is the Product Profitable?
Profitability is key. Evaluate the cost of acquiring the product, shipping, and your operational expenses against the potential selling price.
Remember to consider factors like product margins, shipping fees, and any additional expenses that might cut into your profits.
6. Is the Product Scalable for Future Growth?
When choosing a product, consider how easily you can scale your business around it. Can you expand your offerings or upsell related products?
Products with expansion opportunities can help grow your business in the long run.
7. Is the Product Easily Marketable?
The ability to market your product effectively is crucial.
Does it have a strong visual appeal for social media marketing? Is it something people want to share with their friends or discuss?
The more easily marketable the product, the better your chances of reaching a broader audience.
By asking these questions, you can clarify what type of product is a good fit for your eCommerce business.
Now, move on to the next step.
Step 3: Design Your Brand
At this stage, you know your eCommerce platform and what product to sell. Now, it’s time to build a brand that captures your target customer’s attention and builds trust. Your brand design will impact everything from your website to your packaging, so it is important to get it properly.
Let’s get started with your business name. You’ll want something memorable that explains what you do. It should be easy to spell, remember, and type into a browser.
Take our name, Pickupwp, for example. It’s simple and straightforward, instantly telling visitors that we offer resources related to WordPress.
Before deciding on a name, see if it is available as a domain name. Ideally, your store name and domain name should be the same. This makes it easier for customers to find and remember your store.
Also, check to see if your chosen name has any trademark issues. Take the time to investigate trademark databases such as WIPO to ensure that your name has not already been registered elsewhere.
If you need help brainstorming, you can try these best free business name generator tools.
Next, create a logo design. Due to the rise of AI, many AI-powered logo makers are available online that can help you create a professional logo design for your store.
Remember, the best logos are often the simplest. Think of the Twitter bird or the iconic Coca-Cola script. These iconic symbols prove that effective logos don’t need to be complicated to be memorable.
Your color scheme is also important. The colors you select will be visible everywhere, from your website to your social media profiles and marketing materials.
Different colors trigger different emotions and send different messages to your customers.
Blue, for example, is commonly associated with trust and professionalism. That’s why firms like PayPal and Visa use it as their primary color, as it makes customers feel more secure while making transactions.
Finally, you will also consider your typography (fonts). Good typography improves your content’s readability while reinforcing your brand personality.
For example, serif fonts like Georgia convey elegance and sophistication, while sans-serif fonts like Helvetica give off a clean, contemporary vibe, ideal for brands focused on simplicity and innovation.
We recommend using one font for headings and other important elements to draw attention and another for body content to keep it readable. Here is a good example from The New York Times.
Once you’ve completed your branding design, you can proceed to register and set up your online business.
Step 4: Register Your Business
Registering your business is a crucial step when starting an online store. It gives your business a legal identity, allowing you to operate smoothly and establish credibility with customers.
Depending on your location, business type, and industry, the process may vary.
Here are the key things you’ll typically need:
- Business License: This is the official approval that allows you to operate legally. In most locations, a basic business license is required, and depending on the products you sell, additional permits may be necessary.
- Tax Registration: You’ll need to obtain a tax ID number to collect and pay sales tax, which ensures compliance with local tax regulations.
- Business Structure: Choose the legal structure for your business—whether it’s a sole proprietorship, LLC (Limited Liability Company), or corporation. Each option has its own legal and tax considerations.
- Bank Account: Set up a separate business bank account to keep your personal and business finances distinct. This not only simplifies accounting but also enhances your professionalism in customers’ eyes.
Now that you have everything legally set up, you can move on to creating your online store.
Step 5: Set Up WordPress Hosting & Domain Name
Before you can start building your online store with WordPress.org, you need two essential things: a domain name and web hosting.
Think of launching your online store like opening a physical shop – you need both an address where customers can find you and an actual building to put your store in.
A domain name is what customers type into their web browser to visit your store. For instance, when someone wants to find our website, they type in pickupwp.com.
Domain names usually cost about $15 per year, and you can choose different endings, such as .com, .shop, or .store.
Web hosting, on the other hand, is like renting space for your store’s contents. It’s where all your product photos, descriptions, and everything else live. Just like physical stores need different sizes of buildings, websites need different types of hosting based on their size and needs.
Looking at all the hosting options out there can make your head spin. There’s shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, VPS, and many more.
For a new online store, we recommended Bluehost or Hostinger. They both offer online store plans with WordPress + WooCommerce pre-installed, so some of your website setup is already taken care of.
