Don’t know how to sell online, why do it and who needs it? See for yourself: now you can buy anything on the Internet, find a yoga instructor, order plumbing services and pay for a movie to watch in the evening. This is a prospect for business development – including for beginners. So in this article we will tell you where to start selling online and what mistakes to avoid.
Contents:
- What is online sales?
- Why businesses strive to sell online
- Advantages of selling online
- How to sell online
- How to sell online without mistakes
What is online sales?
Electronic commerce, ecommerce or online sales is the process of selling goods and services via the Internet: websites, social networks or mobile applications. The goal of the process is the same as in classic commerce: to attract more customers and get more profit.
The first officially recorded online sale took place in 1994, when an unknown user sold a Sting CD to his friend for $12.28. This was no accident. It was on August 12, 1994, that the first successful test of a secure payment gateway took place, which opened up the possibility of paying for online orders. The platform through which this historic sale was made no longer exists. However, the Internet Archive has a saved page from 2012.
Amazon, which later became the largest online sales platform in the world, began operating in 1994. This year is considered a turning point: the Internet began to transform from an information platform into a commercial one.
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Why businesses strive to sell online
For many years, online sales were out of the question: people were accustomed to going to traditional stores. In 2010, the share of e-commerce barely exceeded 4% of total sales.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the related restrictions changed the market: the share of ecommerce in the total market increased by 3.3 times in the US and by 1.4 times in Ukraine. The growth continued even after the restrictions were lifted. Now the online sales rate in the global market is more than 20% , and in Ukraine – about 10% . As of 2024, 11 million Ukrainians made about 17 online orders per year with an average check of 1300 UAH each.
It is estimated that by the end of 2025, the volume of online retail sales worldwide will exceed $4.3 trillion with further growth in the coming years. So e-commerce is a promising direction, and it is worth figuring out how to sell online. And most importantly: starting a business on the Internet is most suitable for beginners, startups, entrepreneurs with small capital. The costs of launching and advertising are lower here, and there are also many available tools. For example, the SendPulse platform allows you to create a website for free , conduct your first email campaigns , set up a chatbot . As soon as the business scales, you can choose affordable tariffs and get much more opportunities.
Who are they – online shoppers?
According to a DHL report , there are the following generalized portraits of buyers:
- Customers who buy goods on social networks make up 70% of the total. They are the most trusting and very active during sales seasons.
- Buyers on foreign platforms — 56%. Interestingly, 34% of them most often make impulse purchases.
- Supporters of environmentally sustainable solutions — 72%. Followed brands and stores on social media. Only buy from sellers they trust. Least active during sales.
- Subscribers to services — 34%. Interestingly, 90% of them claim to find sellers through social networks.
- Sales fans — 75%. Their choice is most influenced by reviews from other customers on social networks, as well as special offers and promotional codes from sellers.
- Buyers of used goods — 52%. Of these, 41% buy at least once a month. Free shipping is important to them: they are even willing to spend more to get this service.
Portraits of buyers by generation
The DHL report mentioned above summarizes information about several generations of online shoppers:
- Zoomers. 49% of them are supporters of sustainable development, and are ready to give up profitable purchases if the brand is not environmentally friendly or has a tarnished reputation. 59% of them buy on the principle of “pay later” – that is, choose various forms of credit.
- Millennials. They are the most likely to use mobile apps from stores and brands: 83% shop there. They have the highest number of followers — 63% of millennials follow retailers’ news via social media.
- Generation X. They are guided by reviews from other customers — 64% of them look for comments about a product or service before buying. At the same time, representatives of this generation buy the least during sales seasons.
- Baby boomers. Avoid online shopping: only 38% trust offers and prices from online sellers, but consult with their children and grandchildren first.
Advantages of selling online
Now the question is not “Is it worth selling online?” The more relevant question is “How to start selling online as effectively as possible?”.
The audience is not limited to a region or country
Entering the international market in the online sector is easier: costs are relatively low, and global marketplaces and delivery operators make it possible to sell abroad. This is more promising than having a physical local store: its audience is usually limited to residents of one area.
Thus, the Ukrainian brand G.Bar started as a local chain of beauty bars in Kyiv, and then launched a franchise with promotion through the website and social networks. Thanks to this, the brand quickly entered the markets of Poland, Georgia, Kazakhstan and even the UAE. The online channel became the key to scaling.
24/7 availability, 7 days a week
Online business never sleeps. A website or social media page can take orders at 3 a.m., during holidays, and on weekends. You don’t have to be there: set up ordering tools and an AI-powered chatbot for basic communication, and your customers will handle it themselves.
