Start an Online Shop with No Experience

Starting an online shop might seem daunting, especially without experience. However, with the proper steps and tools, you can successfully launch your e-commerce business.

This article will guide you through each stage of the process, from creating a name and logo to promoting your online store.

Create a Memorable Name and Logo for Your Online Shop

The first step in starting your online shop is creating a memorable name and logo. Your brand name should be unique, easily remembered, and reflect your products or services.

Tips for Crafting a Unique Brand Identity:

• Brainstorm keywords related to your business.
• Use a thesaurus to find synonyms and related words.
• Combine words creatively to form a unique name.

Tools and Resources for Logo Design:

• Use online logo design tools like Canva, LogoMaker, or Looka.
• Hire a professional designer on platforms like Fiverr or 99designs.
• Ensure your logo is simple, scalable, and represents your brand effectively.

Buy a Domain to Establish Your Online Presence

The business name was chosen?

Now, register a unique domain. Did you hear about the new TLD shop? Godaddy has a sale now. You can purchase this domain for 1,91 € / first year. 

How to Choose a New Domain Name:

• Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell.
• Avoid using numbers and hyphens.
• Use relevant keywords to improve SEO.

Strategies for Acquiring Existing Domains:

• Backorders: Reserve a currently registered domain that might become available – Use Godaddy.com or Hexonet.com to find a suitable domain.
• Auctions: Bid on domains that are up for auction – Namecheap or Godaddy.com
• Aged Domains: Purchase an older domain that may have existing traffic and SEO value. Remember that the most important factors are Domain Rating and Traffic. You can check your website metrics using the Ahrefs.com methodology.

Benefits of Purchasing a Domain with High Domain Rating and Link History

1. Reduced Link Building Costs: Existing domains often have a strong profile of backlinks built over time. This established link profile can help improve your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts without requiring extensive and costly link-building campaigns. Do you not have enough money to buy a link for 80$? Try to find an existing domain with already existing links and get benefits.
   
2. Trust of Search Engines: Search engines like Google tend to trust older domains with a history of backlinks more than new domains. This trust can lead to quicker indexing of your content and potentially higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).
      
3. Traffic Potential: A domain with existing backlinks may already have traffic from those links. By acquiring such a domain, you can potentially inherit some of that traffic, providing an immediate audience for your products or services. 

TIP: Use Ahref’s Traffic Checker to estimate the value of a traffic 

Choose the Right eCommerce Platform for Your Business

Selecting the right eCommerce platform is essential for your online shop’s success.

The Pros and Cons of Using WooCommerce:

• Pros: Highly customizable, open-source, integrates seamlessly with WordPress.
• Cons: It requires more technical knowledge and potentially incurs additional costs for plugins and themes.
  
  Enhance Your WooCommerce Store with WooCommerce POS: If you want to expand your business by managing online and in-person sales, consider using WooCommerce POS. This plugin allows you to streamline your operations by integrating your physical store with your WooCommerce platform, making inventory management, order tracking, and customer service more efficient. With WooCommerce POS, you can quickly transform any device into a functional point of sale, providing flexibility and convenience.

Why Shopify Might Be the Best Choice for You:

• Pros: User-friendly, all-in-one solution, extensive app store.
• Cons: Monthly fees and less customization compared to WooCommerce.

Exploring Other eCommerce Platform Options:

• BigCommerce: Scalable solution with robust features.
• Magento: Highly flexible but requires advanced technical skills.
• Squarespace: Easy to use with beautiful design templates.

Create Compelling Product Listings and Descriptions

Your product listings and descriptions are critical in converting visitors into customers. Don’t know how to write product descriptions? Hire a tailored copywriting agency or use simple AI Tools, but don’t rely on automation 100%. 

How to Write Product Descriptions That Sell:

• Focus on benefits, not just features.
• Use clear, concise language.
• Include keywords for SEO.

