15 min
How to Create an Online Store
WooCommerce, card payments, and shipping.
Launching an online store requires more than just adding products to a WooCommerce site. You need card payment integration (Stripe, PayPal or your bank gateway), VAT-compliant invoicing, and logistics with reliable couriers. This guide covers all 10 steps from idea to launch.
How to Create an Online Store
Pick a niche and products
First, decide what to sell and who your target audience is. Research the market — check the competition, demand and margins. A niche can be broad (e.g. clothing) or narrow (e.g. personalized T-shirts). For beginners we recommend focusing on a niche where you have knowledge or passion. Start with 20-50 products.
Register a domain
Pick a short, memorable domain relevant to your products. A .com domain gives the strongest international credibility and trust, with .co.uk, .net and .org as solid alternatives if your preferred .com is taken. Avoid hyphens and numbers. On BeoHosting you can register .com, .co.uk, .net, .org and other domains with free WHOIS protection.
Pick a hosting package
An online store needs reliable hosting with strong performance. We recommend BeoHosting STANDARD or PREMIUM with enough space for the product catalog, SSL for secure transactions and LiteSpeed for fast page loads. NVMe SSD ensures faster product-image loading, daily backup protects your data.
Install WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that turns your site into a full online store. Install: in cPanel install WordPress via Softaculous, then in WP admin Plugins → Add New, search "WooCommerce", install and activate. The setup wizard automatically guides you through currency (EUR), country, payments and shipping.
Pick a store theme
The theme defines the look of your store. For WooCommerce we recommend: Astra (fastest, free, 100+ store starter sites), Flatsome (premium, e-commerce specialized, drag-and-drop builder), or Flavor (modern, minimalist, great for smaller stores). The theme must be responsive — 70%+ of online purchases now come from mobile.
Add products
In WordPress admin go to Products → Add New. For each product add: title, detailed description, price, category, tags and at least 3-5 quality images (recommended 800x800px). Use SEO-optimized titles and descriptions with the keywords customers search. For variable products (size, color) use WooCommerce attributes and variations.
Set up payments (cards, cash on delivery)
Set up multiple payment methods: Stripe and PayPal for cards — WooCommerce has free official plugins for both. Apple Pay and Google Pay boost mobile conversion. Cash on delivery is worth offering since some customers still prefer it. For recurring products add WooCommerce Subscriptions.
Set up shipping
In WooCommerce Settings → Shipping create shipping zones. Popular couriers across the UK and Europe include Royal Mail, DPD, DHL and Evri. Set flat rates (e.g. €2.82-€4.70), free shipping above a threshold (e.g. €47.01 — proven to lift AOV), and local pickup if you have a physical location.
Add legal pages (terms, privacy)
E-commerce law requires: Terms of Use (rights and obligations of buyer and seller), Privacy Policy (how you use personal data — GDPR/UK GDPR), Return Policy (14-day cooling-off period under EU/UK distance-selling rules), and Seller Information (company name, registration number, VAT number, address, contact). WooCommerce has templates for these pages you can customize.
Launch marketing
A store without marketing has no customers. Start with: Google Ads for actively searched products, Instagram/Facebook ads for visually appealing products, SEO on product pages for organic traffic, email marketing (collect emails from day one with a 10% signup discount). Set up Google Analytics 4 and Meta Pixel to track conversions from day one.
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(+381) 60 3535 720How much does it cost to open an online store?
Minimum startup costs: hosting from €51.61/year (BeoHosting STANDARD), a .com domain from €15.04/year, WordPress + WooCommerce are free. Total, you can launch a functional online store for under €56.41/year. Premium themes cost €28.21-€75.21 one-time. For card payments, Stripe and PayPal charge around 1.5-2.9% plus a small fixed fee per transaction.
Do I need a registered business for an online store?
In most cases yes. To legally operate an online store you should register as a sole trader or a limited company, obtain a company registration number, register for VAT once you pass the threshold, and open a business bank account. Payment gateways usually require a registered legal entity. Registering a business is inexpensive and can often be completed online in a day.
What is the best CMS for an online store?
WooCommerce (WordPress) is the best choice for most online stores. Free, the largest plugin ecosystem, supports any currency, and integrates with all major payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Adyen, Mollie). Alternatives: Shopify (simpler but more expensive, monthly fee plus transaction fees) and PrestaShop (good for larger stores, steeper learning curve).
How do I accept card payments in an online store?
The fastest route is a payment gateway such as Stripe or PayPal: create an account, verify your business, install the official WooCommerce plugin and enter your API keys — you can be live the same day. For higher volumes, a dedicated merchant account with Adyen, Mollie or your bank can lower per-transaction fees. All support 3-D Secure for fraud protection.
What hosting is best for an online store?
For an online store you need hosting with: SSL (required for secure payments), fast servers (LiteSpeed for fast product pages), enough space for product images (minimum 10 GB), daily backups (data-loss protection) and 99.9% uptime. BeoHosting STANDARD or PREMIUM packages meet all these requirements from €51.61/year.
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