Starting an ecommerce business from scratch might seem like a lot with technical jargon, marketing tactics, and third-party integrations, but it’s easier than you’d expect.

When ecommerce sites first started to go online, you needed deep pockets, a web development team, and an IT team just to get started. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case, and launching your online store is more accessible than ever. No coding skills. No business expertise. No huge product catalog. Just a passion for what you create and a desire to share it with the world.

Whether you’re an artist selling prints, a maker crafting ceramics, or a vintage enthusiast with curated finds, the path to selling online is more straightforward than you might think. With the right platform and a bit of guidance, you’ll transform your creative passion into a thriving online business.

Decide what to sell online

This is where your journey begins—choosing what to sell online. Some people already have a clear vision and a ready-to-go product, while others are still exploring ideas, unsure of what would work or where to begin.

Either way, here’s the good news: You don’t need a detailed business plan, a massive product line, or fancy packaging to get started. What you do need is something you love—and a willingness to share it.

Start by thinking about what you enjoy doing in your spare time, the types of projects that light you up, or the creative work you lose hours in without even noticing. Your shop should reflect you—your taste, your skills, and your passions. 

A few ideas to get you started:

• Original artwork: Paintings, illustrations, zines, photography, sticker packs
• Handcrafted items: Jewelry, ceramics, candles, clothing, accessories
• Curated vintage: Thrifted fashion, rare books, collectibles, home decor
• Digital products: Printable art, fonts, templates, patterns, educational downloads

Still unsure? Look around at what’s already in your life. Do friends always ask you to draw something for them? Compliment your thrift finds? Request your handmade candles every holiday season? Sometimes your next product idea is hiding in plain sight—something you're already making for fun or giving away.

And here’s something a lot of beginners don’t hear enough: You can absolutely start with just one product. In fact, many successful shops began with a single well-crafted item—one great tee, one art print, or one enamel pin—and built upon it from there. You can always expand your product offerings later as you receive feedback, identify what resonates, and learn what your audience is most excited to purchase. You might also be happy with your own signature product. You do you.

Speaking of your audience, it’s worth taking a moment to consider who you're selling to. Your product should light you up, yes. But it also needs to be something that someone else will love enough to buy. Start simple: Who are they? What do they care about? What might they be searching for when they land on your site?

Remember, your product does not have to be completely unique either, you just need to bring your own spin to it. Consider all the brands that sell polo shirts; the basic shirt shape remains the same, but each brand adds its own unique touch to the fabric or print.

Your style. Your voice. Your packaging. Your vibe. That’s what makes a shop feel special—and that’s why people will choose you over someone else.

Source your products

Numerous shop owners start by selling what they make—original art, handmade jewelry, custom clothing, small-batch ceramics. It’s often the most personal and rewarding path. You’re building a business around something you already love. 

If you’re making products yourself, you don’t need a huge stockpile. A few of each item is enough to get started. You can always make more as orders come in.

However, making everything yourself can be time-consuming, especially as the number of orders increases. If you’re looking for ways to lighten the load or expand your offerings, you’ve got options.

Print-on-Demand (POD)

Print-on-demand services handle the production, packing, and shipping for you. You upload your designs, select the products you want to offer (such as shirts, mugs, or posters), and the POD service handles the rest when an order is placed.

This is a smart choice if you:

• Want to focus on creating without managing inventory
• Have limited storage space or shipping capacity
• Want to test different products before investing in bulk

Services like Printful or Art of Where integrate easily with Big Cartel, making it easy to offer more with less overhead.

Wholesale products

Some online shops prefer to source their products from wholesalers, purchasing items in bulk at a lower cost and reselling them at retail prices through their shop.

Wholesale is ideal if:

• You want to open a shop quickly without making the products yourself
• You’re curating items within a specific theme or category
• You’re looking to support other indie brands and makers

Curated collections

If you have a great eye and love the hunt, consider building a curated collection—think vintage fashion, secondhand home decor, or limited-edition goods from fellow creators.

A strong, consistent aesthetic is key here. When your collection feels cohesive, it builds trust and helps customers connect with your brand—even if the items come from different sources.

Choose the right ecommerce platform

When choosing to sell online, consider the pros and cons of the various ecommerce platforms available. These platforms range from simple marketplace options (such as Etsy or Amazon Handmade) to easy-to-use SaaS options (like Big Cartel, Shopify, or Wix) to highly customizable, self-hosted options (like WooCommerce or Magento). 

For most small businesses, the SaaS (Software as a Service) option is the easiest ecommerce platform. Shop owners can get their store up and running quickly without needing to handle hosting, security, coding, and updates for the software running their online store.

When considering an ecommerce platform, think about:

• Ease of use: Can you set up shop without technical expertise?
• Visual appeal: Does it effectively showcase your products?
• Affordability: Are there flexible plans that grow with your business?
• Scalability: Can the store grow with your business?
• Support: Is help available when you need it?

Big Cartel checks all these boxes and offers a streamlined approach to selling online. You can launch quickly with the free plan, then scale up as your business grows.

