How to open your own online store?

Online commerce has become a very promising area for business today. Every day, new entrepreneurs, both novice and experienced, are looking to set up their own online stores. After all, this will provide them with many ways to enter the rapidly growing and profitable online sales market at almost no cost.

Indeed, e-commerce in Ukraine has made a real breakthrough in recent years. Every resident of the country has appreciated the convenience of online ordering—time savings, a huge selection, and affordable prices. And for businesses, e-commerce provides access to a vast audience without the unnecessary costs of renting premises and hiring staff.

However, every entrepreneur is concerned about questions such as how to open an online store, what investments are required, and how to avoid repeating others’ mistakes in the market. After all, competition in this field is incredibly fierce, and the price of miscalculations is a loss of time, money, and effort.

In fact, it is quite possible to open a profitable online platform if you follow a clear step-by-step plan. We have written this guide to opening an online store especially for you. In it, we will explain in detail where to start, how to set everything up correctly, and what nuances to consider.

Step-by-step guide to starting an online store from scratch

Statistics show that only 30% of online platforms continue to exist 2-3 years after their initial launch. In order for your trading platform to not only stay afloat, but also become a full-fledged business tool that brings stable profits, you will have to do some serious preparatory work. This is where a guide to opening an online store will come in handy.

Choose the right niche

This is what you will be selling. The success of your business largely depends on this choice. How can you find a truly promising niche? Here are some effective options:

1. Draw on your experience and social circle. Think about the problems and needs that you or your friends face. Perhaps these needs can be met by providing certain types of goods. Experience in the field will be a serious advantage, as you already understand the product, customer pain points, and their characteristics.
2. Keep up with trends. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube showcase new products every day that instantly gain popularity thanks to influencers and challenges. What goes viral on social media often becomes a hit beyond social media as well.
3. Check out the “shelves” and bestsellers of large marketplaces. These could be Rozetka, Prom, Amazon, or Etsy. Pay attention to items that have a lot of comments and good ratings—this is a sure sign of stable interest. Often, even the marketplaces themselves provide analytics and selections of top sellers.
4. Study foreign trends and innovations. Alibaba and Kickstarter will help you with this. Check out the lists of the top products of the year on thematic forums. This will help you stay one step ahead of the market.
5. Use Google Trends. This is necessary to track the popularity dynamics of queries for the product items you are interested in. The service will clearly show the level of interest of Internet users in points from 0 to 100.
6. Analyze search frequency and demand. This can be done using Keyword Planner and Ahrefs, services designed for keyword selection. This will help you understand what potential customers are looking for and what is currently in vogue.

What to consider when choosing a niche for your business?

Below are some useful recommendations:

• At the very beginning, we recommend focusing on a highly specialized topic. This will help you avoid high competition and firmly establish your niche in the market.
• Choose products that you know well. In-depth knowledge will help you provide high-quality service, which means responding instantly to customer needs.
• Consider selling small items. This will save you money on logistics and storage. If you decide to sell large items, learn all the ins and outs of working with your chosen marketplaces and, preferably, consult with other entrepreneurs in your niche.
• Consider seasonality. All-season products will ensure stable sales throughout the year, which is vital when you are just starting out in the world of online commerce.
• Give preference to items that require repeat purchases. This will help you build a loyal customer base. But don’t forget to always monitor the quality of the services you provide and feedback from your target audience.
• Don’t get stuck on one niche. Select the most promising ones, then carefully analyze the competition and demand in each of them. This will enable you to make an informed final decision.

Analyze the competition

Now let’s take a closer look at competitive environment analysis, because it will help you understand the strengths of your competitors, their positive and negative sides, and how they attract and retain visitors.

Online store website

Enter key queries for your niche into search engines, such as Google, and evaluate the top 10 results. It is particularly important to note who occupies the leading positions — large marketplaces or niche online stores. Make a list of the 5-7 most active market players and create a table for easy comparison. In this table, record the following information about each competitor:

1. Company name, website address, or social media profile;
2. Positioning and unique selling proposition (USP) that sets them apart from others;
3. The range of products and pricing policy, to understand which market segment they are targeting;
4. Ease of interaction with the website (UX), including ease of navigation, page loading speed, and overall design impression;
5. Traffic acquisition channels (organic search, contextual advertising, social networks, etc.) and marketing tools used;
6. The reputation of the service, based on customer reviews and overall brand perception.

