Launching an online store is more than uploading products to a website. After building many stores for Indian businesses, here is the checklist I walk every client through before we write a line of code.
The commercial basics
Payment gateway. Razorpay, PhonePe, Cashfree — all solid. You will need business KYC: PAN, bank account, and ideally GST registration. Start the gateway application early; approval takes days, not hours.
GST clarity. Selling goods online generally requires GST registration. Your store should generate GST-compliant invoices automatically — retrofitting this later is painful.
Shipping answers. Which courier? Flat rate, weight-based or free above an amount? Which pin codes? These decisions shape how the store is built.
The content nobody budgets for
Product photos and descriptions sink more store launches than technology ever does. Clean photos on plain backgrounds, honest descriptions with sizes and materials, and real stock counts. A store with 40 well-presented products outsells one with 400 messy ones.
Features that actually move sales
WhatsApp order updates, cash-on-delivery (still king in much of India), coupon codes for first orders, and a dead-simple checkout — every extra field loses buyers. Reviews come later; enable them once orders flow.
Launch small, learn fast
Start with your best products, a clean catalogue and reliable delivery in regions you can serve well. Expand from data, not hope. A focused store that delivers flawlessly builds the reviews and repeat customers that a sprawling, glitchy one never will.