Lower costs
To open a physical store, you will need to spend money on renting and repairing premises, purchasing equipment, installing an alarm system, paying security guards and salespeople, paying utilities, signage, and outdoor advertising. Online, most of these costs are either absent or significantly lower. Your “premises” is a website or social media page, and the “staff” at the start can be yourself. It is better to invest the freed up funds in what really drives sales — a quality product and marketing.
ETNODIM is a Ukrainian brand of modern vyshyvanka, which began with an online store and is still largely focused on online sales. It was founded in 2009 by Andriy Cherukha, who invested 1,000 UAH in the development of an online store and 200 UAH in advertising. Now it is a company with its own production and showrooms, but up to 90% of sales are made through the online store. One of the embroidered shirts was designed by the company’s specialists for the President of Ukraine.
Specific analytical data
Online business gives you the most powerful tool — analytics. You can track almost everything:
- Where do your customers come from: from Google or from specific social networks.
- Which products are viewed most often and which are ignored.
- At what stage does the buyer “drop out”: when choosing a product or on the payment page.
- Which advertising brings profit, and which simply “eats up” the budget.
This knowledge allows you to put forward promotion hypotheses and test them. Not sure which product photo is better? Run two ad variants and see which one gets more response. Offline, such experiments are expensive and last for months. Online, it’s a matter of a few days and a few dozen dollars.
Direct customer contact and personalization
The Internet allows you to build close relationships with your audience. You can collect feedback, communicate through social media, conduct surveys, and respond to inquiries instantly.
If you know more about your customers, you can reach a new level of service. This includes, for example, deeper audience segmentation and the ability to offer each group what they are actually interested in. This approach significantly increases loyalty and the average check.
For example, the jewelry brand AURUM increased its average check by 25-30% and almost tripled its customer retention rate using personalized emails.
How to sell online
Starting an online business is easy if you break it down into logical steps. The entire journey of creating an online business can be broken down into five main stages.
Choosing a sales platform
The platform is the foundation of online sales. It determines how fast, flexible and convenient the start of sales will be. There are three main options:
- Own landing page or online store: depending on the number of products. Advantages: full control, the ability to independently change the design and functions, set your own rules, fully communicate with customers. Disadvantage: requires significant investments in development and promotion.
- Marketplace. You essentially rent an online store on a platform with a large number of buyers. This is the fastest way to get your first orders, but you have to share the profits and follow the platform’s rules.
- Social networks. The easiest way to start online sales: you can create a storefront yourself, and setting up advertising also does not require much effort. However, without a clear knowledge of the audience, you risk “spending” significant funds on advertising and not getting results.
| Platform | Pros | Cons | Who is suitable for? |
| Own website | Full control over your brand and data.There are no sales commissions, except for acquiring.Unlimited possibilities for SEO and marketing. | Requires more time and money at the start.You need to attract traffic yourself.You are responsible for technical support. | A stable business that plans to develop its own brand, build a customer base, and work for the long term. |
| Marketplaces | Quick start and access to a “hot” audience.High level of trust from buyers.Ready-made infrastructure: payments, reviews. | High competition with other sellers.Commissions that reduce profits.Limited branding opportunities. | For beginners testing a niche, sellers of popular products, and those who want to get sales “right now.” |
| Social networks | The easiest and cheapest start.The possibility of direct contact with the audience.Built-in tools for targeted advertising. | Limited functionality: analytics, order management.You don’t own the platform, there is a risk of blocking.Not suitable for a large range of products. | Sellers of visually appealing goods: clothing, jewelry, decor, food, handmade craftsmen, influencers. |
Creating a platform for online sales
If you’ve decided to create your own sales website, it’s time to get it up and running. Let’s compare the cost and complexity of the options:
| Method | Estimated cost in $ | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Development from scratch through developers | $2000–50000 | Full customization, high level of individuality, possibility of implementing complex functions. | High cost, long development time, need for constant support. |
| CMS website with the involvement of a freelancer: for example, WordPress + WooCommerce | $500–3000 | Fast development, affordable price, ability to customize to specific needs. | Limited functionality without additional plugins, need for technical support. |
| Website builders: Weblium, Shopify and others | from $8/month. | Ease of use, quick start, low cost. | Limited customization, platform dependency, possible additional costs for feature expansion. |
Checklist: minimum for starting sales
- Convenient navigation . The client should find the desired product in 2-3 clicks. Logical categories, search, filters are mandatory elements.
