Here’s how you can create a selling website - all from the convenience of your home. 

We went down the rabbit hole of information to narrow down your options and plan out the process of creating a website to sell items. From what makes a good e-commerce website to what should be the most favorable course of action for you, we have it all covered. Keep reading to closely follow:

Why Create a Website at all?

In the present day rush towards e-commerce, having a website where you can display and sell your products and services is more desirable and convenient than a traditional brick-and-mortar store. Not only is it more convenient, flexible, and limitless in its reach, but it also permits you to quickly update any necessary information for all your customers. 

A website allows for a 24*7 operation of sales, caters to each of your customers according to their personalized needs and preferences, gives you an insight into the customer behaviour, and rewards you with a competitive edge by establishing your brand identity. 

The 6 Easy Steps That Will Lead to Your Digital Success in 2025.

  • Carefully Determine Your Requirements
  • Decide on a Domain Name
  • Choose a Platform
  • Finish Setting Up 
  • Test and Launch Your Website
  • Promote and Update the Website

Carefully Determine Your Requirements:

For someone looking to create a website to sell products, various options are available in the market. There are Website Builders, E-Commerce Platforms, Online Marketplaces, and more. The features offered by each of these differ. 

Website Builders: 

Applications like Squarespace, OrderBooks, and WordPress allow you to start a website to sell products. These e-stores can help you list items, receive orders, and integrate payment gateways and shipping providers. For small businesses that own their inventory and, as a result, do not have to manage a warehouse, this option can prove feasible. It is also a contender for artists who want to sell their art online.

Online Marketplaces: 

E-commerce giants (eg, Amazon, Flipkart, and OrderBooks) allow sellers to register and open a shop with them. The products either get listed under the commonly shared category or on their storefront. The orders are processed through the payment gateway of the app, and logistics is conducted by their delivery agent. 

E-commerce platforms: 

For a more well-rounded approach towards one’s business, an e-commerce platform like OrderBooks  is recommended. These platforms are designed for sellers to receive and fulfill orders, manage inventory, conduct logistics, and expand their business, without having to develop a website from scratch. 

Decide on a Domain Name

A domain name is your brand’s identity. Once you've decided on your requirements for a platform for web hosting, immediately get to brainstorming a name for your brand. This will be registered either as a domain or a subdomain, depending on the platform and subscription plan of your choice. A good domain name is:

Easy To Remember:

There is no reason for you to make your brand’s name a mouthful. Anything that prompts quick recalling is a good option. However, it should also be relevant to your venture- it could be personal to you, your values, or your niche. Some examples of such domain names would be: Ralph Lauren (named after the founder), Patagonia (named after the brand’s emphasis on environmental responsibility), and Starbucks (the coffee shop chain that comes from “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville).

Has an Independent Identity:

A lot of brands, big and small, have come under legal fire because they avoided thorough research into their domain name. One such case was with Red Bull and Redwell, where a legal battle was contested for the latter having a misleadingly similar name to the former. A mistake like that could be made without even being aware of it till it gets you a lawsuit. So it is recommended that sellers run a search to make sure that their brand name does not share any similarity that could lead to potential confusion with any existing ventures. 

Choose a Platform

The step after deciding on a domain name is to compare the options for web hosting available against your requirements and choose the platform that meets your needs and fits your budget. Here are some essential features to look out for when selecting a platform:

User-friendly Interface: 

Go for a platform that prompts responsiveness from the buyers. A mobile-friendly design and a storefront that loads fast, even when the internet connection is slow, will make browsing easy for buyers. In addition to that, opt for platforms with simple designs that are minimal enough to bring the focus to the products. Lastly, make sure that the search function is optimized for easy and quick searches. All of this will ensure a seamless browsing and buying experience. 

Product and Order Management:

A good platform lets you add multiple products and categorize them with ease. Unlimited product listing is one feature that you should consider if you have plans to scale up your business in the future. Efficient order management is yet another feature that makes a good e-commerce platform. 

Payment and Shipping Integration:

It is ideal if the platform of your choice conducts logistics. But if it does not have a delivery partner, the second-best option is to let the seller assign their store to a delivery agent through the app. Likewise, payment gateway integration is a key task that a good e-commerce website should be able to perform. 

