
Creating your own online shop is a great idea, but it can be overwhelming if you don't know where to start.
First, you'll need to choose an e-commerce platform, such as Shopify or WooCommerce, which can be done in just a few minutes.
To increase your chances of success, make sure to research your target audience and create a business plan that outlines your goals and strategies.
It's essential to have a clear understanding of your products and services, including pricing, shipping, and returns.
Getting Started
To start creating an online shop, you'll need to choose an e-commerce platform, such as Shopify or WooCommerce, which can be installed on your existing website.
First, register a domain name that reflects your brand and is easy to remember, like "meinshop.de" as mentioned in the section on "Domainnamen wählen".
Next, set up a professional email address for your shop, like "[email protected]", which will be used for customer inquiries and communication.
Now that you have a solid foundation, you can start designing your online shop's layout and user interface, taking into account the importance of a clear and intuitive navigation menu, as discussed in the section on "Shop-Design".
Can I Test STRATO?
You can test the STRATO online shop for 30 days. This allows you to try it out without any risk, and you can even take advantage of their money-back guarantee if it doesn't meet your expectations.
Komplett Paket
Getting started with your online shop is exciting, but it can be overwhelming with all the options available. You'll need a solid foundation to build on, and that's where the Komplett Paket comes in.
This package includes everything you need to get started, including a domain name, which is essential for your online presence. You can choose from a variety of top-level domains such as .de, .eu, .com, and more.
The Komplett Paket also includes secure connection with an SSL certificate, which is crucial for protecting your customers' sensitive information. This ensures a safe and trustworthy shopping experience for your customers.
You'll also get a generous amount of web storage to host your online shop and store all your products. The package includes unlimited storage, so you can add as many products as you need without worrying about running out of space.
One of the best things about the Komplett Paket is that it's completely ad-free, so you can focus on selling your products without any distractions. Your customers will appreciate the clean and simple shopping experience.
Here are some of the key features of the Komplett Paket at a glance:
- Domain name included (e.g. .de, .eu, .com)
- KI-Funktionen (AI features) integrated
- Secure connection with SSL certificate
- Web storage for hosting your online shop
- Unlimited storage for adding products
- STRATO Webmail-Postfach for email management
- Ad-free online shop experience
Design Inspiration
You can create a shop design that reflects your brand's personality. Either choose a design template or let the AI function assist you in the design process.
With the AI function, you can adjust colors, fonts, and element arrangements to your liking. This ensures your shop is optimized for mobile devices, making it easy for customers to place orders from their smartphones.
You can customize various design elements in the STRATO Online Shop, such as:
- Kontaktformular einbinden
- Checkout-Seite individualisieren
- Produktseiten gestalten
These design options allow you to tailor your shop's design to your specific needs and branding.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and Preparation is key to a successful online shop. You'll need a Businessplan for the founding with Onlineshop, which you'll have to present at the financing conversation with the bank.
You should be aware of the specificities that need to be considered when creating the business plan for an online shop. The number of online shop users in Germany is expected to continue growing, reaching a peak of 51.77 million people in 2029, according to Statista.
To prepare for this, you should plan carefully and consider the costs and legal requirements of your online shop.
Founding Business Plan
When starting a business, you'll need a solid plan in place to guide you. A business plan is essential, especially when meeting with a bank for financing.
It's necessary to present a business plan at the financial meeting with the bank, regardless of the type of business you're starting. This includes founding a business with an online shop.
For an online shop, there are specific considerations to keep in mind when creating your business plan. You'll need to be aware of these unique aspects.
You'll need to present a business plan during the financial meeting with the bank, even if you're starting an online shop.
More Than Just a Good Intention

You're excited to start your online shop, but it's more than just a good intention. According to Statista, the number of online shop users in Germany will continue to rise, reaching a peak of around 51.77 million people in 2029.
Creating an online shop is a great way to reach potential customers worldwide and sell your products successfully. Whether you're setting up a sales platform, expanding your physical store online, or turning your hobby into a career, an online shop can help you achieve your goals.
The trend is clear: starting an online shop is a smart move. By the end of 2029, millions of people in Germany will be shopping online, making it an ideal time to join the market.
Choosing a Platform
You can start building your online shop with a website builder that offers an e-commerce platform.
Squarespace templates support e-commerce functions, and there's a special collection designed specifically for online shops.
You can easily customize the website's colors and fonts to match your target audience and brand.
You can also add useful features like shipping and customer support plugins, email marketing campaigns, and more.
Setting Up Your Shop
To set up your shop, start by creating a free website through your online shop provider, if available. This will allow you to sell products without any technical expertise.
You'll need to install and set up your online shop, which typically involves uploading the shop to your web server and following the provider's installation guide. Many providers offer community support, so don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
Some essential settings to complete after installation include configuring available delivery options and times, setting up payment gateway access, and customizing design and display options. Don't forget to integrate legal content, such as terms and conditions, privacy policy, and imprint, to ensure compliance.
