How to Build an Online Store Step by Step (Beginner's Guide)

To build an online store in Romania you go through seven steps: decide what you sell and to whom, choose the platform, add products with clear photos and copy, connect a payment method (card plus cash on delivery), set up courier delivery, handle the legal side (a registered business, GDPR, the right to return) and only then promote it. You don't have to do all of it perfectly on the first try. You can launch with 10 products and a single courier, then grow as orders come in.

Below you'll find each step explained concretely, with the decisions that matter and the traps most beginners fall into.

What do you sell, and on which platform?

First, clarify the offer: which product, at what price, for whom, and why they'd buy from you rather than elsewhere. A store with 8-15 well-chosen products sells better than one with 300 dumped in a pile. If you're still testing demand, start small.

Then the platform. In short:

There's no universally "correct" choice. A niche store with 20 products doesn't need the same infrastructure as one with thousands of SKUs.

How do you add products so they actually sell?

Every product needs: at least 3-4 good photos (natural light, clean background), a clear title, a description that answers the customer's real questions (size, material, how long delivery takes) and a visible price. Bad photos are the #1 reason people don't buy from a new store. You don't need a photo studio — you need a window and a decent phone.

How do you get paid?

In Romania you practically need two things: card payment and cash on delivery. Cash on delivery is still requested by a good share of buyers, especially on first orders when they don't know you yet.

For cards, common processors are Stripe, Netopia (mobilPay) or PayU. Expect a per-transaction fee (usually a small percentage plus a fixed charge) and a business verification before activation. You can't activate card payments without a legal entity (a PFA sole trader or an SRL company) — more on that below.

How do you deliver orders?

Pick 1-2 couriers (Fan Courier, Sameday, Cargus and easybox-style lockers are the most used) and be transparent with the customer: delivery cost, estimated time, and whether there's a free-shipping threshold. Early on you can process orders manually — you don't need automatic integration from day one. A tidy little package and a confirmation email do more for trust than any ad.

The legal side: what's mandatory?

This part isn't negotiable. To sell legally in Romania you need:

• A registered business — a PFA sole trader or an SRL company. A PFA is simpler and cheaper to start; an SRL offers limited liability and suits you better as you grow.
• Terms & conditions + a privacy policy (GDPR) — you collect personal data, so you need them.
• The 14-day right of return — under OUG 34/2014, the customer can return a product within 14 calendar days without justification, with a few exceptions (personalized items, perishable food, etc.). You must display the return policy clearly.
• Visible contact and company details and, where applicable, the ANPC / SOL button for handling complaints.

We're not lawyers, so for SRL vs PFA and for your clauses, get confirmation from an accountant or a lawyer. But you'll have these four things regardless of what you sell.

How do you get your first customers?

A store with no traffic doesn't sell, however beautiful it is. We won't promise you "number one on Google" — no honest person can. What works early on:

1. Google Business + reviews — if you have a local angle too, it matters enormously. See how to get Google reviews.

2. SEO for the long run — descriptions and articles that answer what people search for. Details in local SEO and, for AI search, what AEO/GEO is.

3. Paid ads for quick first orders (Google, Meta).

4. Social media where your customers already are.

SEO brings customers over the long term; ads bring them fast but cost as long as you pay. The healthiest stores combine both.

How much does it cost, and where do you start?

Platform, payments, couriers, the business — each has a cost, and the budget varies a lot depending on whether you sell 10 or 10,000 products. We break the numbers down in how much a website costs. At MPO Web Studio, an online store starts from €690, with maintenance from €29/month. If you're still unsure whether you need a shop or just an online presence, read why I need a website.

The best first step is to see, concretely, what your store could look like. We'll make you a free demo, no strings attached: message us on WhatsApp at wa.me/40750257140 and we'll start from what you actually sell.