Finish Setting Up

Having decided on a platform, there are a few steps to be followed when you are making your website to sell stuff and setting up your store. These are:

Registering:

The first step to execution is registering with the platform of choice. It starts with signing up and then logging in. Once done, choose a subscription plan and register the domain or subdomain name. This results in the successful creation of an e-commerce website.

Designing the Storefront:

A website builder or an e-commerce platform offers the sellers an option to choose from templates that use drag-and-drop features for a store setup. What is left is adding logos and banners. Something to keep in mind is to have the branding consistent throughout the store. This includes adding well-lit, high-definition pictures of products, writing fitting descriptions for every product, and then categorizing them for ease of browsing and navigation. 

Setting up Payment and Shipping Integration:

The store is set up, the products are listed, and the branding is done. Next, integrate payment gateways into your store to facilitate easy payments for buyers. Ensure that the payments are safely done and that the buyers can be assured of it. To do so, obtain an SSL  (Secure Sockets Layer) certification. The last step to setting up a store would be integrating shipping services. For platforms like OrderBooks, the sellers can choose between the shipping agent of the platform or one of their own. 

Test and Launch Your Website

When you are satisfied with what your store looks like:

Run Tests: 

Check whether the search function is working, the storefront loads fast, the CTAs (Call To Action) are clear, and the store has a visual hierarchy. Browse and navigate through the website as a buyer would. Find the scope of improvement, then attend to it. 

Launch The Website:

Once you are done running tests,  launch your website to the masses. Congratulations! Your website is now live. Add the website to your social media channels. Pitch the website to buyers through e-mail marketing. Ask for feedback, and conduct polls and Q&As (Questions and Answers) to gain insight. 

Promote and Update the Website

After planning, creating, and launching your website, what is left for you to do is, promote the website. There are many ways to do so, but some that you could start with are:

SEO Optimization:

You could either optimize your website for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or begin with a platform like OrderBooks that has been SEO optimized. This will aid you in getting your website and products listed early in Google searches. 

Offer Perks:

You just launched your website and want to boost sales- it is natural. To do so, you may introduce coupon codes for people who subscribed to your e-mail newsletter or promotion that will apply to their first order placed on the website. This would further enable you to market your website and products through email marketing. 

Gain Insights and Keep Making Changes:

Use the feedback you get from the buyers to develop your online store into something more desirable. You could start by refining the product descriptions and categories, and introducing features that sort the products in line with the buyers’ preference order. This will ensure that your website will keep growing, thus granting your business success. 

The process of starting a website to sell stuff can have challenges of its own. There could be sellers who are short on funds, and then some who do not have any coding experience to develop a website from scratch. This blog is aimed at making it easy for them. Remember to follow the steps, one at a time, and learn by experimenting on your end. 

How OrderBooks Helps You?

OrderBooks, as an e-commerce platform, allows you to:

  • Create for free: make a free website to sell things in just a few minutes. 
  • Follow: just a few easy-to-follow steps, and get yourself a ready-to-use website to start selling.
  • Enlist: put up any number of products and categorise them into further sections without additional hassle or costs.
  • Fuss-free: the process where you aren’t required to code at all.
  • Pre-designed: your stores come pre-designed- simple, minimalistic, efficient. 

Sign up for stress-free website creation with OrderBooks now!

Read More on E-commerce:

Expert Tips for Starting an Online Store in 2025 - OrderBooks

How to Sell Online in 2025: Easy Steps to Get Started

FAQs

  1. Can I start an online store without money? 
  • Starting an online store without any money can be challenging. However, it can be done for a small sum of money. 
  1. How do I start an online store without investing?
  • You can try dropshipping if you do not want to invest in inventory. Launching a store with OrderBooks can be done without incurring any costs. However, there might be costs to run promotional ads.
  1. How can I start an online store?
  • There are several ways for you to start an online store. Website Builders, E-commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and social media platforms are some rather popular ways. 
  1. How to create a free website to sell products?
  • Platforms like OrderBooks allow you to create a free website where you can sell products of your choice.