Selling online can extend your reach well beyond your local area, but a store has more moving parts than an information website. Planning for them upfront saves time and money, and helps you choose a platform that suits your business.
Decide what you are selling and how
Start with the basics: how many products you have, whether they have options such as sizes or colours, whether you ship, offer local pickup, or both, and whether you sell physical goods, digital products, bookings, or services. A handful of products needs a simpler setup than a catalogue of hundreds.
Choosing a platform
- Hosted store platforms bundle hosting, security, checkout, and updates into one subscription, which makes them quick to launch and easy to manage.
- WordPress with a store plugin offers flexibility and control, but needs regular maintenance and updates.
- A custom-built store can be tailored precisely, and suits unusual requirements, though it takes more investment.
Our post on WordPress versus custom-coded websites explains the broader trade-offs. Whatever you choose, make sure you own your products, customer list, and domain, and that you can export your data if you ever move.
Payments
You will need a payment processor to accept cards, and most platforms support several. Compare transaction fees, payout timing, supported payment methods, and how disputes are handled. Make sure checkout feels secure and works smoothly on a phone.
Shipping
Work out your shipping approach early. Decide which carriers you will use, whether you offer free shipping over a certain order value, flat rates, or calculated rates, and how you will handle remote areas. Be clear about delivery times. Customers abandon carts when shipping costs appear as a surprise.
Taxes
Sales tax in Canada varies by province and by what you sell, and registration rules apply once you reach certain thresholds. Speak with your accountant or the Canada Revenue Agency to set this up correctly, and make sure your store is configured to charge the right taxes.
Policies and trust
Shoppers look for clear returns, refund, and shipping policies, plus a privacy policy that explains how you handle their information. Real product photos, honest descriptions, and genuine reviews build confidence. Our post on original photos versus stock is especially relevant for product pages.
Make it easy to buy
- Clear product pages with good photos, key details, and a visible price.
- A simple checkout with as few steps as possible and guest checkout where you can.
- Fast pages that work well on mobile, see website speed.
- Easy ways to contact you with questions.
Plan to be found
A store needs traffic. Plan for search optimization on product and category pages, social advertising, and email marketing to bring people back. Origin8 can help with the website design and marketing around an online store, and you can book a free consultation to talk about yours.