- Mobile-friendly . Most users will visit your site from a smartphone. Your site should look great on any screen.
- Loading speed . If the page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, you are losing a customer. Optimize photos and don’t overload the site with animations.
- High-quality photos and product descriptions . Show the product from all angles. In the description, answer all possible questions: dimensions, materials, characteristics.
- Clear cart and calls to action . The “Buy”, “Add to cart”, “Checkout” buttons should be prominent. The ordering process is intuitive, like the market leaders.
- Social proof : Reviews from previous customers are the best tool for building trust.
Payment systems and logistics setup
The site is ready. Now you need to provide two main functions: the ability to pay for the product and receive it. Analyze the payment services market in Ukraine and connect the appropriate solution.
| Payment service | Commission on each transaction | Supported currencies | Integration with platforms | Features |
| LiqPay | From 2.75% | USD, EUR | Shopify, WooCommerce, API | Integration with PrivatBank, popular among small businesses. |
| EasyPay | 1.5% of the amount | APIs | Easy integration, popular among small businesses. | |
| Monobank | 1.3% (UAH), 2% (international) | USD, EUR | APIs | Installment option, popular among zoomers. |
| Wallet | Up to 2.5% | UAH + major currencies | APIs | Support for different currencies. |
| NovaPay | From 1.5% | USD, EUR | Shopify, WooCommerce, API | Recognized as the best payment service for ecommerce in Ukraine according to the Banker Award 2025. |
| iPay.ua | From 1.5% | UAH | Shopify, WooCommerce, API | Awarded as the best ecommerce partner at the Ukrainian Fintech Awards 2023. |
| Fondy | From 2.5% | UAH, USD, EUR | Shopify, WooCommerce, API | Support for various payment methods, including cryptocurrencies. |
| Stripe | From 2.9% + $0.30 | USD, EUR, GBP, etc. | Shopify, WooCommerce, API | International platform, support for different currencies. |
Be sure to add Apple Pay and Google Pay functionality for quick purchases from your smartphone. Most payment providers provide this option during connection and setup.
We also recommend connecting logistics operator modules to the site. In Ukraine, the three most popular services are: Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, and MEEST. Their tools can be integrated via API. This will allow:
- Automatically create invoices after placing an order, while reducing the risk of errors.
- Automatically calculate the shipping cost directly during order placement.
- Offer different delivery methods: to the door, to the branch, to the post office, etc.
- Send the customer a tracking number to track the order via messengers, email or SMS.
Tip: Before the official launch, make a few test orders yourself. Check whether the payment is processed correctly and whether the shipping cost is calculated correctly. This will save you from unpleasant situations with dissatisfied customers.
Marketing and promotion for online sales
The store is created and configured, all options are working. Time to start? Not yet. prepare everything you need to make the process of attracting customers faster and cheaper for you. There are several main channels from which potential buyers will come to the site:
- Search engines . To attract customers, you will need SEO optimization . In short: you need to study your audience, find out what keywords customers are searching for similar products, and organically write these words in product titles and descriptions, in page texts, and in the titles and descriptions of each page. Blog articles that also include popular search phrases will not hurt.
- Social media . As we mentioned, this is the main channel for building a brand and communicating with your audience. Therefore, maintain pages on the platforms that your potential customers use. Publish useful and interesting content, respond to comments, hold contests, run targeted advertising for your audience, and collaborate with bloggers.
- Email marketing. From the first day of work, start collecting your customers’ contacts: through contests, discounts, involvement in the “secret club”, etc. Form a base, segment the audience and send letters. The purpose of mailings can be different: return to an abandoned cart, attract to a sale, stimulate the first order, etc.
- Remarketing . “Catch up” with advertising those who have already been to your site but haven’t bought anything. Remind them of the products they viewed and encourage them to order: through a discount, free shipping, a bonus on their next purchase, etc.
Analysis and optimization of online sales
The great thing about online business is that you can and should measure everything. Accordingly, you should have access to various tools. Start by connecting Google Analytics: you will be able to study your audience in more detail and understand where they come from and why some visitors leave without buying anything. Also, install Facebook Pixel to track the effectiveness of advertising on social networks. Use the analytics of mailing services to evaluate email campaigns.
SendPulse has a visually simple dashboard where you can evaluate overall data, view a click map, and analyze errors.
The most important indicators for an online store:
- number of visitors;
- Conversion rate: the percentage of visitors who became buyers out of total traffic;
- most popular products;
- effectiveness of advertising channels.
