Step 1 and 2: define what you sell and to whom, before touching software
The number one mistake is not technical: it is opening the store without knowing what your star product is or who buys it. Before choosing a platform, answer on paper: what are your 5-10 products with the best margin? Who buys them today and through what channel? What price does the market support including shipping?
With that clear, put together your base catalog: clean photos (white background or real context, minimum 3 per product), titles that include what people are looking for ("Men's cushioned running shoes" and not "Model XZ-200"), and descriptions that answer the 3 typical questions before they ask them.
Step 3: Choose the platform based on your operation, not fashion
All modern platforms give you a visual and cart builder. The difference is in what happens AFTER you click to buy: inventory, billing, shipping and service.
- If you just want a nice catalog and you sell little: any basic builder will do.
- If you already sell physically or in marketplaces: you need unified inventory — that the online sale has the same stock as your POS. Without this you will experience overselling.
- If your customers buy from you via WhatsApp: choose a platform with an integrated inbox, because in LATAM up to 60% of online sales end up being closed via chat.
- Aura includes online store, POS, single inventory, billing and WhatsApp in the same system — the sale comes in from anywhere and everything is square.
Step 4: Set up payments that people actually use
In LATAM, offering only credit cards kills conversion. Set up from day one: credit and debit cards, interest-free months if your ticket exceeds $1,000 MXN, and at least one card-free option (transfer/SPEI, cash in convenience stores).
With Aura Payments you accept cards, MSI and payment links from day one, without procedures with a bank or separate terminal. Payment links are key to closing sales on WhatsApp: you send the link, the customer pays and the order registers itself.
Step 5: Resolve shipments before the first sale
Nothing burns out a new store faster than promising deliveries it can't deliver. Define your policy before publishing: what packages you will use, how much you charge for shipping (or from what amount it is free), and how many days you actually deliver.
Rule of thumb: add free shipping for an amount 20-30% above your average ticket. Raise the ticket and you absorb the cost with the extra margin. And generate guides from your system — quoting on each package page takes up hours.
Step 6 and 7: Launch, measure and get your first 100 sales
Post with 10-20 well-made products instead of 200 half-assed ones. Your first sales won't come from Google: they will come from your network. Advertise on your personal networks, in your WhatsApp groups, and to your current clients if you already sell physically.
From there, growth comes from three levers: constant organic content (reels showing the product in use), remarketing to those who visited without purchasing, and recovery of abandoned carts — 7 out of 10 carts are abandoned, and an automatic WhatsApp message on time recovers between 10% and 20%.
Measure from week one: visits, conversion rate (sales/visits — 1-2% is normal at the beginning), average ticket and acquisition cost if you pay for ads.
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Start your trial →Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to create an online store in 2026?
From $0 (network catalog) to thousands of dollars. A healthy range for an SME: domain ~$300 MXN/year + platform $300-1,200 MXN/month + payment commissions ~3-4% per sale. With Aura the store is included in the plan along with POS, inventory and billing.
Do I need to register my business to sell online?
To charge with formal gateways and invoice, you do need RFC. You can start as a natural person with business activity or RESICO; You do not need to establish a company.
What is better: your own store or selling on Mercado Libre?
It is not one or the other: the marketplaces give you traffic (paying 12-22% commission) and your own store gives you margin and customer data. The winning strategy is to attract in the marketplace and retain in your own store.
How long does it take to sell enough to make a living from my store?
With constant work on content and good post-sales, most healthy stores reach stable sales between months 6 and 12. Instant success stories are the exception, not the rule.