However, there is a big difference in their pricing. The Bluehost Online Store plan costs $7.45/mo (12-month term) and renews at $26.99/mo. On the other hand, the Hostinger Cloud Startup plan costs $7.59/mo (48-month term) and renews at $19.99/mo. This makes Hostinger much cheaper than Bluehost.
Ultimately, the best option depends on your specific needs and priorities. For this guide, we’ll go with Bluehost.
Let’s go ahead and purchase your domain and hosting. To do so, simply click this link to go to Bluehost’s homepage.
Once there, you’ll see different hosting plans.
Since you’re building an online store, simply choose the Online Store plan. It comes with everything you need to start selling, including WooCommerce already installed. Just click on the Choose Plan button.
Now comes the fun part—choosing your domain name. You’ll see two checkbox options: register a new domain or use one you already own.
For a new domain, simply type your desired name in the box. Already have a domain? There’s a separate section where you can enter it.
We strongly recommend going with a .com domain if it’s available. Most people automatically type .com when entering web addresses.
If your entered domain name is available, you’ll be redirected to the checkout page.
Here, you will need to add your contact, account, and billing information to complete the purchase.
Once you have completed your purchase, you can go to your email inbox to find your Bluehost login details. This will let you log in to your web hosting dashboard to manage your website.
Step 6: Install WordPress
Here’s why using our Bluehost link is a great choice: WordPress and WooCommerce are automatically installed with your hosting plan. This streamlined setup is designed for those who prefer to skip the technical setup and dive right into their site.
Accessing your new WordPress site is simple. Just log in to your Bluehost account, go to the Websites section in the left-hand menu, and click on Edit Site. That’s all there is to it!
Alternatively, you can directly visit your WordPress dashboard by entering your domain name followed by /wp-admin/ (e.g., yourstorename.com/wp-admin/). This is your WordPress login URL.
If you’re using a different hosting provider, such as SiteGround, Hostinger, or others, no worries. Check out our detailed WordPress installation guide, which covers all the leading hosting platforms.
Now that WordPress is all setup let’s move on to the exciting step: configuring WooCommerce.
Step 7: Set Up Your WooCommerce Store
If you have WooCommerce already installed, you’ll likely be prompted with the WooCommerce setup wizard as soon as you log into your WordPress dashboard.
But if not, don’t worry. You can read our complete guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After installing the WooCommerce plugin, simply click Set up my store to start the setup process.
While you can skip this step, it’s not recommended. The setup wizard automatically creates your essential store pages, saving you time by avoiding the need to build them from scratch.
On the following page, WooCommerce will ask you a question about your online business.
If you’re just starting out, select the I’m just starting my business option.
Next, you’ll need to provide some basic information about your business, including your business name, the types of products you sell, your store’s location, and your business email address.
Once you’ve entered all the necessary details, click Continue.
Next, WooCommerce will present some free WooCommerce extensions that you can choose to install.
You can select the ones you plan to use and click Continue, or you can opt to skip this step by clicking Skip this step.
At this point, the plugin will take a few minutes to install.
Once the setup is complete, you’ll be redirected to the WooCommerce plugin page, where you’ll find a checklist of tasks to help you build your online store.
Step 8: Customize Your Online Store’s Design
Choosing the right WordPress theme is as important as choosing everything above.
A theme serves as the complete design package for your store, shaping everything from how your products appear to how customers navigate through your online shop.
WordPress offers thousands of themes, but not all are ideal for online stores. To ensure your products look professional and your checkout process is seamless, choose a theme specifically designed for WooCommerce.
Explore our curated list of top WooCommerce themes for the best options.
Installing a WordPress theme is simple. Just go to the Appearance » Themes from your WordPress dashboard and click the Add New Theme button. From there, you can browse and install the theme that suits your needs.
For customizing your theme, WordPress provides two options: the classic theme customizer or the newer full-site editor for block themes.
Both methods work well. You can also use a drag-and-drop WordPress page builder, which offers pre-made website designs, or an AI website builder that can create your store’s design in seconds.
Choose the method that best suits your comfort level. The easiest-to-use design tool will save you time and frustration, so pick one that feels intuitive to you.
Remember, you don’t need to perfect your design right away. Customizing your theme is an ongoing process. You can always refine it as your store grows.
Step 9: Add Products to Your Online Store
Let’s start adding products to your store with ease. Simply go to the WordPress menu and select Products » Add New. From there, you can enter the product title and description.
Next, scroll down to the Product Data section. Here, you’ll choose the product type, set the price, add shipping costs, manage grouped products, and enter other relevant details.
Below, you’ll find the Product Short Description box. This description will appear on various product pages across your site. Make sure it’s engaging and informative to help attract more clicks.