Based on the data you receive, you can make changes: test new product photos, change button texts, adjust prices, or reallocate your advertising budget to more effective channels. How to do this?
- Here is a simple example:
- Low conversion — try changing product photos to better ones, simplify the order form, and add customer reviews.
- Low search traffic – work on SEO product and category descriptions.
- Social media advertising isn’t paying off — change creatives, copy, or audience settings. Try a different channel. A/B test different creatives.
- People are abandoning their carts — maybe the shipping cost is too high, or the payment method is unusual and intimidating, or there’s no option to order with cash on delivery. Make the process more transparent.
This is a continuous process that smoothly leads to increased profits.
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How to sell online without mistakes
Most entrepreneurs start online sales and make mistakes: this is a normal path. Moreover, even experienced market players make mistakes. Let’s consider a few typical situations that should be avoided.
Working without a strategy
A business without a clear action plan is a major mistake that costs a lot. What does it look like? You launch an ad on social media because you saw a competitor’s ad. Then you offer a discount because no one buys anything. Then you write a post on Instagram after a two-week break. You don’t have answers to the questions “Who is my customer?”, “What are the competitive advantages of my business?”, “What should the business achieve in three months, a year, three years?”
How to do it right . Prepare, do your research, and only start a business when you clearly understand:
- Who are you selling to? Customer profile, audience age, needs, problems, and what your product is all about.
- What is your unique selling proposition? It could be a unique product, fast service, delivery within an hour, etc.
- Where does the customer “live?” What social networks does he use, where is it more convenient for him to place orders, through which channels does he want to receive notifications?
- What you want to achieve. Set clear measurable goals: for example, 30 sales in the first month with an average check of 500 UAH.
Poor visuals
Photos of products taken on a cheap smartphone against the background of home wallpapers. Dry and concise product descriptions: characteristics copied from the supplier. Template site design. Social media pages with “cheap” visual content that are unattractive and create the feeling of a “home business”. All this repels the buyer, because there are always those who will offer beautiful photos, full descriptions – visuals that create additional value.
How to do it right . If you don’t have the money for a professional photo shoot, use daylight, a neutral background (cardboard or Whatman paper from a craft store), and a modern smartphone camera. Show the product from all angles. Shoot a video of the product in use. In the descriptions, sell benefits, not characteristics. Not “a pine chair,” but “an inexpensive, reliable chair made of natural wood that will withstand several generations of family dinners.” Additionally: answer customers’ questions, give them access to write and read reviews.
Wrong platform choice
For example, you create unique jewelry, but try to sell it on PROM, among products from Aliexpress. Or you try to sell industrial equipment through a simple landing page or Facebook page. As a result, you waste time and effort on a platform where your target audience either does not exist or is not configured for this type of purchase.
How to do it right . Go back to your strategy. Are you selling a visually appealing product to a wide audience? Instagram and Facebook are your choice. Do you have standard products with a competitive price? Try marketplaces. Are you building a long-term brand and want full control? Invest in your own website.
Ignoring mobile users
Your website works well on a laptop screen, but on a smartphone the text is unreadable, and the “Buy” button is hard to hit with your finger. Over 60% of online purchases in Ukraine are made from mobile devices. If your store is not convenient for a smartphone, you are deliberately turning away most potential customers.
How to do it right . Always check how your site looks on mobile. Go through the entire customer journey on your phone: from product search to the thank you page for ordering. Make sure each step is easy and clear.
Lack of reviews
Your store doesn’t have a reviews section, and you don’t respond to occasional comments on social media. Even worse, you delete negative reviews. This shows that you don’t care about your customers, reduces the likelihood of orders, and “kills” your brand’s reputation.
How to do it right . Create an automated newsletter in SendPulse asking for feedback 5-7 days after the purchase. By the way, we have a great article on business process automation : learn how to set them up as efficiently as possible.
Respond to all comments: respond calmly, constructively, and kindly. Apologize for mistakes and offer solutions. One properly handled negative review can convince more customers than ten positive ones: it shows that you won’t abandon the buyer in case of a problem.
Online business is a promising niche in which representatives of microbusinesses and small businesses feel quite comfortable. The main thing is to avoid mistakes and act according to a clear strategy. And also use convenient services. For example, the SendPulse platform is a full-fledged ecosystem that has everything you need to promote your business on the Internet: email and SMS newsletter tools, website and popup builders , customizable chatbots for messengers and social networks, and many other features. Use them and achieve maximum results!
