Starting your own online shop sounds like a great idea - and it is! But before you get started, there are some things to consider. In this article, you will learn about the important factors, preparations you should make, which shop system is best suited, and whether you should build the shop yourself or hire an agency.

The Basics: What you need before starting your online shop

Before you decide on a shop system, you should clarify some basic things:

Business idea and target audience

Think carefully about which products or services you want to sell and who your target audience is. A clear positioning will help you later to align your marketing efforts effectively.

Legal Framework

An online shop is subject to legal requirements such as the imprint, privacy policy, terms and conditions, and cancellation policy. Inform yourself about the legal regulations or seek advice from an expert.

Payment and shipping options

Which payment methods would you like to offer? PayPal, credit card, Klarna, or bank transfer? Which shipping service providers would you like to use? These decisions will later influence your shop system.

Domain & Hosting

Your shop needs a professional domain. In addition, you need powerful hosting that is optimized for e-commerce.

Have you clarified these points? Then it's time to choose the right shopping system now.

The right shop software: Why Shopware 6?

When choosing a shop system, you have many options. Shopify, Magento, and Shopware 6 are among the most well-known solutions. But why is Shopware 6 the better choice for many merchants?

Flexibility

Shopware 6 is built in a modular way, allowing you to expand functions as needed. You can use numerous free and paid plugins to tailor your shop exactly to your requirements. In contrast to, for example, Shopify, which is strongly tied to its own ecosystem, Shopware 6 offers you more customization options without relying on external services.

Easy to use

Even without technical knowledge, you can quickly find your way around Shopware 6. The admin panel is intuitively structured, and many customizations can be made directly through the user interface.

German support and GDPR compliance

A major advantage of Shopware 6 is that it originates from Germany. This means that it already meets all legal requirements that apply in the EU, especially the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Open Source with growth potential

Shopware 6 is available in a free open-source version that you can host yourself. In comparison, Shopify relies on a rental model where you pay monthly fees. Although Magento is also open source, the Community Edition is technically demanding. Shopware 6 offers the best compromise between flexibility and user-friendliness in this regard.

Can you build the shop yourself or do you need an agency?

The big question: Do it yourself or let the professionals handle it? That depends on your technical know-how, your time budget, and your requirements.

Option 1: Build the shop yourself

If you have a technical interest and are willing to familiarize yourself with the topic, you can install and configure Shopware 6 yourself.

Advantages: Lower costs, full control over your shop, no dependency on third parties.

Disadvantages: Time-consuming, errors can happen quickly, requires knowledge in hosting, design, and SEO.

Option 2: Hire an agency

If you value a professional design and flawless technical implementation, an agency is a sensible choice.

We are from euphoric We are experts in the field of E-commerce and bring over 15 years of experience. We are happy to help you build your own online shop - whether you need support with planning, design, or technical implementation. We rely on modern technologies and use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize processes, efficiently manage support requests, and strategically control marketing measures. Simply contact us, and together we will find the perfect solution for you!

Our customized packages - solutions for every need.

We know that every start-up has different requirements and goals. That's why we offer flexible packages that are tailored to your specific situation:

Starter Pack

Ideal for founders who are still in the information and planning phase and do not yet have a fixed corporate design.

Pro package

For companies that are already successful on marketplaces like eBay or Amazon and now want to take the next step.

DIY Package

For tech-savvy start-ups who want to have the basic setup professionally handled, in order to then take over the operation of the online shop independently.

All-inclusive package

For those who desire complete support - from conception and design to technical support. Here, we also use AI-based tools to continuously optimize your shop and ensure efficient support.

How can you save costs?

A professional online shop can be expensive. However, there are some things you can do yourself to keep agency costs low:

Setting up Hosting & Domain by yourself - Use affordable providers like IONOS or ALL-INKL instead of expensive premium hosting services.

Customize design - Customize Shopware templates yourself or use free themes.

Create product images and texts yourself. - You can take high-quality pictures with your smartphone instead of hiring expensive product photographers. Use AI-powered tools for image editing and text creation.

Basic SEO Optimization - Research relevant keywords, optimize loading times, and set meta tags and alt texts for images.

Implement marketing measures yourself. - Instead of investing large budgets in advertising, you can independently carry out social media marketing and content marketing.

Use automation - Rely on AI-powered tools for customer support, newsletter marketing, or chatbots to save time and costs.

With these measures, you can save your budget and still build a professional online shop.

Conclusion

The path to your own online shop is exciting, but also challenging. If you are technically savvy, you can implement many things yourself and save costs with Shopware 6. If you are planning a larger project or do not have time for the technical details, an agency may be the best choice.

We are from euphoric We are here to support you with our many years of experience and rely on modern AI-based solutions to provide you with the best possible service. Contact us without obligation - together we will find the best solution for you! 🚀