Rukter માર્ગદર્શિકાઓ · 7 મિનિટ વાંચો
How to Start Selling Online in 2026 -- Complete Beginner's Guide
Learn step-by-step how to start selling products online in 2026 -- from choosing a platform to accepting your first payment. No experience needed.
Why sell online?
Selling online gives you access to customers anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. Unlike a physical shop, you don't need expensive rent or staff. A well-set-up online store can make sales even while you sleep.
Southeast Asia's ecommerce market reached $159 billion GMV in 2024 and is projected to hit $215-230 billion by end of 2026 -- growing 15-22% per year. Mobile commerce now accounts for 75%+ of all online purchases in the region. If you have a product to sell -- handmade goods, clothing, food, digital files, or anything else -- there is a rapidly growing online customer base for it.
Step 1 -- Decide what to sell
Start with what you already have or make. The best products for new online sellers are:
- Things you produce yourself (handmade, home-cooked, crafts) - Products you can source locally and resell - Your own skills or knowledge (guides, templates, courses)
You don't need a large catalogue. Many successful stores start with 5-10 products and grow from there.
Step 2 -- Choose a platform
You need a place to display your products and collect payments. Your main options are:
Marketplaces (Shopee, Lazada, Amazon): You list inside an existing platform. Easy to start but high competition, no brand control, and fees per sale.
Your own online store (Rukter, Shopify, WooCommerce): You have your own website, your own brand, and your own customer data. Rukter is free to start and takes no transaction fee.
- •Rukter -- free, built-in Thai payments, AI assistant, 21 languages
- •Shopify -- $39/month minimum, international, large app store
- •WooCommerce -- free plugin but requires self-hosted WordPress
- •Lazada / Shopee -- marketplace, easy to start, high competition
Step 3 -- Set up your store
With Rukter, setting up takes around 5-10 minutes:
1. Sign up at rukter.com (free, no credit card) 2. Choose a storefront theme 3. Add your products -- name, photos, description, price 4. Enable payment methods (PromptPay, bank transfer, Stripe, COD) 5. Set up basic shipping information 6. Review your store on mobile before going live
Step 4 -- Write good product descriptions
Product photos and descriptions are what convert visitors into buyers. Good descriptions:
- State clearly what the product is and who it is for - List dimensions, materials, and what's included - Answer common questions before the customer asks - Use the same words customers use to search ("breathable cotton T-shirt" not "wearable garment")
Rukter's built-in AI assistant can help you write and translate product descriptions into 21 languages.
Step 5 -- Get your first customers
Your store won't have traffic on day one. The fastest ways to get first customers:
- Share your store link on LINE, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok - Tell friends, family, and existing customers your store is live - Post product photos with your store link in relevant Facebook groups - Offer a small launch discount (e.g. 10% off this week only) - Join local online marketplace groups and mention your own store in your profile
SEO (ranking on Google) takes longer -- 3-6 months -- but brings free traffic permanently once it kicks in.
Common mistakes to avoid
New sellers often make these mistakes:
- Waiting until the store is "perfect" before launching -- launch early and improve as you go - Using blurry or badly-lit product photos -- photos are the most important purchase signal - Pricing too low -- people associate low prices with low quality; price fairly - Ignoring mobile -- over 80% of Southeast Asian shoppers browse on their phone - Not collecting customer WhatsApp/LINE numbers -- repeat customers are your most valuable asset
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