Starting an online store: where to begin and whether you need one at all

To be honest up front: Odav Koduleht doesn’t build online stores. We build service pages and landing pages. But since many small business owners ask about stores, here is where starting an online store begins and when a simpler solution is enough.

Do you need an online store?

A store pays off when you sell many products, customers buy without asking questions and pay right away. If you have fewer than ten products, orders vary or the product needs advice (made-to-order furniture, gift baskets, custom cakes), a page with products, photos, prices and an order form is often enough. You confirm the order and send the invoice yourself. We described the difference in simple website or online store.

Choosing a platform

• Shopify — a ready-made store platform with a monthly fee. Quick to start with lots of add-ons, but add-ons and themes often cost extra.
• WooCommerce — a free WordPress plugin. Flexible, but hosting, security updates and plugin compatibility are on you.
• Voog — an Estonian tool with an Estonian interface. The Standard plan allows up to 3 products, Plus and Premium are unlimited; there is a 3% sales fee, with no sales fee on Premium (voog.com/pricing, October 2026). We compared Voog and Odav Koduleht on a separate page.

Payments

Estonian shoppers are used to bank links. Bank links and card payments are offered by Estonian payment providers such as Montonio and Maksekeskus; Stripe is also used internationally. Before signing, check the transaction fees and whether the payment provider works with your platform.

Delivery

Many shoppers in Estonia prefer parcel lockers. The largest networks are Omniva, DPD and Smartposti. Before choosing a platform, check whether the cart lets customers pick a parcel locker out of the box or needs an extra add-on.

Mandatory information and the right of withdrawal

When selling online, the buyer must see the seller’s name, registry code and contacts, the final price including all fees, delivery options and terms of sale. Consumers generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal: they can return goods without giving a reason. Exceptions apply, for example, to perishable and made-to-order goods. The exact requirements are on the website of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA).

Before you build the store

• settle the product range and prices including delivery;
• take product photos on a consistent background;
• write terms of sale and returns;
• decide who packs and ships orders, and how fast.

When you don’t need a store yet

Many start with a simple page: products with photos and prices, an order form and a phone number. That way you can test whether the products sell before paying for a store platform. In Odav Koduleht such a page is ready in about a minute, orders arrive in Telegram and your dashboard, and publishing costs €6 a month on the Start plan. When sales grow, you move to a store platform later. Read what a landing page is or see pricing.