Installieren und Einrichten
Installing and setting up your shop is a crucial step in creating a successful online store. You'll need to create an account and add essential information about your business.
To install and set up your shop, you'll need to load the shop onto your web server, which you've previously rented. You can usually find instructions for this from the provider, or you can get help from the community of users who use the same shop software. Many providers now offer free website creation, where you can sell various products.
After installation, you'll need to make a lot of settings, such as choosing available delivery options and times, accessing data for your payment providers, and customizing the design and appearance of your shop.
Some of the settings you'll need to make include:
- Verfügbare Lieferoptionen und -zeiten
- Zugangsdaten für Ihre Zahlungsanbieter
- Design- und Darstellungsoptionen
- Cross-Selling-Funktionalitäten
- Verschlüsselung der Webseite
- Integration rechtlicher Inhalte wie AGB, Impressum und Datenschutzerklärung
- Kategorienbezeichnungen und -hierarchie
Finally, you'll need to add the products you want to sell, including a high-quality photo, a clear product name, a detailed description, and a competitive price.
Products Integration
You can integrate both physical and digital products into your online shop. With STRATO's Online-Shopsystem, you can upload haptic and digital products for download.
Make sure to add relevant images and descriptions for each product to make it easy for customers to find what they're looking for. You can also use a CSV-import to easily add products from other systems.
Don't forget to include a download protection for digital products, which is included in STRATO's SmartWebshop Plus. This feature helps protect your digital products from unauthorized copying.
You can also use product categories to organize your products and make it easy for customers to navigate your shop. This is especially important as your shop grows and you add more products.
If you're selling physical products like handmade ceramics or artwork, simply take photos of each piece and add them to your shop. For digital products or services, you might need to get a bit creative with your image selection.
If you don't have your own product photos, you can search for agentur images that fit your brand and style.
Adding a short product description and enabling product reviews will help customers learn more about each product and build trust in your shop. You can also include relevant keywords in your product descriptions and metadata to improve your shop's SEO.
Payment and Shipping
Payment and Shipping is a crucial aspect of creating a successful online shop. You want to make it easy for customers to pay and receive their orders.
Offering multiple payment methods is essential. The STRATO Shopsystem supports various payment procedures, including Rechnung, Vorkasse, Sofortüberweisung, Zahlung per Nachnahme, Kreditkarte, and Online-Zahlungsarten like Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, and JCB. You can also consider Klarna, PayPal Checkout, giropay, Stripe, Swish, iDEAL, and Mollie Payments.
A seamless delivery process is also vital for a positive customer experience. You can offer free shipping or set shipping prices based on the order value. Some shops even use a flat rate for all orders.
After installing your online shop, you'll need to configure the payment and shipping settings. This includes setting up available delivery options and times, accessing data for your payment providers, and integrating legal content like AGB, Impressum, and Datenschutzerklärung.
Here's a quick rundown of the key settings you'll need to consider:
- Verfügbare Lieferoptionen und -zeiten
- Zugangsdaten für Ihre Zahlungsanbieter
- Design- und Darstellungsoptionen
- Cross-Selling-Funktionalitäten
- Verschlüsselung der Webseite
- Integration rechtlicher Inhalte wie AGB, Impressum und Datenschutzerklärung
- Kategorienbezeichnungen und -hierarchie
Remember, the right payment and shipping options can be a deciding factor for customers to choose your online shop.
Marketing and Sales
To track your online shop's performance and increase visibility, use marketing tools like STRATO's rankingCoach, which helps with search engine optimization by suggesting the right keywords. This tool is available in the SmartWebshop Pro.
You can also use social media to expand your reach, by integrating your shop into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This way, you can reach a wider audience and attract more customers.
To measure your shop's performance, use analytics tools like Squarespace Analytics, which provides insights into sales, traffic, and product performance. This will help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your marketing strategies.
Marketing Help
Marketing Help can be a game-changer for your online business. With the right tools, you can keep your performance in check and boost your online presence.
STRATO's Marketing Tools give you a clear view of your performance, helping you optimize your online business. The rankingCoach is a practical analysis tool that aids in search engine optimization, such as finding the right keywords.
You can also get metadata suggestions from the integrated AI to further refine your search engine optimization. With targeted measures, you can improve your shop's ranking in search engines, making your online shop more visible and easier to find.
Social media can be another effective marketing instrument to expand your reach. You can integrate your shop into popular social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Xing, X, and YouTube.
Suggestion: Onlineshop Marketing
Verkaufe Produkte auf Facebook und Instagram
You can sell physical products on Facebook and Instagram by synchronizing your Squarespace product catalog with popular third-party websites. Squarespace offers a Meta integration that lets you sync your products with your brand's Facebook or Instagram profile, making it easier to reach your social media audience.