Remember that potential customers always compare different options before making a purchase, so it’s best to do this comparison yourself. For example, by assessing the level of comfort when shopping with competitors — do they have complicated registration, hidden fees in the shopping cart, inconvenient navigation — you can make the entire ordering process much easier and more comfortable.

Additionally, using Similarweb and similar online systems, check traffic metrics on competing websites. If someone gets thousands of visitors per month, they are diligently developing their business. Hundreds of visits indicate the opposite — low market activity.

The presence of organic traffic among competitors is a compelling reason to consider developing a content strategy, launching a blog, and optimizing search engine visibility. If their traffic comes from advertising, consider the appropriate budget and how to allocate it for promotion.

Social networks

It is equally important to analyze your competitors’ activity on social media. Consider the number of followers they have, the frequency of their posts, and user engagement (likes, comments, mentions). This will provide insight into whether your competitors are effectively utilizing social media for promotion.

Study their marketing campaigns through Meta Ads Library. What advertising objects, offers, and tone of communication with the target audience are used. Competitors are constantly launching new ads — there is demand in the niche, and they are successfully monetizing it.

Reviews

Read reviews about competitors on Google My Business and social media. Pay special attention to negative comments — they will point out your competitors’ mistakes in the market. Frequent complaints about problems with banks, poor service quality, and bad experiences with managers are your chance to outperform your competitors and win market loyalty.

To do this, enable live support, track delivery statuses, and automate notifications for customers. These seemingly simple steps will help you create the image of a professional and customer-oriented online store.

Find suppliers and evaluate the margin of the niche

This will come into play when others are selling at minimal markups or purchasing at inflated prices and underestimating expenses. You will be able to avoid these mistakes and remain in an advantageous position.

For each selected trade direction, try to find 3-5 potential suppliers. You can find them anywhere—online catalogs, wholesale markets, foreign platforms (such as Alibaba).

When communicating with potential suppliers, request the following information:

1. Product certificates. These are simply mandatory for items that must remain safe for health, such as disposable tableware. Certificates confirm that products comply with the necessary quality standards.
2. Minimum and maximum batch sizes. This data will be useful for calculating the required storage space and working capital for purchasing and logistics.
3. Possible delivery methods and times. This allows you to plan deliveries to your warehouse and further shipment to customers.
4. Warranty service terms and conditions. This point is critical for preventing force majeure situations and ensuring high-quality service for visitors.
5. Ability to provide descriptions and photos. High-quality content will be an important link for quickly launching your website and competently designing your online storefront.

Put all the data you’ve collected into one table so it’s easier to compare offers from different suppliers. Next, you can move on to calculating the approximate margin for each niche. Here, take into account not only the purchase price, but also all related costs—delivery, packaging materials, commissions, advertising costs. This is the only way to understand the real cost of a single order.

Let’s say the wholesale price of a mouse pad is 200 UAH, shipping to you is 10 UAH, preparation for shipment to the customer is 15 UAH, commission is 5 UAH, and the cost of attracting one customer (CPA) is 50 UAH. The total cost will be 280 UAH. With a retail price of 400 UAH, the margin will be 120 UAH (30%). This is a decent indicator for online retail.

But don’t ignore potential returns, online support costs, promotions, and other “insignificant” expenses. If you don’t calculate all the economics before launch, your chances of survival will be slim.

Aim for a margin of at least 25-30%. With lower values, there is a high probability of going into the red after paying taxes, returns, and discounts. Consider the size and weight of items, the likelihood of returns (for example, in the clothing segment, they are high), and the reliability of the supplier (will they be able to provide the volumes as sales grow).

Decide on a working model

Before you start creating your own online platform, you need to figure out its model. That is, decide exactly how you plan to conduct trading. In general, there are two main options:

Dropshipping

This is a very convenient business model for online stores, especially when starting out. The essence of this model is that you do not store the items you sell yourself, but instead forward orders to a supplier who ships them directly to customers. While this may sound easy and profitable in theory, there are certain nuances to consider.

