You have a great product, a great business idea, and the motivation to go out and sell it. But as soon as you begin learning how to sell online, questions start flooding in. GST required or not? Which payment gateway should you choose? How do you want to ship products? Marketplace or Your Own Website? And where does one begin?
If you've ever been swarmed by these questions, you're not alone. Starting a business is too complicated and confusing for many first time entrepreneurs. The truth is that it’s a lot easier to begin if you know the basics and take the right steps.
The Indian e-commerce market is still in its infancy, and hence, it is an exciting opportunity for startups, local businesses, and independent sellers. No matter what you’re selling, whether it’s handmade products, clothes, electronics, beauty products, or even digital services, being online means you can reach customers far beyond your local area.
The best thing is that you are able to set up a professional online store without a lot of money or knowing how to code. Joonweb is an easy to use DIY website builder that allows you to create an e-commerce website, control your products, take online payments and start selling with confidence.
In this article, you will learn all the things you need to start an online business in India. In this guide we are going to discuss :
- What is GST
- How to choose the correct payment gateway
- How to choose dependable shipping partners
- How to choose the ideal e-commerce platform
- How to get a domain name
- And some simple marketing strategies to help you gain your first clients.
By the end of this essay, you will have a clear road map to turn your business idea into a fully functioning internet store.
Table of Contents
Why Selling Online is a Good Opportunity in India
Getting a business online has never been easier. Indians today are happy buying everything online, from clothes and home decor to groceries and handmade products. This change in our shopping habits has created numerous opportunities for startups and small businesses to connect with customers without the need for a physical store.
This is not a traditional shop that customers come to you. An internet store might bring buyers from distant cities and states. It means you can operate your firm from anywhere, and keep your operational expenses very low. As your business expands, your website may grow with it.
Why it is important
It’s not only a matter of putting things up for sale on the Internet, it helps you to construct your own brand, provide better shopping experience and create long term relationships with your customers. With your website you’re independent of marketplaces and you have 100% control over your products, pricing and customer experience.
DIY website builders like JoonWeb make it easy and affordable to develop an e-commerce site without being a tech whiz or having a lot of dollars. Create your own online store, display your products and begin taking orders without writing a single line of code.
A real world example :
Neha has a small home business selling hand made candles. First she gets orders via messaging apps and social media. She's having a tough time keeping up with orders and payments, and her products are getting more popular.
She decides she will open her own online shop with JoonWeb. Now customers can view her products, place orders, and pay online without having to contact her directly. In a few months, she’s taking orders from towns she’s never even visited, and her business is beginning to grow beyond her local market.
Advantages :
- Connect with Indian customers.
- Build your own brand, not only rely on the marketplace.
- Start with a less investment than operating a physical store.
- Handle products and orders in a single location.
- Grow your business as demand increases.
Startups and small businesses can sell their own brands, competing with larger brands. With the right plan and an intuitive platform such as JoonWeb, getting your online store up and running is a lot easier than most people think.
GST Basics Every Beginner Should Know
One of the biggest headaches for new business owners is getting a grip on GST. “Many people think they need to fill out all the tax forms before they sell their very first product. But that isn’t always true. The trick is to understand when you need to register for GST and how it can benefit your business.
GST (Goods and Services Tax) is the tax system adopted in India for most of the goods and services. If you want to sell online, mastering the basics will help you stay on the right side of the law and prevent trouble as your business expands.
Why it’s important
GST is mandatory. If you don’t do GST, you could get in problems later. You can struggle to send out bills, communicate with suppliers or build your firm. But if your firm is aware of the criteria beforehand, it will be able to be credible and complete taxes with confidence.
GST you have to pay depends on your yearly turnover, the type of goods or services you sell and the government rates at that time. These rules can change, so it’s a beneficial idea to check the latest guidelines or talk to a tax professional before you start your store.
A real world example :
Aman starts selling customized phone covers on his website. The first two months he only had a couple of orders. He is selling more now, and his business is growing. He checks the latest GST rules to see if he should register. He deals with customers and vendors, gains more confidence, looks after it at the right time and keeps selling without stopping.
Here’s why you should know about GST in advance:
- Helps you comply with your legal duties.
- Help with record keeping and billing.
- Builds confidence in customers and business partners.
