How to Start an Online Store: The Complete Launch Plan

Choose the platform honestly

WooCommerce — full control, no transaction fees beyond the gateway, unlimited customisation, and you own the data. Requires hosting that can handle uncacheable pages and someone to maintain updates.
A hosted SaaS platform — fastest to launch and nothing to maintain, but monthly fees, transaction cuts and limits on custom logic.
Custom build — right when your business model itself is unusual: complex B2B pricing, subscriptions with bespoke rules, or deep ERP integration.

For most small and mid-size stores in the region, WooCommerce on a well-tuned VPS gives the best combination of cost, control and local payment flexibility.

Hosting requirements for a store

NVMe storage and a modern PHP version — checkout is database-heavy and latency-sensitive.
Redis object caching, because cart and account pages cannot be page-cached.
At least 2 vCPU and 4 GB RAM for a catalogue of a few hundred products with real traffic.
Daily backups with a tested restore, plus off-server copies.
SSL enforced sitewide and a properly configured transactional email path.
Staging environment — never test a payment or tax change on the live store.

Payments and shipping

Offer the methods your customers already use. In Lebanon and the Gulf that typically means local card acquiring, bank transfer, cash on delivery, and increasingly wallet options — alongside an international gateway for cross-border sales. Every method you omit is a share of orders you decline.

Configure shipping zones and real rates before launch, and be explicit about delivery times and customs where relevant. Unexpected shipping cost at checkout is the single largest driver of abandonment.

Pre-launch checklist

1 Complete legal pages: terms, privacy, returns and refunds, shipping policy.
2 Place a real end-to-end test order with each payment method and each shipping zone.
3 Confirm order confirmation, shipping notification and admin alert emails all deliver and are not filtered as spam.
4 Test on a mid-range Android phone on mobile data, not just a desktop.
5 Verify tax and VAT calculations against a real invoice example.
6 Set up analytics with ecommerce tracking and conversion goals.
7 Test stock decrementing, coupon codes and a partial refund.
8 Take a full backup, then open for business.

Frequently asked questions

How many products can shared hosting handle?

A few hundred products with modest traffic runs fine on our higher shared tiers. Beyond that, or with heavy concurrent checkout, move to a VPS with Redis.

Do I need a company to sell online?

Payment gateways generally require a registered business and bank account. Requirements vary by country, so confirm with your acquirer before building.