Tips for Professional Product Photography:

• Use high-quality images with good lighting.
• Highlight your products with diverse product photography angles.
• Include lifestyle photos to demonstrate product use.

Start Your Company in a Tax-Friendly System: Why Estonia is a Great Option?

Starting your company in a tax-friendly system can save you money and simplify your business operations.

Benefits of Estonia’s e-Residency Program for Online Entrepreneurs

The e-residency system in Estonia offers several benefits for entrepreneurs and businesses. You can conveniently collect your e-Residency card from your local embassy or consulate, regardless of location, whether you reside in Poland, Germany, or the USA. This eliminates the need to travel to Estonia for card pickup.

Once you have your e-residency, you can remotely manage your Estonian company. This includes signing documents, encrypting and decrypting corporate files using your e-residency card, and securely accessing e-administration services.

Estonia’s e-residency also allows you to utilize the e-notary system from anywhere globally. You can authenticate and notarize documents without physically being present in Estonia, which saves time and travel expenses.

Establishing a company in Estonia has advantages, particularly in terms of taxation. If your online shop follows an investment strategy and does not plan to distribute dividends, you can benefit from Estonia’s 0% corporation tax on profits that are not distributed as dividends. This unique tax policy has attracted startups like Bolt and Skype to register their businesses in Estonia over other countries.

In addition to tax benefits, Estonia offers a supportive environment for startups with its advanced digital infrastructure and minimal bureaucracy. Being a member of the European Union also provides businesses registered in Estonia with access to the EU Single Market, facilitating trade and operations across European borders.

Estonia’s e-residency and favorable business environment make it an appealing choice for entrepreneurs looking to establish and manage their companies efficiently and cost-effectively. It also benefits from EU market access and international credibility.

STEPS TO START A COMPANY IN ESTONIA

1. Apply for an e-residency card or register a company through a notary public 

2. Register a company in Estonia.

3. Choose suitable accounting software for your business. 

4. Report taxes on time and pay only 0% Corporation Tax if your company reinvests profits.

Promote Your Online Business Effectively

Promotion is key to driving traffic and sales to your online shop.

Boost Your Visibility with SEO:

• Optimize your website for relevant keywords.
• Create high-quality, engaging content.
• Build backlinks from reputable sites.

Leveraging Social Media to Drive Traffic and Sales:

• Create profiles on major social media platforms.
• Post regularly and engage with your audience.
• Use targeted ads to reach your ideal customers.

Using Google Ads to Reach Your Target Audience:

• Set up Google Ads campaigns with specific goals.
• Use keyword research to target the right audience.
• Monitor and adjust your campaigns for optimal performance.

Following these steps, you can successfully start and grow your online shop, even without prior experience. With dedication and the right strategies, your e-commerce business can thrive in the competitive online market.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Starting an online shop in Estonia presents many opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, even without prior experience. With Estonia’s robust e-Residency program, you can manage your business remotely and benefit from a 0% Corporation Tax rate on retained profits, provided dividends are not distributed. Estonia’s tax-friendly environment and advanced digital infrastructure make it ideal for launching and expanding your e-commerce venture.

Furthermore, choosing the right tools and platforms, such as a memorable brand name, a user-friendly e-commerce platform, and effective marketing strategies, can significantly enhance your online shop’s success. By leveraging SEO, social media, and paid advertising, you can drive traffic, boost sales, and establish your brand in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

In conclusion, Estonia offers a supportive ecosystem for startups, providing access to the EU market and simplified business operations through innovative digital solutions. Whether starting fresh or expanding your business globally, Estonia provides the tools and incentives to thrive in the digital economy.

Post Contribution –

Paweł Krok

Board Member at Eesti Consulting OÜ

Pawel Krok is a board member at Eesti Consulting OÜ, which focuses specifically on company registration in Estonia. He helps entrepreneurs take their first steps in the Estonian Market and was an expert in the World Bank’s Business Ready 2023 Project.