Product images are crucial to a successful product page. WooCommerce makes it easy to upload product images and create galleries for each item.
Start by adding the Main Product Image, which will appear as the primary image on shop pages throughout your store. Beneath this, you can upload additional images to create a product image gallery.
Then, click the Add New Category link in the right-hand column to create a new product category. Product categories help your customers easily navigate your store.
Review the product information you’ve added so far. Once everything looks good, you’re ready to go live.
Click the Publish button at the top right to make your product available in your store.
You can follow the same process to add more products to your site.
Step 10: Set Up Payments, Taxes, and Shipping
Let’s set up your store to start accepting orders, starting with payment setup.
Go to WooCommerce » Settings and click on the Payments tab. Here, you’ll find basic options like Cash on Delivery, Checks, and Bank Transfers. WooCommerce also offers its own payment gateway, WooPayments.
While WooPayments is convenient, it might not be the best option for everyone. It’s not available in all countries, and some users have reported issues with payment holds.
Next, let’s address taxes. Head to WooCommerce » Settings and click on the Tax tab.
In the Tax options section, you can decide whether to include tax in your prices, display tax in your shop and cart, how calculate tax and use specific tax classes.
Then, under Standard rates, you can set up your tax rules. Enter details like the countries or regions you sell to, tax rates for each area, and tax names (such as GST or VAT).
If you need to add multiple tax rates, you can save time by importing them via a CSV file.
Be sure to click Save changes when you’re finished.
Now, let’s set up shipping. You can find this under the Shipping tab in WooCommerce settings.
Use Shipping zones to define where you will ship and set different shipping methods for each zone, like free shipping or flat rates.
In the Shipping settings section, you can adjust important options such as displaying the shipping calculator on the cart page, choosing the default shipping address (either shipping or billing address), and enabling shipping debug mode if troubleshooting is needed.
It’s best to display shipping costs early, not just at checkout, as hidden fees often lead to abandoned carts. Transparency about shipping charges builds trust with your customers.
Under Classes, you can create special shipping rates for different product types. For example, you can set higher rates for larger or fragile items that require special handling.
To help your customers track their orders, consider adding a shipment tracking feature to your store.
If you offer local pickup, you can enable this option under the Local pickup tab. While this option is free by default, you can adjust the pricing based on your business needs.
With these settings in place, your online store is ready to start accepting orders.
Step 11: Extend Your Online Store With Plugins
Now that your store is almost ready, you can install some plugins to add extra features to make it a successful online store. For example, you can add a contact form or promote your online shop on social media to get your first sale.
While these aren’t mandatory, they can significantly boost your store’s success and help you provide a better shopping experience for your customers.
Let’s start with some must-have WordPress plugins that every online store needs:
1. OptinMonster – Increase Sales and Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment
OptinMonster is a powerful lead generation and conversion optimization tool for converting visitors into customers and increasing sales.
It offers several features that are particularly beneficial for eCommerce sites. One such feature is exit-intent popups, which display targeted offers when a user is about to leave the site. This feature alone can reduce cart abandonment and boost conversions.
Furthermore, the plugin provides extremely configurable forms, such as floating bars, full-screen welcome mats, and in-line opt-ins, which may be adjusted to the store’s design and branding.
OptinMonster also offers additional targeting options, such as geolocation targeting and behavior-based triggers. For example, you can show different offers to customer based on their location, previous browsing history, or where they are in the sales funnel.
Learn more in our complete OptinMonster review.
Pricing:
OptinMonster basic plan starts from $9/mo (billed annually).
2. WPForms – Create Different Forms Your Store Needs
When you start an online store, you’ll need to create various online forms, including contact, review, survey, registration, and login forms.
The WPForms plugin is the easiest way to build all these forms for your website.
WPForms is the most popular form builder for WordPress. It includes 2000+ form templates and a powerful drag-and-drop builder to help you design any form you need.
Pricing:
A free version is available on WordPress.org to build a basic form. The pro version starts from $49.50/year.
3. All in One SEO – Drive More Traffic to Your Store
The best way to drive traffic to your store is to ensure it appears in search engine results when people search for your products.
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your store’s products rank higher on platforms like Google, Bing, and other search engines, increasing visibility and attracting more visitors.
One of the easiest ways to boost your online store’s SEO is by using the All in One SEO plugin.
This plugin allows you to implement essential SEO best practices with just a click. It includes features such as ongoing site audits, content research, backend analysis, error detection, and much more.
Additionally, All in One SEO offers advanced eCommerce SEO support, enabling you to optimize your product pages and categories for better search engine performance.
Pricing:
A free version is available on WordPress.org. The pro version starts from $49.60/year.
