Overview

This guide explains how to start a website for selling things with clear, actionable steps you can implement today. You will learn planning, domain and hosting selection, choosing a platform or building with HTML/CSS/JavaScript, adding e-commerce features, configuring payments and shipping, and launching and testing your store.

Why this matters: a well-structured site converts visitors into customers, reduces cart abandonment, and simplifies operations. The steps below balance speed and control so entrepreneurs can launch fast and developers can customize deeply.

Prerequisites: basic computer skills, familiarity with a text editor, and an email account. For developer workflows, basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript helps. js (optional), and a payment provider like Stripe.

Total time estimate: ~1 day to build a minimal store; 1-3 weeks to polish, add inventory, and optimize. The step-by-step checklists below include per-step time estimates.

Step 1:

Plan how to start a website for selling things

Action: Define products, target customers, pricing, and fulfillment workflow before you build.

Why: Planning avoids rework and ensures your technical choices match business needs. Picking the wrong platform can cost time and money.

Do this now:

List products and attributes (SKU, price, weight, variants).
Define target audience and top 3 sales channels (organic search, ads, social).
Decide fulfillment: self-fulfill, dropship, or third-party logistics (3PL).
Set payment and tax requirements for your region.

Expected outcome: A one-page store plan that guides platform, design, and integrations.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Too many product options early. Fix: Start with a small catalog and add SKUs after first sales.
Issue: Ignoring shipping costs. Fix: Calculate average shipping per order and set thresholds for free shipping.

Checklist:

Product list completed
Pricing and margins calculated
Fulfillment method chosen
Payment methods listed

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 2:

Choose domain and hosting

Action: Register a domain and choose a hosting provider or an all-in-one platform.

Why: Domain and hosting affect branding, performance, and SEO. All-in-one platforms reduce setup time; independent hosting gives more control.

Options:

All-in-one hosted: Shopify, BigCommerce. Fast launch, built-in payments and hosting.
Self-hosted CMS: WordPress + WooCommerce. Flexible, needs hosting like SiteGround, DigitalOcean, or managed WP hosts.
Static / Jamstack: Static site generator + headless commerce (Commerce.js, Snipcart). Fast and developer-friendly.

Commands/examples:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "initial commit"
git remote add origin git@github.com:your/repo.git
git push -u origin main

Expected outcome: Domain registered and hosting plan selected or trial account created on a hosted platform.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Domain taken. Fix: Try alternative TLDs or add keywords.
Issue: Overpaying for features. Fix: Start with a lower-tier hosting plan and upgrade when traffic increases.

Checklist:

Domain registered
Hosting or platform account created
DNS points to host

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 3:

Set up the site skeleton with HTML CSS and JavaScript

Action: Create the basic pages and templates for home, product listing, product detail, cart, and checkout.

Why: A clear site skeleton helps design, content, and integrations slot in cleanly. Developers can iterate on structure before styling.

Example product card (HTML):

<html>
 <body>
 <div class="product-card">
 <img src="product.jpg" alt="Product name">
 <h3 class="title">Product name</h3>
 <p class="price">$29.99</p>
 <button class="add-to-cart" onclick="addToCart('sku123')">Add to cart</button>
 </div>
 </body>
</html>

Tips:

Use semantic HTML: nav, main, article, footer.
Keep CSS modular with classes like .product-card, .cart, .checkout.
Use lightweight client-side JS to manage cart state with localStorage, then sync with server or payment provider.

Expected outcome: Basic pages and components exist and can be previewed locally.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Styling is inconsistent. Fix: Use a reset CSS and a small design system (colors, spacing, typography).
Issue: Cart state lost on refresh. Fix: Use localStorage or a simple backend session.

Checklist:

Home, listing, product, cart, checkout pages created
Basic CSS and JS wired
Local preview works (open index.html)

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 4:

Add e-commerce functionality and product management

Action: Integrate a cart system and product management, either built-in (Shopify/WooCommerce) or via an API.

Why: E-commerce features handle inventory, variants, taxes, and checkout flows.

Paths:

Hosted platform: Use admin dashboard to add products, set up collections, and enable checkout.
WooCommerce: Install plugin and configure settings.
Headless: Use a commerce API like Commerce.js, Snipcart, or Medusa.

Code example to add item to a simple cart (JavaScript):

Expected outcome: Users can add items to a cart, view cart contents, and proceed to checkout.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Inventory oversell. Fix: Implement server-side stock checks at checkout.
Issue: Variant selection not handled. Fix: Validate variant choices before adding to cart.

Checklist:

Products added to catalog
Cart adds and updates items
Backend or API integration configured

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 5:

Configure payments, taxes, and shipping

Action: Connect a payment provider, set tax rules, and define shipping options.

Why: Secure payments, accurate tax, and clear shipping build trust and prevent order issues.

Common providers:

Stripe: card processing, webhooks, test mode.
PayPal: alternative for customers.
Platform built-ins: Shopify Payments or WooCommerce payment extensions.