This integration can help you optimize your marketing and sales efforts by putting your products in front of the right people.
Consider reading: Amazon Integration Onlineshop
Squarespace Analytics for Performance Measurement
Squarespace Analytics is a powerful tool for measuring your online shop's performance. It offers a range of options to track various types of data.
You can get insightful information about your sales in the "Sales" menu, including how much customers typically spend on average and how your sales numbers have changed over time. This helps you understand the value of a single website visit.
Keep an eye on your "Sales per Product" analysis to see which marketing strategies are working best and which channels are driving the most traffic to your shop. This information will help you refine and optimize your online store as your business grows.
Operations and Logistics
As you start to build your online shop, think carefully about how you'll handle shipping. You'll eventually need a warehouse management system to ensure customers can receive their purchases quickly. At first, you might manage shipping on your own, but it can become overwhelming.
It's essential to consider how you'll manage the shipping process when it becomes too much for you to handle alone. This will also help minimize the number of returns.
If you're selling physical products, you'll need to add a shipping option to your online shop. You have several options, including flat rates, weight-based tariffs, and calculations based on shipping company rates. You can also offer free shipping or click-and-collect for customers who want to pick up their orders in person.
Your shipping options will depend on the type of products you're selling and how far you need to ship them. You should compare different options and choose the ones that best suit your business. Squarespace shipping labels can be a convenient option if you frequently use UPS or USPS labels.
Using Squarespace shipping labels can save you time and possibly money compared to commercial prices. They can also make the order fulfillment process more flexible since you can buy and print labels through the Squarespace app on your mobile device.
If you prefer to use a different shipping service or ship internationally, consider using third-party shipping extensions. These can help you send products, manage returns, and keep customers informed with tracking information and notifications. You can even use Squarespace shipping labels and third-party extensions together to have all the necessary tools to ship anywhere.
Legal and Financial
When creating an online shop, it's essential to consider the legal and financial aspects.
You'll need to register your business and obtain necessary permits, as outlined in the "Business Registration" section. This will give you a professional identity and protect your personal assets.
To ensure you're compliant with tax laws, familiarize yourself with the "Taxation" section, which explains the different types of taxes you may be liable for and how to report them.
Welche Kenntnisse Benötige Ich, Um Selbstständig Zu Werden?
To become self-employed, you don't need any prior knowledge of programming or web design. With the Onlineshop-Baukasten from STRATO, you can create your own online shop without any technical expertise.
You can choose from various web shop templates that fit your products, company, or industry. This way, you can create a professional-looking online presence without needing to know how to code.
Creating an online shop with STRATO's Onlineshop-Baukasten is a user-friendly process that requires minimal technical skills. You can focus on designing your shop and adding your products, while the platform takes care of the technical aspects.
The integrated künstlichen Intelligenz (artificial intelligence) feature in STRATO's Onlineshop-Baukasten can even help you create personalized text and images for your online shop.
Legal Obligatory Declarations
In Germany, onlineshops must include their Kontaktdaten, which includes the Telefonnummer, in the Impressum.
For e-commerce companies, it's essential to clearly display the Mehrwertsteuer included in the price of products. This is a requirement that must be met.
You'll also need to provide information about the Widerrufsrecht and allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen (AGB) before customers can agree to them. This is a crucial step in the purchasing process.
To ensure transparency, customers must actively agree to these terms before making a purchase.
5 Richtungen zur besten Besteuerung
Squarespace offers integrated tools and third-party extensions to simplify tax matters for business owners. You'll need to set up taxes that comply with local laws in your region and that of your customers.
You can use automated tax settings on Squarespace to apply taxes automatically for sales tax, value-added tax, and goods and services tax in the United States.
If you sell physical products, you may need to charge sales tax in your home country and where your customers reside. Alternatively, you can simply display prices inclusive of tax, so the original product price already includes sales tax.
If you're selling in the US and using an e-commerce plan, you can leverage Squarespace's TaxJar integration to automatically calculate sales tax at checkout.
Help
If you're new to online shopping, you might be wondering how to create your own online store. The good news is that creating an online shop is easier than you think, especially with the help of a shop-baukasten.
You can create an online shop with a shop-baukasten, which is a pre-made platform that allows you to set up your store without needing to know how to code. This is a great option for entrepreneurs with little capital, a small product range, and limited technical knowledge.
For a monthly fee of around 10 to 70 euros, you can sign up with a shop-baukasten provider like Strato, 1&1, or Jimdo. This fee varies depending on the level of functionality you need.
In the backend of your online shop, you'll need to make some settings, such as choosing the design, payment options, and shipping methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wie viel kostet es, einen eigenen Onlineshop zu erstellen?
Der Kostenrahmen für einen eigenen Onlineshop liegt bei 5.000 bis 8.000 €, wobei zusätzliche 30-50 % für Marketing investiert werden sollten
Featured Images: pexels.com


