Step 1: Decide What You're Going to Sell
Everything starts with the product. If you already make or source something, you're ahead. If not, look at what you can buy reliably and sell at a margin: handmade goods, snacks, cosmetics, clothing, phone accessories, or local products with a story.
Ask three questions before committing:
- Can I get it consistently? A product you can't restock is a dead end.
- Is there a margin after shipping and fees? Cheap items can lose money once delivery and platform fees are counted.
- Who buys it, and where do they hang out? If your buyers live on Facebook and LINE, that's where you'll sell.
Start narrow. A store with five products you understand beats fifty you don't.
Step 2: Choose Where to Sell — Shopee, Lazada, or Your Own Store
This is the big decision for SEA sellers, and the honest answer is: probably both.
Marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada give you instant traffic. Millions of shoppers are already browsing, so you can make sales in your first week. The trade-offs are real, though: fees on every sale, fierce price competition, and no real relationship with the customer. You're renting space in someone else's mall.
Your own online store costs a little to set up but keeps the customer relationship, the data, and the full margin. You control the branding, the prices, and the follow-up. The catch: you have to bring your own traffic through social media, LINE, and word of mouth.
The smart play for most small businesses is to use marketplaces for discovery and your own store for repeat customers and higher-value orders. Once someone buys from you on Shopee, you nudge them to order directly next time, where you keep more of the money.
Building your own store used to mean hiring a developer. Now an AI website builder like Krubly can generate a complete online shop from a single description of your business, so you can have a branded storefront live the same day.
Step 3: Set Up Payments (PromptPay and Beyond)
In Thailand, payments are easy. PromptPay is the backbone: customers scan a QR code and pay instantly from their banking app, with no card fees. Offering PromptPay removes friction for local buyers who don't use credit cards.
For a complete setup, add:
- PromptPay QR for fast local transfers.
- Card payments for tourists, expats, and higher-value orders.
- Cash on delivery (COD) if your audience still prefers it; it's popular across SEA and can lift conversion for first-time buyers who don't trust new shops yet.
Whatever you choose, make payment obvious and simple. Every extra tap loses a customer.
Step 4: Sort Out Shipping
Shipping is where many new stores stumble. Decide three things up front:
- Who you ship with. In Thailand, Kerry, Flash, J&T, and Thailand Post all serve small sellers with easy pickup and tracking. Compare rates for your typical parcel size.
- What you charge. Free shipping over a certain order value encourages bigger baskets. Flat rates are simple and predictable.
- How you pack. Cheap, sturdy packaging protects your product and your reviews. A damaged item costs you a refund and a reputation.
Set clear delivery expectations on your store. "Ships within 2 days, arrives in 3 to 5" is honest and reduces "where's my order?" messages.
Step 5: Build Your Store and Add Products
Now you make it real. A good product listing has:
- A clear, well-lit photo (phone cameras are fine; natural light helps).
- A short, honest description with the details buyers actually want: size, material, what's included.
- The price, shipping info, and a visible "Buy" or "Order" button.
Keep your storefront clean and fast. Bangkok shoppers browse on mobile, often on the move, so a heavy, slow site loses sales. Group products into simple categories so people find things in a tap or two.
Step 6: Get Your First Customers
A store with no traffic makes no sales. Here's how small SEA sellers get their first orders:
- Post on LINE and your status. Your existing contacts are the warmest audience you'll ever have.
- Share on Facebook groups relevant to your product and area.
- List a few items on Shopee or Lazada to catch search traffic, then point buyers to your store.
- Ask happy customers to share. A photo of a real order from a friend beats any ad.
Don't wait for the store to be perfect. Launch, get a few sales, and improve as you learn what customers ask for.
Step 7: Keep Customers Coming Back
The first sale is the hardest. The second is where profit lives. Keep a simple record of who bought what so you can follow up: a thank-you message, a restock alert, a small discount for repeat orders. This is where having your store connected to a customer record pays off, because you turn one-time buyers into regulars instead of chasing strangers forever.
Bringing It All Together
Starting an online store comes down to seven steps: pick your product, choose where to sell, set up payments, sort shipping, build the store, get traffic, and keep customers returning. None of it requires code or a big budget, just a clear plan and a willingness to start small.
If you'd rather skip the technical setup entirely, Krubly can generate your online shop, payment-ready storefront, and a built-in customer record from one simple prompt, and there's a free tier so you can launch without spending a baht up front. Describe your business, publish your store, and start taking orders this week.