The main advantages of dropshipping:

1. Lower initial investment. You don’t need to rent premises, purchase large quantities of products, or organize storage and accounting. You order everything from the supplier only after the buyer has paid.
2. Risk reduction. The likelihood of overstocking or shortages is much lower than when trading from your own warehouse. This is especially true if you have many reliable suppliers.
3. Wide selection. You can offer a wider range of products without having to physically store everything and tie up money in inventory. All you need to do is work with several suppliers at once.

But there are also disadvantages to dropshipping:

1. Lower margins. Standard drop shipping purchases are more expensive than wholesale orders. Therefore, the margin here will be lower.
2. Poor predictability of shipping times. You are dependent on the supplier and whether they adhere to the agreement. Any disruptions on their part will result in dissatisfaction among your audience.
3. No quality checks. Items are shipped directly from the supplier, and you cannot inspect them yourself. However, visual inspection is not possible for certain types of products.

Look for trusted partners with a good reputation. Discuss all terms of cooperation in advance—prices, shipping times, guarantees, and return policy. Sign a contract that clearly defines areas of responsibility.

However, even with dropshipping, it is important to stay on top of things — monitor how your supplier is performing and analyze customer feedback. Ideally, you should be able to integrate your warehouse programs so that you can see actual stock levels and sort orders.

Own warehouse

In this case, you have complete control over the availability of items, order processing speed, and shipping. However, the costs will be higher—for renting space, equipment, staff, and logistics.

Advantages of this approach:

1. Higher margins. By purchasing goods in bulk at reduced prices, you will earn more profit from each transaction.
2. Delivery speed. Your items are already with us, packed and ready to ship. This significantly reduces the time between order placement and delivery to the buyer.
3. Quality control. You can personally inspect each shipment. This is useful for products where appearance, completeness, and expiration date are critical.

But there is also a downside:

1. The need to find and rent suitable premises. It must meet requirements in terms of space, storage conditions, and transport accessibility. And that means additional costs.
2. Equipment and personnel costs. You will need shelving, packaging materials, and computer equipment for accounting. Plus salaries for employees who will receive, pack, and ship orders.
3. Organization of processes. It is necessary to establish accounting for goods, processing of incoming orders, inventory, and work with transport companies. This requires time and resources.

At the outset, it may be wiser to trade using dropshipping or with responsible storage at the supplier’s premises. As the online store grows, gradually transition to storage in your own warehouses.

Analyze your target audience

Once you have identified your niche, it is important to understand who your service will be targeted at. Before you begin, ask yourself the key question: who is my ideal customer?

Let’s say you’ve decided to sell children’s products. In this case, you need to attract parents. Going deeper, we can assume that most purchases for children are made by mothers aged 25-35. It is this category that you should focus on first.

Careful analysis of the target audience and the creation of a detailed customer profile allow you to:

• identify audience needs and triggers;
• develop attractive design and content;
• set up effective advertising.

Ideally, divide your target audience into segments, create profiles of typical representatives of each group, and work out their path from first contact to purchase. This will help you identify not only the main category, but also potential groups that can also be attracted. The data obtained will form the basis for advertising campaigns, unique selling propositions, and marketing offers.

But don’t just focus on your main target audience. To reach as many customers as possible, also consider indirect, broad, and narrow audiences. You need to formulate a personalized message for each of them.

For example, for a wedding dress online store, the core audience is brides. But mothers, friends, and sisters often become indirect audiences, as they give advice and help with the selection. The broad audience is all girls planning a wedding. The narrow audience is those who are looking for a specific style and color, perhaps a straight white dress with a lace top.

To hook each of these groups, you will need different hooks and messages. Think about the needs and desires that are characteristic of representatives of the main, indirect, broad, and narrow audiences. Reflect this in your texts, visuals, and advertising offers.

Register a business

Once you have thought through your concept, decided on your niche, and found reliable suppliers, it’s time to legalize your business. In our country, registering a business is fairly simple, but it requires attention to detail and an understanding of certain nuances.

