Key takeaways
- A turnkey online store starts at $1000 and takes 2–4 weeks.
- At launch you need a catalog, cart, payment, delivery and a fast mobile site.
- WooCommerce fits most stores with up to a few thousand products.
- Connect online payment and delivery from day one.
To build an online store in 2026 you need five things: a platform, a catalog with photos and descriptions, a cart with online payment, delivery and a fast mobile site. Turnkey development starts at $1000 and takes 2–4 weeks.
Where to start
- Count your products. 30 and 3000 products are different stores in complexity and price.
- Decide where buyers will come from. Ads, Instagram, Google search or marketplaces.
- Prepare content. Photos, names, descriptions, prices — a spreadsheet speeds up import.
- Set up payments. A registered business and an internet acquiring agreement.
- Choose delivery. Courier, post, pickup.
Which platform to choose
| Platform | Fits | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce (WordPress) | Up to a few thousand products, self-managed | Needs decent hosting and optimisation |
| Next.js + headless | Large catalog, strict speed requirements | Costlier to build and maintain |
| Hosted platforms (Shopify) | Quick start without development | Monthly fees, design limits |
The two main options are compared in WordPress vs Next.js.
Must-have features at launch
- Catalog with categories, filters and search.
- Product page: photos, price, stock, variants, description.
- Cart and a 1–2 step checkout.
- Card payment, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Delivery options and cost.
- Order notifications by email or Telegram.
- GA4 with purchase events.
Dmytro’s take. Most buyers in small stores shop on their phones, so I design the mobile cart and checkout first. Every extra field in the order form is lost sales.
How much does an online store cost?
| Format | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 100 products on WooCommerce | from $1000 | 2–3 weeks |
| Filters, variants and integrations | from $1500 | 3–4 weeks |
| Next.js store | custom quote | 4+ weeks |
Details — on the online store development page.
How to promote a new online store
- Google Shopping and Performance Max — often the fastest way to first sales; you need a product feed and Merchant Center.
- SEO for categories — category pages with copy and filters capture queries like “buy women’s sneakers”.
- Instagram and TikTok — send traffic to specific products, not the home page.
- Repeat sales — email or Telegram for past buyers are the cheapest sales.
Common launch mistakes
- Mandatory registration before checkout.
- No delivery and returns info on the product page.
- Photos of different sizes and quality.
- No purchase events in analytics, so ads run blind.
Before launch
- Test the full purchase path on a phone.
- Add “Payment and delivery”, “Returns”, “Public offer” and “Privacy policy” pages.
- Set up GA4 and purchase events.
- Go through the launch SEO checklist.
