Selling online: setting up an online store

In short

Choose between a hosted store builder, an add-on to your existing website, or selling through marketplaces - or a mix.
Great product pages - clear photos, honest descriptions, total price and delivery times - do most of the selling.
Offer the payment options your customers expect, and keep card details off your own systems.
Card surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa ended on 1 October 2026 under the Reserve Bank's reforms; you can still offer discounts.
The Australian Consumer Law applies online just as in a shop - including refunds and repairs under the consumer guarantees.

Three ways to sell online

Option	What it is	Good for	Watch out for
Hosted store builder	An all-in-one service: store, checkout, payments and hosting	Most new online stores	Monthly fees plus transaction fees; some lock-in
Store added to your website	An e-commerce plugin or feature on your existing site	Businesses that already have a site they like	More to maintain and secure yourself
Marketplaces	Selling on platforms such as eBay or Amazon	Reaching a large audience fast; testing products	Marketplace fees, rules and competition on price

Many businesses use a store of their own plus one marketplace: the store builds the brand and repeat customers; the marketplace brings volume. See Selling on eBay, Amazon and other marketplaces.

Setting up your store

Products and product pages

Your product pages are your salespeople. For each product:

Clear photos from several angles, on a plain background, plus one in use.
An honest, specific description: size, materials, what’s included, who it’s for.
The total price, including any compulsory fees.
Delivery cost and timeframe, before checkout.
Answers to common questions and reviews.

Payments

Offer the methods your customers expect: cards, digital wallets and, depending on your audience, buy now pay later or bank transfer.
Use your platform’s built-in payments or a well-known payment provider, so card details never touch your own systems.
Surcharges: under the Reserve Bank’s reforms, surcharging on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa debit, credit and prepaid cards ended on 1 October 2026. You can still offer discounts, for example for paying by bank transfer. Check the RBA’s guidance for the current rules, including for other payment types.
Watch for fraud signs: mismatched billing and shipping addresses, unusual large orders, rushed delivery requests.

Shipping and delivery

Decide on carriers and services: standard and express, tracked and signature options.
Weigh and measure your packed products to price shipping accurately.
Choose a pricing approach: real-time rates, flat rates, or free shipping over a set amount (build the cost into your prices).
Set realistic dispatch times and stick to them; update customers if anything changes.
Use packaging that protects the product and suits your brand.

See Shipping, couriers and freight.

Returns and refunds

Write a clear returns policy and link to it from every product page and the checkout. Under the Australian Consumer Law:

Customers have automatic rights (consumer guarantees) to a repair, replacement or refund when a product is faulty, not as described, or not fit for purpose. This applies online exactly as it does in a shop.
“No refunds” statements aren’t allowed.
Change-of-mind returns are optional, but if you offer them, honour your policy.

See Customer service that keeps customers coming back for the details.

Legal and admin

Terms and conditions and a privacy policy. You’ll be collecting names, addresses and emails; tell customers how you use them. Many small businesses are exempt from the Privacy Act, but a clear policy builds trust and is expected by platforms and payment providers.
Business details on the site: business name, ABN and contact information.
GST: if you’re registered, show prices including GST. Your accountant can advise on your situation.
Product safety: check that what you sell meets Australian standards, especially for children’s products, electrical goods and cosmetics.

Getting your first customers

Tell your existing network: customers, email list, social followers.
Get found in search: write useful product and category pages. See SEO and GEO.
List products in Google’s free shopping listings through Google Merchant Center.
Run small, targeted ads to test which products and messages sell.
Collect emails for back-in-stock alerts and offers. See Email marketing that people read.
Ask every customer for a review.

Keeping it running smoothly

Check orders and messages daily.
Keep stock levels accurate so you never sell what you don’t have.
Review which products sell and which pages people leave without buying.
Keep the store’s software, apps and plugins updated, and protect your admin login with multi-factor authentication. See Cyber security and backups.

Common questions

What's the best way to start selling online?

Choose between a hosted store builder, an add-on to your existing website, or selling through marketplaces. Many businesses use their own store plus one marketplace: the store builds repeat customers, the marketplace brings volume.

Can I add a surcharge for card payments?

Surcharging on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa debit, credit and prepaid cards ended on 1 October 2026 under the Reserve Bank’s reforms. You can still offer discounts, for example for paying by bank transfer.

Do online stores have to give refunds?

Customers have automatic consumer guarantees online just as in a shop: a repair, replacement or refund when a product is faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. ‘No refunds’ statements aren’t allowed; change-of-mind returns are optional.

What makes a good product page?

Clear photos from several angles, an honest and specific description, the total price including compulsory fees, delivery cost and timeframe before checkout, and answers to common questions and reviews.