The first step is choosing the organizational and legal form. In our country, there are two most common options:

Sole proprietor (individual entrepreneur)

This option is the best choice for small and medium-sized businesses, especially when starting out. Registration is quick and easy—it can be done online through the Diya portal. This form involves minimal bureaucratic procedures and favorable taxation. Most online stores in Ukraine start their activities as sole proprietorships in groups 2 or 3.

Pros:

• ease of registration and record keeping;
• the opportunity to benefit from social security;
• low taxes.

Cons:

• not a long list of activities;
• lack of legal entity status;
• liability with one’s own property.

LLC (limited liability company)

Created for larger projects, joint ventures, and businesses attracting investment. Requires authorized capital (from 1 UAH), participants (minimum 1), and a director. An LLC can choose between general taxation or a single tax (groups 3-4).

Advantages:

• legal entity status;
• liability of participants only within the limits of their shares;
• the ability to attract investment and partners.

Cons:

• more complex registration and administration;
• mandatory accounting reports;
• high risk of inspections.

The choice between an individual entrepreneur and a limited liability company depends on the scale of your business, the number of founders, and your development plans. Carefully weigh all the pros and cons. If necessary, consult with a lawyer or accountant.

Take into account the specific requirements for online commerce. In particular, comply with the Consumer Protection Act, prepare an offer and privacy policy on the website. From 2022, in some cases, it will be necessary to use cash registers (cash transaction recorders).

For the convenience of record keeping and reporting, we recommend setting up sales accounting using special software from the outset. This will simplify the recording of orders, payments, and interaction with the tax authorities.

Register a domain

A domain name is the unique address of any website. It is good if it matches the brand name or is close to it. This will make it easier for people to remember and find you. To choose a domain, we recommend:

• Prefer short and memorable names (ideally up to 10 characters);
• If the brand name is too long, shorten it, use an abbreviation, or use words that sound similar.
• Use the Latin alphabet for writing — it is universal and will display correctly in any browser and even operating system.
• Check the uniqueness of the chosen name to avoid coincidences and conflicts with existing platforms and trademarks.

Also, decide on a domain zone. If you plan to trade locally (within a specific city or region), you can use a domain with a corresponding geographical indicator, for example, .kh.ua for Kharkiv. If you plan to cover the whole of Ukraine, the national .ua or .com.ua will be suitable. For international trade, .com is optimal.

Ideally, you should purchase your domain from the same registrar where you pay for hosting. This will make it easier to control payments and renew your registration. When registering, provide accurate information about yourself as the owner (individual, legal entity, or sole proprietor). This is necessary in case you lose access—you will need to confirm your rights to the domain.

After registering and paying, you will get access to the domain control panel. Now you can link it to hosting and set up your brand new online store.

Connect an SSL certificate

Security is key to gaining customer trust. Therefore, be sure to connect an SSL certificate. It will ensure that data transmitted between the website and the user is encrypted.

As a rule, the free Let’s Encrypt certificate, which can be activated via the hosting control panel, is sufficient. After installation, check that everything is working as it should:

• the site opens using the https:// protocol;
• There are no warnings about an unsafe connection in the browser’s address bar.
• When entering an HTTP address, a redirect to the HTTPS version should occur.

A properly configured SSL certificate will not only protect your customers’ data, but also have a positive impact on SEO. Search engines, particularly Google, give preference in their rankings to platforms with secure connections.

Buy hosting space

Hosting is a place on the provider’s server where your platform’s files and database will be physically located. Roughly speaking, it is renting disk space and computing power.

After purchasing hosting, you need to link a domain name to it. This will help open the website at the correct address. When the setup is complete, access to the hosting can be transferred to the developer for direct writing of your website.

On which platforms can you open your online store?

So, once you have decided on your direction and target audience, it’s time to choose the platform on which everything will work. This will affect the future success of your business. Therefore, it is important to approach this issue with the utmost responsibility.

The modern market offers various services that can be used to open an online store. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at the main services that are suitable for both novice entrepreneurs and those who already have experience in e-commerce.