Business Basics to Think About

Before you start uploading products and customizing your shop, it’s worth taking a moment to handle a few simple business setup tasks. These things aren't as complex as they seem, and you don't need to have all the answers right away. Just a few business basics will help you start off on the right foot.

• Pick a shop name that reflects your vibe. Check to make sure the domain name and social handles are available so you can keep everything consistent as much as possible
• Create a separate email address for your shop to keep business and personal stuff organized.
• Look into business registration requirements in your area. Depending on what you’re selling, you may need a license or permit.
• Consider setting up a separate bank account or payment processor account to make things easier come tax time.

These steps aren’t required to get started, but they can save you headaches later on. Start small and build from there.

Build your online store

With your ecommerce platform chosen, it’s time to start building your online store. Don’t worry—this part doesn’t need to be time-consuming. In fact, you can have your shop up and running in as little as 30 minutes. No need for coding skills or fancy tools. 

The goal here is to get your storefront live with just enough structure and polish to start sharing your products with the world.

Need help getting everything in place? Check out our free 30-minute Live Class where we walk you through the entire process. Big Cartel also offers a free plan so you can test the waters before committing to anything paid. You don’t have to go all-in from day one—just take the first step.

1. Choose a template that fits your brand

Your theme or template is the visual foundation of your online store. It sets the tone and helps your products stand out from the crowd. Look for a layout that feels true to your aesthetic and complements what you sell—whether that’s bold and graphic or soft and minimal. Big Cartel’s templates are easy to customize, so you can tweak fonts, colors, and layout without needing design skills.

Not sure what fits your brand? Start with something clean and simple. Designs can be updated over time as your shop grows and you become more established.

2. Add your products

This is where your shop starts to take shape. For each item you list, include:

• Clear, well-lit photos from multiple angles
• Engaging descriptions that highlight key features and benefits
• Accurate pricing and shipping information

Your product descriptions should highlight features such as size, materials, or care instructions—but don’t forget to let your personality shine through. Buyers don’t just connect with products—they connect with people. If your tone is playful, write that way. If it’s more down-to-earth, that’s great too. Be you.

Invest time in your product photos. You don’t need a professional camera—your phone can do the trick. Just make sure the lighting is good, the background isn’t distracting, and your product is the star of the show.

3. Configure payments and shipping

You can’t sell products online without a way to collect payments or to ship items to the buyer.

• Connect payment methods like Stripe or PayPal
• Set your shipping rates, including options for local or international orders
• Add any applicable sales taxes or policies

Not sure where to start? Big Cartel makes this process beginner-friendly, with 3rd-party integrations with popular payment gateways and shipping merchants.

4. Set up 3rd-party integrations

If you’re using print-on-demand, inventory tools, or email marketing platforms, now’s the time to connect them. These integrations help automate tasks and make your store easier to manage as your business grows.

Big Cartel integrates with tools like:

• Printful or Art of Where for automatic order fulfillment
• Inventory management apps to track stock
• Email platforms to grow your mailing list and send updates

Start simple—just what you need for now. You can always add more tools later.

5. Set up important pages

Beyond your product listings, your shop should have a few key pages to help build trust and reduce customer questions:

• About: Share who you are, what you create, and why you started your shop.
• FAQ: Answer common questions about shipping, returns, processing times, and more.
• Contact: Make it easy for people to get in touch—include a contact form, email address, or both.
• Shop Policies: Outline your return and exchange policy, shipping timelines, and any other essential details.
  

These pages demonstrate that you’ve thought things through, helping customers feel confident in their purchase from you.

Launch your online store

You’re almost there! Before hitting publish, run through this quick checklist:

• Review your product listings, prices, and shipping info for accuracy
• Test your checkout process from start to finish
• Check your site on mobile to make sure everything looks good and works properly
• Verify that your payment and shipping settings are active
• Ensure any connected apps or tools (like email or print-on-demand) are working
• Ask a friend to browse your shop and share honest feedback

When everything looks solid, take a deep breath—and launch. Don’t wait for perfection. You can (and will) tweak things as you go.

Promote your store

Your shop is live! Now it's time to attract visitors and convert them into customers.

Tell everyone you know

People can’t buy from you if they don’t know about you, and the best way to let them know is to tell them. Talk about your online store as you’re building it, show some sneak peeks or behind-the-scenes posts, and celebrate the launch.
Ask your friends, family, and network to help share the news—they’re often the best supporters of a new online business.

Build a social media presence

Choose 1-2 platforms where your target audience spends time. Post high-quality photos of your products, share behind-the-scenes content of your creative process, and engage with your followers. Focus on quality over quantity to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your store.

Start an email list

Email marketing remains one of the best ways to drive sales. Collect addresses through your shop and send welcome emails, product updates, and exclusive offers to keep your audience engaged and encourage repeat purchases.

Encourage customer reviews and user-generated content

Positive reviews and user-generated content can build trust and influence potential buyers. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your site and share photos of your products in use on their social media accounts and tag you in the posts.

Want even more tips? Our Marketing Checklist is full of marketing ideas to get your products in front of more people