- May 11
- 8 min read
Turn your ideas into sales and start selling with Wix eCommerce→
The best way to create an online store, that helps you start selling online quickly and easily, is to use an eCommerce platform like Wix. Using an al-in-one eCommerce platform means you can create an eCommerce website, choose from multiple types of eCommerce to get started with (dropshipping, print on demand) and manage your entire online store from one place.
Learn more about how to start an online store and how to make an eCommerce website.
TL;DR: what's the best way to create an online store?
The best way to create an online store is to use an all-in-one eCommerce platform that handles everything from store design and product management to payments, shipping and marketing in one place. Pick a platform that fits where your business is today and where you want it to go.
What to look for in an online store platform
Feature | What to look for |
Store setup | Templates, AI builder, drag-and-drop editor |
Product catalog | High product/variant limits, CSV import |
Payments | Cards, PayPal, digital wallets, BNPL |
Shipping | Zones, carrier integrations, label generation |
Marketing | Abandoned cart recovery, email campaigns, loyalty programs |
Sales channels | Marketplaces, social commerce, POS |
Scalability | Multichannel management, advanced automation, enterprise infrastructure |
What's the best way to create an online store quickly and easily? Choose an online store builder that allows you to:
01. Use an online store template
Not a designer? Using eCommerce website templates gives you access to hundreds of professionally designed templates to create your online store quickly is an easy way to get your online store up and running.
Wix's website templates make it easy to start selling online, across multiple industries.
Once you've chosen your template, Wix's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize your storefront without any coding knowledge, allowing you to build a successful shopping experience.
Looking for an even easier way to create an online store? Wix's AI website builder makes it possible to create a site in minutes. All you have to do is answer a few questions about the type of online store you want to build and its style.
02. Choose and register a domain name for your store
A customized domain name is important for an online store, you'l want to make sure it can be easily found and that your domain name helps build your online brand. When choosing a domain name for your online store remember to:
Keep it short, memorable, and relevant to your brand
Avoid hyphens and numbers that can confuse your customers
Check it's easy to pronounce and spell
When deciding what's the best way to start an online store, choosing an online store platform, like Wix, that includes domain name search and buying a name is an important consideration. All Wix paid plans (and you'll need a paid plan to sell online) include a free customizable domain name for a year.
03. Design your online store however you want
Even if you've decided to use an online store template or AI website builder as the best way to create your online store, you might also want to consider a few website design best practices, especially when it comes to its structure and navigation. We've put together a few of our own expert tips to help.
An engaging homepage that clearly communicates your value proposition (and what your selling and why), is a crucial part of your online store
Intuitive navigation with logical product categories makes it easier for customers to find what they want to buy and to buy it
A mobile-responsive design (Wix's website builder automatically optimizes for mobile) improves the buying experience for your online store users
High-quality product images and consistent visual elements are everything
Trust signals like customer testimonials can really help
04. Setup your product catalog for success
Your online store's product catalog is essentially how you showcase what you're selling. So the clearer and more comprehensive it is, the better. Here's how you can best go about creating a product catalog that helps you sell.
Create detailed product pages with comprehensive descriptions
Use high-quality images from multiple angles
Include pricing, availability and variant information
Organize your products into logical categories for easy navigation
Implement product tags for improved searchability
Wix eCommerce supports up to 50,000 products with 1,000 variants each, making it one of the best options for creating an online store. You can also import existing products via CSV.
05. Choose from multiple product types
What makes Wix eCommerce one of the best options for building an online store is the wide variety of selling online options it gives you. These include:
Physical products: Traditional merchandise that requires shipping
Digital products: Downloadable items like ebooks, music or online courses
Dropshipping: Partner with suppliers who handle inventory and shipping to start a dropshipping business
Print on demand: Custom merchandise featuring your designs to start a print on demand business
Subscriptions: Recurring products or services for steady revenue to start a subscription box business or similar
With an online store from Wix you can also combine multiple product types in a single store, creating diverse revenue streams that maximize your business.
06. Setup payments and shipping options easily
When it comes to choosing the best way to create an online store you want to go with a platform that makes setting up payments and shipping easy as opposed to a headache.
Choosing an online store builder like Wix to start an online store is one of the best options because you can easily setup payments up Wix Payments to accept credit and debit cards, integrate PayPal, digital wallets and alternative payment methods (location dependent), configure Buy Now, Pay Later options and easily set your currency and regional settings to match your target market.
You can also easily set your shipping needs by defining your shipping zones (domestic, international), setting up shipping rates (flat, weight-based, free shipping thresholds), integrating with major carriers which gives you real-time shipping quotes, local pickup options where relevant and automation shipping label generation.