- It avoids unnecessary complexity as your business grows.
- Builds your confidence in running your online store.
You don’t need to be a tax expert to start selling online, but it is a beneficial idea to learn the basics of GST before you start your business. You’ll save time, avoid confusion, and build a better foundation for long term growth by getting the right information early on.
Selecting the right payment gateway
Now that your online store is live, you need to make it easy for customers to pay. A payment gateway is a service that authorizes and processes the payment and deposits the money to your bank account. A payment gateway is one of the most critical components of your e-commerce platform, without which your customers will not be able to complete their transactions.
Today’s shoppers want payment flexibility. Some like the UPI. Some shoppers prefer to use debit cards, while others prefer to use credit cards. Some shoppers prefer net banking or digital wallets. These options will make your shopping easier and can boost your sales.
Why It Matters
Now imagine a happy customer who has added your product to their cart, but when they come to the checkout page, they see that their preferred payment method is not available. They're not going to buy it and they're going to walk away.
This risk can be easily managed through a trusted payment gateway, which provides a quick and secure checkout process. Trusted and comfortable payment options give clients trust and comfort. Customers are safer when they use well established and secured payment systems they trust. Use reliable and established systems.
Select a payment gateway that is secure, easy to integrate, offers many payment types, low transaction costs and settles funds fast.
A practical example :
Suppose Riya opens an online store selling handmade jewelry. Initially she takes only bank transfers. The checkout process is clunky, and many potential buyers drop out of the ordering process.
Then she adds payment gateway on her JoonWeb page. UPI, cards or digital wallets can be used by customers for quick payment. She said the number of visitors making purchases has increased and the check out process has much improved. Her sales are getting a boost and her checkout is getting a major overhaul.
Advantages :
- Gives the customer a wide range of payment options.
- Provides a safe and secure trusted checkout process.
- Reduces shopping cart abandonment.
- Payments are collected automatically.
- Saves you time.
The payment method is more than just a way of collecting money. This process does a lot to your store’s credibility and the experience your customers have. Choose a solution that is secure, reliable, and easy to integrate with your website so your customers can go through the purchase process without any friction.
Selecting a Reliable Shipping Partner
Getting an order is exciting, but your responsibilities don’t end when you get paid. Then comes delivery of the product to the customer, safely and on time. That’s why choosing the right partner to ship with is so important.
You’ll have a shipping partner to pick up your orders and ship them to your customers, often with tracking updates along the way. They are a major contributor to customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Why it’s important
Customers desire quick, dependable delivery. Even if you have a fantastic product, late, damaged or untracked orders can diminish trust in your firm due to late, damaged, or untracked orders even if you have a great product.
Verify shipping partners. Don’t think only about shipping costs. Think about the shipping options, how fast they are, if they have tracking, customer service, and return policies. Your trusted logistics partner will make it a seamless experience for you and your customers.
If you are aiming to sell across India, as your business expands, you need to choose a shipping provider that can reach areas and handle increasing orders.
Example :
Arjun owns an online T-shirt print on demand company. He begins with the least expensive courier service. It is a cost saving measure, but many deliveries are late, and clients contact us a lot to find out what is happening to their orders.
He switches to a better shipping partner with real time tracking and faster delivery. Support calls , Customers can now trace their orders, meaning fewer support calls and better ratings. Ratings are rising and customers can monitor their orders on the way. Excellent.
Benefits :
- Your packages gets there safe and on time.
- Builds customer’s confidence and contentment.
- It has a tracking order notification.
- Simple Returns & Exchanges.
- Generates business with more order volume.
The cheaper shipping way is not always the best. Occasionally a slightly higher delivery fee equals better service, happier customers, and fewer delivery issues. You want your products to be well packaged so they don’t get damaged in transit.
Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform
Your e-commerce platform is the heart and soul of your online business. This is where you create your site, display your products, handle orders, and create the shopping experience for your customers. Choosing the right platform early will save you time and help you scale your business later.
Many newbies think they need a developer to build a professional website. Actually, website builders have made it much easier to create a professional website these days. It’s so much easier to construct a decent website now thanks to website builders. With the appropriate platform, you may have a fully functioning online business without having to learn how to code or spend months constructing it. What is the value of a professional website
The first impression a customer gets of your business is your website. If your website is slow, confused, or out of date, consumers will likely leave before they even see what you are selling. In contrast, a clean, easy to navigate website is likely to make customers feel confident and desire to buy.
