Selling online is no longer reserved for large groups. In 2026, any VSE or SME can launch a successful e-commerce store — provided they make the right choices from the start. Here is the concrete guide to creating your online store without unpleasant surprises.
Before you begin: two questions to ask yourself
Before choosing a technology or a service provider, answer these two questions honestly:
- Can you handle logistics? Selling online involves inventory, shipping, returns and customer service. If you don't have these resources, start with a showcase site with manual order taking.
- Are your products sold without human contact? A shirt sells alone. A tailor-made service, no. Adapt your type of site to your commercial reality.
Choose the right technology
Three options dominate the market in 2026:
WooCommerce (WordPress + e-commerce plugin)
Most popular solution for VSE/SMEs. It is based on WordPress, allows autonomous content management and offers thousands of extensions. Budget: €2,500 to €6,000 for a professional project. Suitable for: shops with 10 to 500 products, creative artisans, local businesses.
Shopify
SaaS solution (you rent the platform). Ideal for getting started quickly, but you pay a monthly subscription (€29 to $299/month) + commissions on each sale. Avoid if you want to own your tool long term.
Custom development
For specific needs (product configurator, ERP integration, complex catalog). Budget: from €8,000. Reserved for companies with a real sales volume justifying the investment.
The essential pages of an online store
A professional e-commerce store must include:
- Home page: highlighting key products and value proposition
- Product catalog: quality photos, complete descriptions, customer reviews
- Product pages: detailed sheet, variants, availability, delivery time
- Basket and purchase funnel: simple, quick, reassuring
- Secure payment page: Stripe, PayPal, transfer — at least two options
- CGV and legal notices: legally mandatory (GDPR, right of withdrawal)
- Contact page and FAQ: reduce friction before purchase
The real costs of an online store
Beyond creation, plan:
- E-commerce hosting: €15 to €50/month (more demanding than a showcase site)
- Payment gateway: Stripe takes 1.5% + €0.25 per transaction
- SSL certificate: often included in hosting
- Product photos: not to be neglected — bad photos kill sales
- Maintenance: 80 to 200 €/month depending on the level of service
The 5 mistakes that cause an e-commerce launch to fail
- Launch without traffic: a store without visitors sells nothing. Plan an SEO or advertising budget from the start.
- Neglecting photos: 75% of online buyers rely on visuals to decide. No quality photo = no sale.
- A purchase funnel that is too long: each additional step costs sales. 3 clicks maximum from product to payment.
- Forget mobile: more than 65% of purchases are made on smartphones. Test your store on mobile first.
- Ignoring the T&Cs and the GDPR: a store without compliant T&Cs can be legally challenged. This is not an option.
Where to actually start?
If you're starting from scratch: start small. A store of 10 to 20 well-presented products converts better than a sloppy catalog of 500 products. Prove the model before investing heavily.
If you already have a showcase site: study whether adding a store is profitable before redoing the entire site. In many cases, a simple online order page is enough to test demand.