Create an Online Store in 2026 — No Coding Required
Build an online store without code: products, Stripe payments, shipping, and legal requirements. Step-by-step with platform comparison.
Why Now Is the Right Time
E-commerce continues to grow. In 2025, over €90 billion was spent online in Germany alone. More small businesses, artisans, and creatives are discovering online sales as an additional revenue stream.
The best part: You no longer need coding skills to open your own online store.
Platform Comparison
| Criteria | Shopify | WooCommerce | Velo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | €36 – €384 | €0 (but hosting needed) | €9 – €29 |
| Transaction fee | 0.5 – 2% | none (only Stripe) | none (only Stripe) |
| Setup complexity | Medium | Complex | Easy |
| Coding required | No | Yes (WordPress) | No |
| Hosting included | Yes | No | Yes |
| SSL included | Yes | Often extra | Yes |
| German interface | Partially | Partially | Fully |
| GDPR-compliant | Difficult (US company) | With plugins | Yes (EU hosting) |
Result: For German small businesses, Velo offers the best value.
Step 1: Create Your Website
- Create a free account at velobuilder.app
- Choose a shop template or add the shop block to any existing website
- Customize design and colors to match your brand
Step 2: Add Products
For each product, enter: name, description, price, stock quantity, images, and status (draft or active).
Many products? Use CSV import: Create a spreadsheet with columns Name;Price;Stock;Status, save as CSV, and import.
Step 3: Connect Stripe
Velo uses Stripe for payments. Supported methods include credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA direct debit, Giropay, and Klarna.
Stripe fees: 1.5% + €0.25 per transaction (European cards). No monthly fixed costs.
Step 4: Configure Your Shop
Set columns (2, 3, or 4 products per row), show/hide prices and stock levels, and arrange products via drag & drop.
Step 5: Legal Requirements
A German online store needs: imprint, privacy policy, terms & conditions (recommended), cancellation policy (14-day right of withdrawal), shipping costs overview, and delivery times.
Step 6: Publish and Market
Click Publish and start selling!
Marketing tips: Share on social media, create Google My Business listing, collect emails via newsletter block, optimize product descriptions for SEO, print QR codes on business cards.
Order Management
All incoming orders appear in your Velo dashboard with order details, customer info, payment status, and order history.
Cost Comparison
| Cost Factor | Shopify | WooCommerce | Velo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | from €36 | €0 | from €9 |
| Hosting | included | €5–30/month | included |
| SSL | included | €0–50/year | included |
| Plugins | €10–200/month | €0–500/year | €0 |
| Domain | from €14/year | self-organized | from €8.99/year |
| **Annual cost** | **from €450** | **from €100** | **from €117** |
Conclusion
Creating an online store has never been easier or cheaper. With Velo, you get everything in one package: website builder, product management, secure Stripe payments, and GDPR-compliant hosting.