Starting an online store: a step-by-step plan for business owners

Starting an online store does not have to be overwhelming. It only becomes complicated when you try to arrange everything at once. The trick is to break it into logical steps and work through them one by one.

In this article we walk through the whole process: from testing your idea to landing your first order. It is written for business owners who want to stay in control, whether that means doing a lot yourself or outsourcing part of it. If you would rather have the complete picture from start to launch, also read our complete guide to having a webshop built.

Step 1: test your idea before you start

Before you invest time and money, you check whether there is demand for what you want to sell. Starting an online store is fun, but without customers it stays an expensive hobby.

Ask yourself honest questions:

• is there demand for my product?
• who are my customers and where do they search?
• who already sells the same, and how?
• what makes my offer different or better?
• what can a product cost and what do I keep?

You do not need to write a thick business plan. A few pages with your audience, your offer and a rough calculation of your margin are often enough to see whether it is promising.

Step 2: arrange your business and registration

If you want to sell structurally, you register with the chamber of commerce. That is required as soon as you regularly sell with the aim of making a profit. The registration is a one-off and costs a fixed amount.

After registering you get a VAT number. With it you:

• charge VAT to your customers
• can reclaim VAT on your costs
• file periodic returns

Also think about a business account, proper bookkeeping and a business insurance if that suits your situation. This is not exciting work, but it prevents hassle later. Arrange it neatly before you go live.

Step 3: choose what you sell and how you source it

You know what you want to sell, but how do you get your products? This determines a large part of your way of working and your margin.

Common forms:

• you make products yourself
• you buy from a wholesaler and keep stock
• you let the supplier ship directly (dropshipping)
• you sell services or digital products

Each form has pros and cons. Your own stock gives control but costs money and space. Dropshipping is low-threshold but gives less grip on quality and delivery. Choose what suits your product and how much risk you want to take.

Step 4: choose your platform or have it built

Now it gets concrete: where will your webshop run? This is a choice with long-term consequences, so take your time.

Roughly you have three options:

• an off-the-shelf platform you start with quickly yourself
• an open-source solution with more freedom but more management
• having a webshop built that is tailored to your wishes

Many beginners start themselves on a simple platform to learn. Others deliberately choose to have it built from the start, so the foundation is professional. If you want to know what a professional webshop costs, read our article on how much having a webshop built costs. It gives you a picture of the investment.

Step 5: set up your webshop

With a platform chosen, you set up your shop. This is the moment your idea becomes visible.

The most important parts:

• a logical division into categories
• product pages with good photos and honest texts
• a clear checkout process
• the fixed pages: about us, contact, shipping and returns
• your terms and conditions and privacy statement

Take your time over your product pages. This is where customers decide whether to buy. A vague description or poor photo costs you sales. Write as if you are helping a customer in the shop: honest, clear and focused on what it brings them.

Step 6: set up payment and shipping

Customers want to pay easily and in a familiar way. In the Netherlands that means at least offering iDEAL. In addition, options such as credit card and pay later are welcome.

You arrange payments through a payment service that connects several methods to your shop in one go. Which one fits depends on your expected revenue and the rates.

For shipping you decide:

• which carrier you work with
• what you charge for shipping
• from which amount you ship for free
• how customers can return items

Calculate your shipping costs and margin carefully. Shipping costs that are too low seem customer-friendly, but can eat into your profit if you are not careful.

Step 7: test everything before you go live

Before the launch you go through your own shop as a customer. That way you discover mistakes before a real customer encounters them.

In any case, test:

• ordering a product and checking out
• a real test payment
• the confirmation email
• how it works on phone and computer
• the speed
• whether stock and costs are correct

Also ask someone else to try your shop. A fresh pair of eyes sees what has become obvious to you. A good test means you can launch with confidence.

Step 8: go live and get your first customers

Your shop is online, but that does not mean customers yet. The real challenge begins now: making sure people find you and buy.

Ways to start:

• tell your network and existing contacts
• set up your Google Business Profile
• be active on social media
• send an email to your contacts
• work on your visibility in Google
• consider targeted ads if the budget allows

The first sales feel like a milestone. Celebrate them, but above all keep learning. Look at where visitors drop off and which products do well. Those insights help you grow step by step.

