Start, Build, and Manage eCommerce
Implement your online business easily with the shop solutions of IONOS
On this page, you will find all the information you need to set up and maintain an online shop. It doesn't matter which industry you are in. The IONOS e-commerce world has a simple cost-effective solution for you.
- Your retail store goes digital: With good photos and descriptions in your online store, you can expand your potential customer base to the whole world and sell all day every day.
- Services go online: Your experience and expertise can be brought to your customers perfectly in the form of direct consultations/meetings via instant messenger apps or video conferencing software, such as Google Workspace: Google Meet.
- Independence of time and staff: Your online shop does not know any closing time and does not need sufficient staff scheduled for peak times.
- Distribute up-to-date information with a small advertising budget: With a newsletter, you send out your advertising via email in a cutting-edge, targeted way. With rankingCoach, you can keep 35 online business directories up to date through a single interface.
- Internet traffic generated through search engine optimisation (SEO): With search engine optimisation, you increase the likelihood that your online shop will be suggested by a search engine when certain keywords are entered. In the quick course online marketing you will learn more about this and other ways to increase your sales through online measures.
- Amazon & Co. - Online marketplaces used as additional sales space: Use the power of online marketplaces and place your products not only in your own online shop but also on platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and/or etsy.
- Sell via social media: Social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest have millions or even billions of active users collectively. In the article on social commerce, we highlight the ways you can take advantage of these huge sales opportunities.
The Roadmap to Your Online Shop
The IONOS Startup Guide Setting Up an Online Shop - Basics covers the most important topics surrounding your "online shop" project. With the Web Design Basics Digital Guide, you get even deeper into the technical aspects of your website.
The following sections on this page will help you to configure your online shop.
Adding Products and Services
- Add and manage products
- Manage digital products
- Create and manage product categories
- Set up and manage product options
- Create and manage product variations
Tip: If you have a large number of products, creating a spreadsheet, e.g. with Google Workspace: Google Spreadsheets, will help you to add this content to your online shop in a more structured and faster way.
Set Up Payment and Shipping Methods
- Set up online payment methods
- Set up manual (offline) payment methods
- Set up Stripe
- Set up PayPal Checkout
- Choose the right delivery method
- Offer free shipping
- Offer flat rate shipping
- Calculate shipping costs based on size and weight
Tip: PayPal is the most popular online payment method and is quick and easy to set up.
Connecting to a Website or Social Media Account
- Connecting Your Shop with Facebook
- Connect Your Shop with Instagram
- Connect Your Shop with Any Website
Tip: Sell your products where your target audience is: Facebook, Instagram or on your own website.
Secure Online Sales
Tip: We have provided some of the most important tips for a legally compliant online shop here for you.
Managing Orders and Customers
Tip: Maintain your customers to create the longest possible customer relationships.