4. TrustPulse – Build Confidence and Trust in Customers
TrustPulse is one of the top social-proof notification plugins for WordPress. It is designed to help you build trust and boost confidence with your audience, ultimately increasing sales. Studies have shown that using TrustPulse can increase conversions by as much as 15% almost immediately.
The plugin works by tracking recent website activity, such as sales or sign-ups, and displaying this activity through unobtrusive popups.
When new visitors observe that others are engaging with your site—whether making purchases or subscribing to newsletters—it encourages them to take similar actions, further enhancing your site’s conversion potential.
Pricing:
TrustPulse plan starts from $39/mo (billed annually).
5. CartFlows – Get More Leads and Maximize Profits
CartFlows is a user-friendly sales funnel builder designed specifically for WordPress websites. It allows you to create effective checkout flows that guide visitors deeper into your sales funnel, making it easier for them to purchase additional products. If you’re new to funnel building, CartFlows provides proven, high-converting funnel templates, allowing you to launch your funnels in just a few minutes.
Additionally, CartFlows helps boost your average order value with dynamic, rule-based offers for order bumps, upsells, and downsells. You can target customers with precise conditions, ensuring the most relevant offers are presented, increasing the likelihood of additional purchases.
Pricing:
CartFlows plan starts from $99/year.
6. Advanced Coupons – Create Highly Effective Coupons
Advanced Coupons is a top-tier WooCommerce coupon code plugin that enhances WooCommerce’s basic functionality. It provides a wider range of features, enabling you to create more attractive and effective coupon offers.
Seamlessly integrating with the WooCommerce platform, Advanced Coupons offers features such as Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals, coupon URLs, scheduled coupons, auto-apply options, shipping discounts, and much more.
Additionally, you can easily set up cart conditions, which are rules that restrict when and how coupons can be used. This helps protect your business from coupon misuse and ensures you’re not losing money to coupon abusers.
Pricing:
A free version is available on WordPress.org. The pro version starts from $59.50/year.
7. LiveChat – Add Live Chat & Chatbot
How can you create an interactive experience for your customers at your online store? By engaging with them directly. LiveChat is the perfect tool to do just that.
By integrating LiveChat into your WooCommerce store, you can have real-time conversations with your visitors, providing instant guidance if they have any questions or need assistance. This not only helps clear up confusion but also boosts customers’ confidence, making them more likely to complete their purchase.
Engaging with your visitors is a great way to make them feel welcomed and supported. Add LiveChat to your WooCommerce store and start connecting with your customers today.
Pricing:
LiveChat plan starts from $20/mo (billed annually).
8. Sucuri – Secure Your Store From Hackers
No matter the size, hackers target every website. For eCommerce sites, you handle sensitive information such as payment details, shipping addresses, and contact data, making it crucial to prevent data breaches and malware attacks.
Sucuri provides an all-in-one website security solution designed to safeguard your online store from malware, brute force attacks, and other potential threats.
When you activate Sucuri, it scans all incoming traffic to ensure only legitimate visitors reach your site. In the event of a hack, Sucuri also offers tools to help you quickly clean and restore your site.
Pricing:
A free version is available on WordPress.org. The pro version starts from $299/year.
9. WP Rocket – Make Your Store Lightning Fast
Speed is crucial when it comes to selling products and services online. Visitors expect your website to load in 3 seconds or less. Otherwise, they’ll quickly leave for a competitor or look for an alternative.
Additionally, your checkout process should be seamless and as fast as possible to prevent cart abandonment.
WP Rocket is one of the most popular premium caching plugins for WordPress. Once installed, it automatically implements all the recommended optimizations, immediately boosting your site’s speed.
Learn more in our complete WP Rocket review.
Pricing:
WP Rocket plan starts from $59/year.
Start Your Online Store Today!
Congratulations! You’ve just learned how to create an online store with WordPress, and we hope the process was as smooth and easy as possible.
Following the steps in this guide, you should now have a fully operational store ready to accept customer orders. Once you start receiving orders, the details will appear in the WooCommerce section of your WordPress dashboard, and you’ll also get email notifications.
If you’re still in the planning phase of setting up your WordPress eCommerce store, you now have a clear understanding of what to expect when you start building. Feel free to revisit this guide whenever you’re ready to launch your store.
For more, check out these other helpful resources:
- Top 8 WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Your Online Store
- 19 Best Free WooCommerce Themes For Your Online Store
- 12 Best WordPress Payment Plugins For Easy Online Transactions
- Best Payment Gateways for WooCommerce: Top 10 Picks
Lastly, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on the latest WordPress and blogging-related articles.
