How to start an online store from scratch: a step-by-step guide

1. Validate demand before investing

Check search volumes in Yandex Wordstat and research products on marketplaces: number of sellers, pricing, and reviews. A good sign is high demand alongside complaints about things you can improve: packaging, delivery times, or customer support.

2. Register your business

To get started, self-employment or sole proprietorship works. For retail online payments, a cloud cash register is required — fully cloud-based, no hardware needed.

3. Build your website

The bare minimum to launch: homepage, catalog, product cards with clear photos and descriptions, shipping & payment info, contacts, and privacy policy. With an AI builder, your draft is ready in minutes — just replace the photos and prices with your own.

4. Set up payments and shipping

Shoppers expect card and SBP payments. It's best to calculate shipping right in the cart — unexpected delivery costs are the top reason for abandoned carts. Run a full test order: from cart to receipt and confirmation email.

5. Bring in your first customers

Start with free channels: listings in business directories and maps, a Telegram channel, a link in VK. Then, run search ads with a small budget on high-intent keywords, and use marketplaces as an extra channel.

6. Track numbers and improve

Connect analytics with goals. See where visitors drop off and fix one bottleneck a week: photos, descriptions, shipping terms, or response speed.