Steps:

Create sandbox account (Stripe test keys).
Add payment keys to your platform or server-side environment.
Configure tax rules per your jurisdiction or use automated tax services.
Set shipping zones and rates, include free shipping thresholds if needed.

Expected outcome: Test payments process correctly in sandbox mode and orders record payments and shipping info.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Webhooks not received. Fix: Use ngrok for local dev or ensure correct webhook URL and secret.
Issue: Declined cards in test. Fix: Use provider test card numbers and check error messages.

Checklist:

Payment sandbox connected
Tax rules applied
Shipping methods configured

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 6:

Improve store design and conversion elements

Action: Apply responsive CSS, add product images and descriptions, and optimize user flows.

Why: Design and UX increase conversion. Fast, clear pages reduce abandonment.

Design checklist:

Mobile-first CSS and responsive breakpoints.
High-quality product images and alt text.
Clear CTAs like Add to cart and Buy now.
Trust signals: reviews, secure badge, contact info, returns policy.

Performance tips:

Compress images using tools like ImageOptim or Squoosh.
Use lazy loading for images.
Minify CSS and bundle JavaScript.

Expected outcome: A polished storefront that works on mobile and desktop with improved load times.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Slow pages. Fix: audit with Lighthouse, defer noncritical JS, and use CDN for assets.
Issue: Low conversion. Fix: run A/B tests on headlines, images, and CTAs.

Checklist:

Responsive CSS applied
Images optimized
CTAs and trust signals present

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Step 7:

Launch, monitor, and iterate

Action: Push the site live, set up analytics, error monitoring, and a simple marketing plan.

Why: Launch is the start of learning; monitoring helps you catch issues and measure performance.

Launch steps:

Move from test keys to live payment keys.
Point DNS to production host and enable SSL (Let’s Encrypt or host-provided).
Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
Configure basic monitoring: Sentry for errors or uptime monitors like UptimeRobot.

Expected outcome: Live store with tracking and monitoring enabled ready to receive orders.

Common issues and fixes:

Issue: Broken links after deploy. Fix: run link checker and verify sitemap.
Issue: No SSL. Fix: enable HTTPS via host control panel or configure certbot.

Checklist:

Live site accessible at domain
SSL active
Analytics and monitoring connected

Time estimate: ~10 minutes

Testing and Validation

Verify core flows work with this checklist:

Place a test order in sandbox mode from product selection through payment.
Confirm order confirmation email is sent and contains order details.
Test different devices and screen sizes for layout issues.
Validate SEO basics: title tags, meta descriptions, and robots.txt.
Run performance checks with Lighthouse and fix issues above 30% opportunity.

Each test should be recorded and repeated after major changes. If a test fails, revert to the last known good commit and fix the issue in a staging environment.

Common Mistakes

Skipping planning: Leads to repeated refactors. Avoid by creating a one-page plan first.
Ignoring mobile users: Most shoppers use mobile. Build mobile-first and test on real devices.
Using test keys in production: Always switch to live keys and verify webhooks.
Poor inventory control: Prevent overselling by validating stock server-side at checkout.

Avoid these by adding checks into your deployment process, automating tests, and documenting workflows.

FAQ

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Website for Selling Things?

Costs vary: domains are $10-20/year, hosting $5-50/month, and platforms like Shopify start around $29/month. Additional costs include payment processing fees, themes, and marketing.

Do I Need to Know How to Code?

No. Hosted platforms let non-developers launch stores without coding. Coding skills help you customize, optimize performance, and build unique experiences.

How Do I Accept Credit Cards?

Use a payment processor like Stripe or PayPal. Create an account, get API keys, and integrate them in sandbox mode for testing, then switch to live keys at launch.

How Do I Handle Taxes and Compliance?

Taxes depend on your jurisdiction. Use built-in tax features on platforms or services like TaxJar. Consult an accountant for complex situations.

What If My Site Gets Slow with Many Products?

Use CDNs, image optimization, server-side pagination or lazy loading, and cache product data. Consider a headless or statically generated approach for high performance.

How Can I Test Orders Without Charging Customers?

Use your payment provider’s test mode and test card numbers. Verify flow end-to-end including webhooks and email notifications.

Next Steps

After launch, focus on customer acquisition and retention. Implement email marketing, set up basic SEO and content strategy, and run small paid campaigns to validate product-market fit. Collect customer feedback, prioritize improvements, and iterate on product pages, checkout flow, and fulfillment to increase conversion and lifetime value.

How to Start a Website for Selling Things - Step by Step

Overview

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Testing and Validation

Common Mistakes

FAQ

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Website for Selling Things?

Do I Need to Know How to Code?

How Do I Accept Credit Cards?

How Do I Handle Taxes and Compliance?

What If My Site Gets Slow with Many Products?

How Can I Test Orders Without Charging Customers?

Next Steps

Further Reading

About the author

Recommended Web Hosting