You don't need a developer, a big budget or a warehouse to sell online. If you already run a shop, or sell to people on WhatsApp, you have the hard part: products and customers. This guide walks through the rest, in the order that works.
1. Decide what to put online first
Don't try to list your whole shop on day one. Start with 15 to 30 products that:
- sell well in your shop already,
- are easy to deliver (not fragile, not too heavy), and
- you can keep in stock for the next few weeks.
Group them into a few simple categories, the way a customer would look for them: “Kurtis”, “Sarees”, “Kids”, not your supplier codes.
2. Take clear product photos with your phone
- Shoot in daylight near a window, on a plain white or light background.
- Take a front photo, a close-up of the fabric or finish, and one showing size (on a person or next to something familiar).
- For each colour you sell, take a photo of that colour. Customers return things that look different from the photo.
3. Write short, useful product details
Customers can't touch the product, so tell them what they'd ask you at the counter: material, size or measurements, what's in the box, and how to care for it. Two or three short lines are enough. Put the most important word first in the product name, like “Cotton Kurti, Mustard, A-line” rather than “New Arrival Beautiful Kurti”.
4. Set prices, discounts and stock
Use your shop price as the starting point. If you show a discount, show the original price too so customers see the saving. Set the stock you actually have; with Beecart it goes down by itself with each order, and each size and colour can have its own stock.
5. Choose how customers will pay
Most shops offer both:
- Cash on delivery (COD), which brings more first-time orders. You can add a small COD fee to cover the extra cost.
- UPI, cards and netbanking through a payment gateway. With Beecart you connect your own Razorpay account, so the money goes straight to your bank. See our guide to accepting UPI payments.
6. Set your delivery area, charges and dates
Decide where you'll deliver (your city only, or all of India), what it costs, and how long it takes. A common setup is a flat charge with free delivery above an amount a little higher than your average order, which nudges customers to add one more item. Show the expected delivery date before checkout; customers who know when it'll arrive are less likely to refuse a COD parcel.
For deliveries outside your city, a courier aggregator like Shiprocket lets you book couriers and share tracking without a contract with each courier.
7. Write your return and exchange policy
A clear policy builds trust. Keep it short: how many days, what condition the item must be in, and what isn't returnable (for example innerwear or food). Offering size exchanges is often better than refunds for clothing and footwear.
8. Make it official
Use your shop's real name, logo, address and contact number. Talk to your CA about GST for online sales and keep invoices for every order (Beecart gives customers a downloadable invoice with your shop's details).
9. Share your shop link and get your first orders
- Send your link to your regular customers on WhatsApp, one at a time, with a personal note.
- Put it in your WhatsApp Business profile and Instagram bio.
- Post one product a day on your WhatsApp status with its product link.
- Print a small QR code of your shop link for your counter and shopping bags.
More on this in how to sell on WhatsApp with a shop link.
10. Handle orders quickly
Accept new orders the same day, give a dispatch date and keep the customer updated. Fast, predictable delivery is what turns a first order into a regular customer.
How long does it take?
With a ready-made platform, the setup itself takes an evening: sign up, pick your shop's address, add your logo and your first products. Photos and product details take the longest, so start with your best sellers and add more each week.