In today's commerce world, order management has become a crucial component for the success of any business. This practice refers to the process of receiving, processing, and fulfilling customer orders efficiently and accurately. Alfredo García Herrera, VP of partnerships, PR and corporate affairs LATAM at Skydropx
07. Market your online store from one dashboard
When looking for the best way to get an online store up and running, you'll want to consider what happens the day after you create your store. Building a store is one thing, marketing it is another and you'll want an online store platform that also helps you market your online selling as you go.
Wix's online store platform makes marketing your website easy with:
Abandoned cart recovery emails to recapture lost sales
Email marketing campaigns for product launches and promotions
Exit-intent popups for lead capture
Customer loyalty programs to encourage repeat purchases
Social media integration to expand your reach
08. Expand your sales channels
Selling online is a competitive business and when it comes to deciding how and where to setup your online store you'll want to make sure it offers multichannel selling.
For example, build an online store with Wix and you can:
List products on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Etsy
Sell directly on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
Implement Google Shopping integration for increased visibility
Consider in-person sales through Wix POS if relevant to your business model
All these channels can be managed from your Wix online store dashboard.
Learn more:
09. Track your analytics
The growth of your online store is dependent on you having easy access to analytics data that allows you to easily monitor:
Sales performance by product, category, and time period
Customer acquisition channels and conversion rates
Average order value and customer lifetime value
Site traffic patterns and user behavior
Abandoned cart rates and checkout friction points
Wix's website builder includes a comprehensive analytics tool that offer actionable insights without requiring huge analytics expertise or knowledge.
10. Scale your business
A successful ecommerce business ultimately means scaling your selling. Choose an online store platform that allows you do to this as and when you need it.
Wix's eCommerce helps online store businesses scale through:
AI assistant's: Generate product descriptions, optimize images, and create personalized product recommendations
International options: Implement multiple languages, currencies, and region-specific content
Custom applications: Available in Wix's App Market or custom development
Wix supports scalable eCommerce operations as a high-performance commerce platform, serving businesses from small online stores to high-revenue brands. As your store grows, you can customize checkout workflows to match your sales strategy, manage complex product catalogs with variant-level pricing and inventory control, and optimize conversion across multiple sales channels. With enterprise-grade infrastructure handling hosting, security and compliance, Wix provides the foundation to scale confidently as transaction volume increases.
How to create an online store with Wix eCommerce
Creating an online store with Wix eCommerce is straightforward. Start by choosing a template from hundreds of professionally designed options across industries, or use the AI website builder to generate a complete, responsive store from a single prompt with full store functionality built in from the start. From there, you can customize your storefront using the drag-and-drop editor without any coding knowledge.
Once your storefront is set up, add your products to the catalog. Wix supports up to 50,000 products with up to 1,000 variants each, with variant-level pricing and inventory management, up to five levels of subcategories and custom product modifiers for more complex catalogs. You can also use AI-powered packshot generation to turn phone photos into studio-quality product images in one click, removing the need for professional photography.
Next, configure your payment and shipping settings. Wix supports multiple payment methods including credit and debit cards, PayPal, digital wallets and Buy Now Pay Later options, alongside flexible shipping zones, carrier integrations and automated label generation.
While Wix makes it easy to get a store up and running quickly, the platform also includes advanced retail capabilities designed to support businesses at every stage of growth. Merchants can automate complex promotions with built-in discount logic, recover lost revenue through automated abandoned cart workflows and increase average order value with AI-driven product recommendations. Quick Buy functionality, a sticky mobile Add-to-Cart button and performance-optimized checkout flows reduce purchase friction at every stage of the buyer journey.
When you are ready to grow, Wix supports multichannel selling across Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Instagram, TikTok and Google Shopping, all managed from one dashboard.
What's the best way to create an online store FAQ
How long does it take to set up an online store?
With an eCommerce platform like Wix, you can launch a basic online store in a single day. Using an AI website builder or a pre-designed template, you can have your storefront, products, and payments configured within hours.
How much does it cost to start an online store?
Costs vary depending on the platform and your business model. Most eCommerce platforms require a paid plan to start selling online, typically ranging from $29 to $500 per month, which often includes a free custom domain for the first year. Additional costs may include apps, marketing tools, or transaction fees depending on your chosen payment method.
What types of products can I sell in an online store?
You can sell physical products, digital downloads like ebooks or courses, dropshipping products, print-on-demand merchandise and subscription-based services all from a single store, depending on the eCommerce platform you choose.