Shop on Instagram

This social network can be an excellent platform for an online store, especially if your target audience uses it. To start trading on Instagram, simply create a business account. This option is available in the settings. Find “Switch to Business Account” and specify the type of your business.

The next step is to fill out and set up your profile correctly:

1. Add a description that reveals the essence of your online store and an avatar with a recognizable logo. If you have additional resources (website, landing page, order form), be sure to link to them using a multi-link in your profile description.
2. Publish at least 15 posts before you start promoting. They should give users a clear idea of who you are. First impressions are extremely important, so take a responsible approach to creating content.
3. Connect Instagram Shopping in the “Company” section. This tool will simplify the trading process by allowing you to group products, track statistics, and create additional tags.

Starting on Instagram is an easy and affordable way to begin selling online. However, achieving great results will take time and effort.

Marketplace account

Marketplaces, such as Rozetka and Prom, are full-fledged platforms for placing ads and trading. They are ideal for starting an online business, as they do not require any investment. You can immediately focus on promoting your products using the existing traffic of the marketplace.

However, keep in mind that there are some nuances to consider. First of all, you will need to sign a contract with the platform, which requires you to register a legal entity with the appropriate KVED codes.

Marketplaces also establish their own rules for designing product cards, which must be strictly followed. For example, Rozetka provides a detailed 14-point guide that regulates all aspects, from text descriptions to photo angles. Following these rules will take some time, but it is essential for successful moderation.

Once the cards have been approved, they will immediately appear in the marketplace search results. The next step is to organize all the work. Hire managers to process orders, advise buyers, and monitor payments, as well as packers to collect and ship orders.

Important! Marketplaces usually charge a commission and have restrictions on customizing your page to suit your individual needs. But these disadvantages are offset by simplicity, savings on initial costs, and access to a large audience. A competent approach to marketplaces will allow you to launch online sales and scale up over time.

Own website

If you want maximum freedom, the only right decision is to create an online store from scratch. There are two main ways to do this: using a CMS or a specialized website builder. Let’s consider both options.

Website builder

Website builders are suitable for those who want to launch a simple website without any special technical knowledge. Essentially, it is a ready-made platform where you can choose a design template you like and, if necessary, change the layout of some blocks. With the help of a website builder, you can create a basic web resource in just a couple of days.

However, this approach has limitations. Website builders have closed code, which does not allow you to make changes or add functionality that was not provided for by the developers. If you need to add functionality to your online store or customize its design in the future, this will be problematic with a website builder.

CMS

If you want flexibility and real scalability, then you should take a closer look at CMS. This is the name given to content management systems. They require certain knowledge of web development (PHP, HTML, CSS, JS), but with a sensible approach, they offer almost unlimited potential for developing your online business.

Today, there is a huge list of CMSs that vary in price, functionality, and quality. When choosing a platform, focus on your needs. We recommend the following CMSs:

1. Opencart. It is free and allows you to create a website without any financial costs. However, in order to achieve the desired functionality, you need to install and configure plugins yourself. This will lead to slow performance, crashes when loading online pages, and problems with SEO optimization. Opencart will require further development and additional study for effective use.
2. Horoshop. A Ukrainian platform with a huge template database. Its advantages include a user-friendly interface, Ukrainian language support, integration with local delivery and payment systems, and a free SSL certificate. Horoshop adapts the interface of all pages to different types of devices and even offers a 7-day free trial.
3. Shopify. A recognized global leader among e-commerce platforms, operating in 175 countries. Shopify offers a huge range of features, designs, and integrations suitable for businesses of any size. The platform has also developed Shopify Payments, which allows you to accept payments without commissions. You can try Shopify for free for 14 days before purchasing.
4. WooCommerce. A free plugin that turns WordPress developments into a full-fledged online store. WooCommerce offers a variety of themes, extensions, and settings for different areas of activity. The plugin supports various payment and delivery methods and integrates with analytics, marketing, and CRM services. However, you must have your own hosting and domain to use it.
5. Magento. A powerful CMS that has gained popularity both in Ukraine and abroad. It is ideal for online resources with high traffic and complex functionality. Its main advantages are a wide range of configuration options and high performance. The only drawbacks are the cost of the license, increased hosting requirements, and a shortage of specialists capable of performing high-quality configuration.

