If you’re wondering how to start an online store, the good news is that technology is no longer the hard part. The hard part is making the right decisions before it: what you sell, to whom, how they pay and how they receive their order.

This guide follows the order we recommend to our own clients, so your store starts on the right foot and doesn’t need to be rebuilt a few months later.

1. Define your customer and your products

Before anything else, answer two questions: who will buy, and why from you. A store selling local products to tourists needs a different approach from a spare-parts store for professionals. The answers shape the language, the design, the payment options and the shipping.

An online store is a business like any other. Talk to your accountant about registration, invoicing and any electronic reporting required in your country (in Greece, for example, the myDATA platform). Your store will also need:

  • terms of use and a returns policy,
  • a privacy policy and a cookie notice,
  • full business details in a visible place.

3. Choose a platform

Popular options are WooCommerce (on WordPress) and Shopify, with more specialised solutions for large catalogues. Compare:

  • the total cost over time, not only the initial one,
  • integrations with your banks, couriers and invoicing,
  • how easily you can change or extend the store later.

4. Payments and shipping

Customers want to pay the way that suits them. That usually means cards, possibly wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, bank transfer and, in some markets, cash on delivery. For shipping:

  • set clear costs and delivery times,
  • work with a courier that covers your areas,
  • consider free shipping above a certain order value.

The simpler and more predictable the cost at checkout, the fewer abandoned orders you’ll have.

5. Photos and descriptions

Online, customers can’t touch the product. Photos and copy do that job:

  • clear photos from several angles, on a consistent background,
  • descriptions that answer real questions (material, size, use, care),
  • original copy rather than the supplier’s text — it helps with Google too.

6. Test before launch

Place test orders with every payment and shipping method, on mobile and desktop. Check confirmation emails, invoices and the notifications you receive. Every mistake you catch now is a customer you won’t lose later.

7. Bring in visitors

A store without visitors is like a shop on a street with no traffic. Combine:

  • SEO for your categories and products,
  • Google Ads and Google Shopping for immediate visibility,
  • social media and email marketing to build relationships with customers,
  • price-comparison platforms, if they suit your products.

The next step

A successful online store is built step by step: start right, measure what works and keep improving. If you’d like to discuss your own store — from the platform to courier and invoicing integrations — request a quote from M. Dimopoulos.