When shopping for an e-commerce platform, look for features that will make running your business easier. They are mobile friendly designs, product administration, secure payment connection, order tracking, search engine optimization skills, and the option to personalize your website as your business grows.
For example :
Sneha wants to sell handcrafted home decor online. She can pick a platform that makes it easy for her. She researches and finds that hiring a developer is expensive and time consuming. She’s chosen JoonWeb; you own the website you create and can drive traffic to your branded site, a DIY website builder for businesses that want to get online fast.
She builds her website with ready made templates and simple editing tools, uploads product images, links a payment gateway, and gets ready for the launch of her store. Instead of taking weeks to gain the technical abilities, she focuses her time enhancing her products and marketing her firm.
Benefits :
- Build a professional website without coding.
- Launch your online shop more quickly. Products, orders and payments managed in one spot.
- Make shopping mobile.
- As your firm grows, put some personality into your website.
Consider your long term goals before selecting an e-commerce platform. Choose a solution that’s simple to use today and scales with your business. It's much easier to grow on the right platform than having to move your entire store to a new one later.
Do not confuse a fantastic e-commerce platform with a website builder. This is the core of your online business.
Looking for a simple way to establish, administer and expand your online business without any technological complexity?
A DIY platform like JoonWeb can help you get started with confidence.
Simple Marketing 101 & Domain Names
You have your website, you have your products and you have your payment and shipping. Make it easy for customers to find you now and draw traffic to your store. It all starts with choosing the correct domain name and using easy marketing methods to draw potential clients.
A domain name is the address of your website on the internet. A domain name is what the customer types into their browser to find your store. A short and catchy domain name makes your business look more professional and helps your customers remember your brand.
Your domain name is your digital identity. A good name is easy to remember and is related to your website so people can locate you. Choose a domain name that is easy to spell, easy to remember and close to your business name.
Now that you have a website you need to start sending visitors to it.The best online store is useless if people don’t know it exists. That's where marketing can make a difference.
You don’t need a big advertising expenditure to begin.
Here are some basic tricks that will always get traffic to your website.
- Build business pages on social media sites frequented by your target demographic.
- Upload high quality images and video of your products.
- Write helpful blog posts to answer client questions.
- Ask satisfied customers for their reviews and to tell their stories.
- Make sure your website appears in the search engine results when people are seeking products like yours.
With JoonWeb you own the website you create and can drive traffic to your branded website from social media, search engines, and online campaigns.
Example
Meera is planning to launch an internet business to sell organic skin care items. She picks a basic domain name that complements her business and consistently posts skincare tips and product videos across social media platforms. She also writes blog articles answering topics she is frequently asked about skin care.
Then people searching for tips on skincare discover her website, and her social media followers start to purchase from her online store. And with more sales and more people coming into the store, she won’t have to spend as much money on advertising.
Benefits :
- Makes a professional impression.
- It makes your website more memorable.
- Makes it easy for your consumers to find you on the web.
- Gives a steady stream of traffic from search engines and social media.
- Promotes corporate growth over the long run.
A decent domain name helps people find you. Good marketing helps customers find you. A professional website and continuous marketing will help you to attract more visitors and turn them into loyal customers.
Checklist Before Launch
Before you head to your online store, spend a few minutes to ensure everything is in place. A little advance review can save you a lot of grief later.
Your Launch Checklist :
☐ Your products are well described and the pictures are of good quality
☐ Your stock and price info is correct
☐ Your payment gateway is working properly
☐ Your shipping preferences have been set up.
☐Your domain name points to your web site.
☐ Your business name and contact details are shown.
☐ Your site is responsive on desktop and mobile
☐ Your social accounts are connected to your website.
☐ You have had a complete end to end purchase experience prior to the launch.
These steps will give your customers a better buying experience from day one.
Conclusion :
Starting an online business can seem a little daunting at first but really its quite simple when you break it down into steps.The basic elements of a successful online store are understanding GST, creating safe payments, choosing a reliable shipping partner, choosing the best ecommerce platform, registering a catchy domain and marketing your business.
