To sell online in India, pick a focused product range, price it so each order still makes money after shipping and COD returns, and take orders through your own store with UPI and Cash on Delivery at checkout. Then share the store link on WhatsApp and Instagram, where Indian buyers already are. The guides below cover each step for specific products and cities.
Create your free storeBuyers search for specific things, like "Banarasi silk saree" or "iPhone 15 case", not "online shop". A narrow range is easier to stock, photograph and rank.
Add shipping, packaging, the payment gateway fee and a buffer for COD returns to your product cost, then set a price that leaves a healthy net margin.
Indian buyers expect UPI for speed and Cash on Delivery for trust on a first order. A one-page checkout with both converts far better than taking orders in DMs.
Below the threshold you can often start without a GSTIN when selling within your state. Selling to other states generally needs registration, with IGST on the invoice.
Put your store link on WhatsApp status, broadcast lists, Instagram bio and every paper bill. Existing customers are the fastest first orders.
Not sure what to charge? Calculate your product profit margin or create a GST invoice for free.
A guide for Pune businesses going online: reaching students and IT professionals, same-day local delivery, selling to Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra, GST for Maharashtra sellers, and taking orders on WhatsApp.
A guide for Jaipur sellers going online: selling block-print textiles, blue pottery, gemstone jewellery and juttis across India, shipping from Rajasthan, IGST on out-of-state orders, and keeping tourist customers buying.
A guide for Noida and Greater Noida sellers: launching D2C brands, sourcing electronics and accessories from Delhi, why orders to Delhi are inter-state for GST, and shipping across NCR and India.
A practical guide to selling sarees online in India: sourcing from Surat, Varanasi and Kanchipuram, pricing with shipping and returns built in, photographing drape and fall, GST at 5%, and selling on WhatsApp.
How to sell phone cases, chargers and earbuds online in India: where to buy wholesale, what margins to expect after shipping and COD returns, GST rates, and how to take orders on WhatsApp.
How to sell home decor online in India: which products ship well, pricing for volumetric weight and breakage, photographing decor in real rooms, and selling festive collections through your own store.