What needs to be configured on the website before launching an online store?

So, you’ve chosen a platform and are ready to start an online store from scratch. But before you launch, make sure that all the key elements are set up and functioning correctly. Let’s take a look at the main points to pay attention to.

Key elements

• Logo. This is a key element of your brand’s recognition. A well-designed and memorable logo will help you stand out, especially if your name contains common words (for example, “Workwear”). Pay attention to the visual design of the logo so that it is easy to remember and associated specifically with you.
• Menu. Convenient navigation is the key to a comfortable user experience. If your website consists of several pages, think through the menu structure. Visitors should be able to easily find the sections they are looking for, information about delivery and payment, as well as ways to contact you. A well-organized menu will simplify the user’s journey through the online platform and increase the chances of placing an order.
• Contact details. Place your contact information in a prominent place, such as in the header. Include your phone number, email address, and links to social media accounts, if you have them. This will allow people to contact you to clarify details or resolve any issues that may arise. Accessibility and openness increase the trust of your target audience.
• Online chat. This is an effective tool for prompt communication. Users can ask questions directly on the page of the product they are interested in. This approach saves them time and increases the likelihood of placing an order. To let people know about the chat, add a notification on each page. And don’t forget to assign an employee to respond to inquiries in a timely manner.
• Reviews. Real reviews are powerful social proof of the quality of your services. If you already have successfully completed orders, ask satisfied customers to leave a review on your website. Sincere comments and high ratings will strengthen your reputation and help potential customers make a decision in your favor. So add a reviews section and encourage people to share their opinions.

Bulk loading of goods

To save time and effort when adding products to your website, we recommend using bulk uploads instead of manual entry. This is especially relevant if you work with suppliers who already have product catalogs. For bulk uploads, you can use special plugins or built-in CMS tools. They offer several import methods:

1. Upload from file. You can prepare files in common formats (csv, xls, yml, etc.) containing basic data (name, description, price, images). These files are then imported, automatically creating product cards on the web resource. Just keep in mind that some specific options and complex parameters are often not transferred correctly. They will have to be added manually.
2. Uploading from CRM. If you keep records in a CRM system, you can set up automatic synchronization. This is a more structured approach, but it can also fail when dealing with large amounts of data (10,000 items or more). This method is also usually slower than standard file import.

Choose a bulk upload method based on the characteristics of your product list and the technical components of your CMS. Test the import on a small amount of data to ensure that the information is transferred correctly. You can also edit product cards manually.

Payment acceptance systems

It is important to provide your visitors with payment options, preferably both cash on delivery (COD) and cashless prepayment to a card or bank account.

Acquiring systems and payment gateways are most commonly used to accept online payments. The former ensures secure transfer of funds to the seller’s account. However, agreements with acquirers can only be made by legal entities, and the registration process itself takes up to 24 hours.

There are many payment systems represented on the Ukrainian market:

1. LiqPay from PrivatBank. Ideal for sole proprietors who have an account with PrivatBank. Using the system costs 2.2-2.75%.
2. WayForPay. A convenient payment system for marketplaces, ticket sales, and online courses. Transaction fee: 2.5%.
3. Portmone. A well-known system with broad functionality and integration with various platforms.
4. Acquiring from monobank. A simple and fast solution for accepting payments with competitive rates.
5. Stripe. A payment system designed for working with foreign customers, supporting multiple currencies and payment methods.

In addition, we recommend considering payment via e-wallets, such as PayPal, Masterpass, and Paymentwall. They are convenient for users, as they allow payments to be made regardless of the country of residence. However, please note that withdrawing funds from e-wallets can be problematic and limited in terms of amount or frequency.

Methods of delivery

To avoid losing customers due to unsuitable delivery methods, give them a choice of several options. The most popular delivery options in Ukraine are:

1. Courier delivery, including our own courier service. This is convenient for people who want to receive their order in person, wherever and whenever they want.
2. Pickup from a store, warehouse, or pickup point. Suitable for those who prefer to pick up their purchase themselves and save on delivery costs.
3. Postal and delivery services. Working with reliable operators will expand your trade geography and help you ship orders even to remote areas of the country.