Step 9: measure, learn and grow

Starting an online store is a start, not an end point. The business owners who succeed keep improving based on what the numbers tell them.

Keep an eye on:

• how many visitors you get and where they come from
• what share actually buys
• which products do well
• where people drop off in the checkout process
• what your average order value is

You do not have to be a data expert. Start with the basics and look every month at what can be better. Small improvements add up to growth.

A common mistake in thinking is that growth comes by itself once the shop is online. In practice, running a webshop is mainly about persistence: keep improving, keep learning and keep working on awareness. The business owners who are still standing after a year are rarely the fastest starters, but they are the ones who kept adjusting based on what their customers showed them.

Calculate your budget and margin in advance

Many starting webshops do not fail on a bad product, but on the maths underneath it. Before you start, you map out what you spend and what you keep.

In any case, include:

• the purchase price or making process of your product
• the cost of your platform or having a webshop built
• transaction fees per sale
• shipping costs and packaging
• costs for marketing and advertising
• the VAT you pay

Then calculate back to your margin per product. Do you keep enough to grow? Many business owners set their price too low out of fear of losing customers, and get into trouble because of it. An honest price that matches the value you deliver is healthier in the long run than the lowest price on the market. So start with a calculation, not with a guess.

Common mistakes when starting

Those just starting make predictable mistakes. By knowing them, you can prevent them:

• starting without checking whether there is demand
• wanting to offer too many products at once
• forgetting the legal obligations
• an unclear or too-long checkout process
• thinking customers will come by themselves
• too little attention for product photos and texts
• giving up after a quiet first month

Patience and focus beat haste. Start small, do it well and build from there.

Do it yourself or have it built?

Many business owners doubt whether to build their first webshop themselves or have it made. Both are possible; it depends on your time, budget and ambition.

Doing it yourself suits you if you have time, want to learn and start small. You keep costs low, but invest many hours and the shop is often less professional.

Having it built suits you if you want to sell seriously and prefer to put your time into your products and customers. You pay more up front, but get a shop that is finished and can grow. Want to spar about what is wise in your situation? We are happy to help you have a webshop built that suits where you want to go.

Want to start an online store and be sure the foundation is solid? We think along with you about platform, setup, payments and growth. Whether you want to start yourself or prefer to have it built, we help you on your way to your first order. Discover our webshop options or request a no-obligation conversation.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start an online store, step by step?

You first test your idea, arrange your business and registration, choose what you sell and how you source it, choose a platform, set up your shop, set up payment and shipping, test everything, go live and then work on customers and growth. Breaking it into steps keeps it manageable.

Do I need to register with the chamber of commerce for a webshop?

Yes, as soon as you regularly sell with the aim of making a profit, you are required to register with the chamber of commerce. You then also get a VAT number with which you charge VAT and file returns. The registration is a one-off.

What does it cost to start a webshop?

That depends on the route you choose and on what you sell. Count on more than just the webshop. At the start you also pay for your first stock or the cost of making your product, one-off items such as the chamber of commerce registration and product photos, and a budget for marketing. After that come fixed monthly costs for the platform or hosting, maintenance and integrations. Per order you pay transaction fees, shipping and packaging. Starting yourself on a simple platform keeps the first outlay low. Having a webshop built requires more up front, but gives you a foundation that can grow along. You can read what building a webshop costs, and what that price depends on, in how much a webshop costs to build.

Which platform do I choose as a beginner?

As a beginner you often choose a platform that is easy to manage and can go live quickly. If you want to start seriously and professionally, it can be wise to have your webshop built on a platform that suits your growth plans. Choose based on your ambition, not just on convenience.

Which legal rules apply to a webshop?

You must show, among other things, clear terms and conditions, a privacy statement, correct prices including VAT, and information about shipping and returns. Customers usually have a legal right of withdrawal. Make sure these pages are complete and correct before you go live.

How do I attract my first customers to my webshop?

Start with your own network and existing contacts, set up your Google Business Profile, be active on social media and work on your visibility in Google. Do not expect many sales right away, but use the first weeks to learn what works and grow step by step.