How to Start an Online Store in India in 2026

What you need before you start

• A business or personal PAN card
• Check the GST registration requirements that apply to your business with a qualified tax adviser
• A bank account in your business name
• A Razorpay account (free to create, takes 1–2 days to activate)
• Product photos and descriptions

Step 1 — Choose the right ecommerce platform

The platform you pick determines your costs for years. Key things to evaluate for Indian sellers:

• Transaction fees — Does the platform take a cut of every order? Shopify India charges 2% unless you use Shopify Payments (not available in India). Dukaan charges 1.49–2.99% on lower plans.
• GST invoice support — You legally need GST invoices with CGST/SGST/IGST splits. Does the platform auto-generate them?
• Indian payment gateways — Razorpay, Cashfree, PayU. Can you bring your own account?
• Shiprocket integration — The largest Indian shipping aggregator. Built-in means no second dashboard.
• Billing currency — Check the currency on your plan and any currency conversion charges before subscribing.

Start with a 14-day free trial. Selzix is US$50/month or US$500/year in USD, with no Selzix transaction fee. Payment processing, external services and applicable taxes are separate. Your billing country determines your final plan price.

Step 2 — Set up your Razorpay account

Razorpay is India's most widely used payment gateway. Here's how to get started:

1. Go to razorpay.com/signup and create a business account
2. Submit KYC documents: PAN, GST certificate, cancelled cheque
3. Wait 1–2 days for approval
4. Once approved, grab your API Key ID and Secret from the dashboard

Razorpay charges ~2% + GST on domestic card transactions. Check your gateway agreement for UPI and other payment-method fees. These fees go directly to Razorpay — your ecommerce platform should charge nothing on top.

Step 3 — Set up your store

Once you have a platform and Razorpay ready:

1. Sign up at selzix.com and pick a brand kit (8 designed kits across fashion, food, electronics, beauty)
2. Connect your Razorpay API keys in the payments settings
3. Add your products — name, photos, price, HSN code, GST rate
4. Set up shipping zones — Shiprocket handles India-wide delivery with rate cards

Step 4 — Configure GST invoicing

Every B2C order in India requires a tax invoice. Your invoice must show:

• Your GSTIN
• Buyer's state (determines CGST+SGST vs IGST)
• HSN code for each product
• Tax amount split by component

A properly configured platform auto-generates these on every order. Your CA stops calling you every quarter.

Step 5 — Point your domain and go live

Compare the full cost before choosing a provider: subscription, platform fees, payment processing, and any optional services. Check current prices and availability in your billing country.

Point the domain's DNS A record or CNAME to your store. SSL auto-issues. First order within the same hour is realistic.

What about selling on marketplaces instead?

Flipkart, Amazon, and Meesho take 10–35% commission plus fulfillment fees. You also don't own the customer relationship — you can't contact buyers directly or build a brand. A D2C store is more work upfront but far more profitable at scale.

More ways to run your Selzix store

Import a public Shopify catalogue or selected Instagram posts, offer direct UPI with manual confirmation or optional COD, and configure pickup and order slots. Customer segments, product reviews, funnel analytics and a built-in blog are also available. See the current features and setup requirements.