Once you have decided on the appropriate delivery services and signed contracts, all that remains is to integrate their modules. This is usually done by simply inserting code.

Our popular partners in the field of online commerce often include Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Mist Express, and Delivery. All of them also offer international delivery services. For example, Nova Poshta has a “Global” format for EU countries and the US, Mist Express has “Shop Service myMeest,” and Ukrposhta is a member of the Universal Postal Union and can deliver to other countries with the support of 192 international operators.

Analytical system

It will help you regularly track key metrics, test changes on the website, and improve its effectiveness. Here are the tools you should implement first:

1. Google Analytics. Used to measure user behavior, your traffic, and revenue free of charge. It allows you to truly understand who your target audience is, how these people find you, what they do, and how they convert.
2. Google Search Console. Free verification of online page visibility in the search results of the internet giant of the same name to improve your performance. Here you can find and fix errors, optimize web pages for mobile devices, speed up their loading, index and analyze keywords, links, and ratings.
3. Facebook Pixel. Code for tracking target audience actions on the website and on Facebook. It is useful for creating target audiences for advertising campaigns, measuring their performance, and subsequent optimization for conversions and remarketing.
4. Hotjar. It also analyzes user behavior using heat maps, session recordings, surveys, and feedback forms. It will show you what visitors like or dislike, how they interact with content, and what influences their purchasing decisions.

What budget should be allocated for opening an online store?

The budget here depends on many factors. Let’s take a look at the main items of expenditure so that you can plan your investments.

1. Domain and hosting. The annual fee here often does not exceed $40. And it only takes 10-15 minutes to set up. So, it’s a very small amount of money to start with.
2. Development. A basic website builder with monthly payments starting at $10. A ready-made template on a popular CMS with minor modifications will cost $550-600. A custom-designed UI will cost $2000-3000 or more.
3. Content. Copywriting services for writing texts cost from $1 per item. The amount varies depending on the number of items, the amount of work, and even photo editing. At the first stage, you can get by with the minimum and then add more later.
4. Purchasing. Depending on the categories, you will need from $500. It is difficult to name the exact amount — demand and sales dynamics have an impact here. Dropshipping will help optimize this item.
5. Advertising. The minimum marketing budget is $200 per month. But the more you spend, the better. This is especially true when you are just starting your business and need to make yourself known.

These are approximate figures, as the cost of development and launch is not universal. Plan everything for the next six months, taking into account not only development, but also further development and marketing.

The first few months are rarely profitable, so prepare a financial reserve. Invest in expanding your product range and covering your running costs. But with the right approach and start-up capital, you will be turning a profit in just six months.

How to get your first customers after creating an online store?

To attract customers and finally start making money, you need to engage in marketing. The main promotion channels will help you get your first visitors:

1. SEO (search engine optimization). This is a comprehensive approach focused on improving your website’s ranking in Google and similar search engines. It includes technical optimization (improving page loading, security, adaptation for mobile devices), content management (unique and useful texts, keywords, and meta tags), and external factors (obtaining links from authoritative resources, reputation management).
2. Contextual advertising. In this model, you pay for clicks on ads that are shown to users based on their search queries or interests. Contextual advertising allows you to set up precise targeting based on various parameters (geographic location, demographic data, behavioral factors) and control advertising costs. The most popular platform for this type of advertising is Google Ads.
3. SMM (social media marketing). Create profiles for your store on popular social networks, including Instagram and YouTube, and regularly publish useful and engaging content. Hold contests, launch targeted advertising, track user reactions, and interact with them.
4. Email marketing. Collect your visitors’ email addresses via a subscription form and use newsletters to inform them about new products, special offers, and useful materials. Segment your subscriber base according to various criteria (interests, activity) and personalize your emails to increase their effectiveness.
5. Opinion leaders. Find bloggers, influencers, and experts in your niche who have an active and engaged audience. Offer them the opportunity to test your products, write an honest review, or hold a joint contest for their subscribers. Such partnerships will help you get quality traffic to your website, increase brand awareness, and gain the trust of potential customers.