How to open an online store, step by step
Choose what you sell and to whom, prepare product photos and prices, sort out the licence your country requires, then build the store, connect payments and delivery, and test a full order before launch.
Your store, your way
Create an online store in Arabic with your products and your way of selling
Describe what you sell and how you deliver it, and Fanann builds your store: product pages and categories, a cart with local payment methods, an orders board for your team, and a phone app from the same chat if you want one.
Local payment methodsStore and phone app from one chatStart free, no card
The short answer
With Fanann you create an online store by description: you write what you sell and how you deliver and get paid, and it builds an Arabic store with products, a cart, local payments and an orders board, and can build the phone app with it. You start free; what no platform can do for you stays with you: your commercial registration or licence, your products and your delivery.
What people look for
What people usually look for when opening a store
The questions that come before every new store, each with a straight answer.
A free online store: is it possible?
You can start free, build your store and try it. Selling for real on your own domain may need a higher plan depending on your size; each plan’s details are on the pricing page. Payment gateway fees are set by the gateway itself.
What an online store costs
The cost covers the platform, the domain, payment and delivery fees, photography, marketing and sometimes a licence. Estimate your project in the cost calculator, and keep an advertising budget for the first months.
The best site for creating an online store
Ready store platforms are excellent if your store is conventional. Fanann helps when you need something different: subscriptions, bookings alongside sales, or a branded phone app. Compare on the comparison page.
Compare store platformsCreating an online store app
From the same chat, Fanann builds a phone app for your store with a live preview. Publishing to the app stores needs developer accounts, and Fanann’s team can handle it as a service. Details on mobile apps.
A professional online store design
A professional store means clear photos, honest descriptions, easy checkout and speed on phones. Upload your logo or a screenshot of a design you like, and Fanann builds the store in your identity through design to app.
Modules
What your store includes
Common modules you pick from, adding anything missing with a sentence.
Products and categories
Photos, prices, sizes, colours and quantities, with categories, search and filters.
Cart and local payments
A simple cart and checkout with the payment methods your customers use.
Delivery and shipping
Zones and delivery fees, store pickup and order status for the customer.
Orders board
New, preparing and delivered orders, with an alert for each one.
Discount codes and offers
Percentage or fixed discounts, seasonal offers and free delivery above a threshold.
Customer accounts
Sign-in by phone number, order history and saved addresses.
A phone app for the store
A branded app from the same chat, with a live preview in a phone frame.
Reports and analytics
Sales, best-selling products, visitors and where they come from.
Try it now
Design your store in a minute
Pick what you sell and the modules you need, and watch the store take shape. Copy the request or start with it.
I want an Arabic online store selling: perfumes and incense. It includes: Products and categories, Cart and local payments, Delivery and Orders board. It runs on the web and opens on any phone. The interface is Arabic, right to left, with a calm white and blue design and a dashboard for me and my team to manage orders.
Excel to system
From your Excel sheet to a store with your products
Your product list, prices and quantities are probably in an Excel file already. Upload it and Fanann turns every row into a product with its page, category and stock, instead of entering them one by one.
- Columns become name, price, quantity and category
- You review the plan before the build
- Import new products later from a file
An honest comparison
A ready store platform, a developer, or Fanann?
A comparison of categories, not of specific products.
| Ready store platform | A store a developer codes for you | A store you build with Fanann | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed to start | Very fast | Weeks or months | Fast: describe, review, build |
| An unusual experience | Limited to what the platform allows | Possible, at higher cost | Subscriptions, bookings and dashboards on request |
| A branded phone app | Depends on the platform and plan | Usually a separate project | From the same chat |
| Later changes | Yourself, within the platform’s limits | Back to the developer | Yourself, by chat or by click |
| What remains on you | Products, delivery, marketing | Follow-up and maintenance too | Products, delivery, marketing, licence |
If your store is conventional, a ready store platform is an excellent, simpler choice. Fanann helps when you want an experience of your own or a branded app.
The steps
How to create your online store with Fanann
Four steps, and no programmer needed.
- 1
Describe your store
Write what you sell, how you deliver and the payment methods your customers prefer, or start from the request you designed above.
- 2
Add your products
Upload your products’ Excel file or add them from the control centre, with photos, prices and quantities.
- 3
Connect payments and test an order
Add your payment gateway key once, then test a full order from a phone all the way to the orders board.
- 4
Publish and start selling
Publish the store on your domain, follow orders and visits, and change it by chat whenever you like.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Do I need a programmer to create an online store?
No. You describe the store in your words, and Fanann builds, tests and publishes it; you change it yourself by chat. What you need is your products, their photos and a clear way to deliver.
How much does it cost to create an online store?
The cost covers the platform, the domain, payment and delivery fees, photography, marketing and sometimes a licence. With Fanann you start free, and what each plan includes is on the pricing page. Estimate the whole project in the cost calculator.
Can I create an online store for free?
You can start free, build your store and try it. Selling for real on your own domain may need a higher plan depending on your size; the details are on the pricing page. Payment gateway fees are separate and set by the gateway.
What are the steps to open an online store?
Choose your product and audience, prepare photos and prices, sort out the licence your country requires, build the store and connect payments and delivery, test a full order, then launch and market. Fanann handles the build and helps with the connections.
Does the store support local payment methods?
Yes, the common local payment methods of the region can be connected through payments and connectors. You need a merchant account with the payment gateway, which sets its own fees.
Can I create a phone app for my store?
Yes, from the same chat Fanann builds a phone app in your store’s identity. Publishing to the app stores needs developer accounts, Fanann’s team can handle it as a service, and review times are set by the stores.
How is Fanann different from ready store platforms?
Ready store platforms give you a standard store quickly and are excellent for conventional stores. Fanann builds what you describe, so it helps when you want a different experience, custom dashboards or a branded app. Details on the comparison page.
Do I need a commercial registration or licence?
It depends on your country and products; you usually need a licence or registration to sell online. Fanann builds the store but does not issue licences, so check with the relevant authority in your country.
Can I bring my products in from an Excel file?
Yes. Upload the file and Fanann turns every row into a product with its price, stock and category; you review the result before publishing. Details in Excel to system.
Who owns the store and the customer data?
The store and its project are yours and can be exported, and your customer and order data is yours to export whenever you like.
Does it work for online stores in Qatar, Kuwait and Oman?
Yes. Prices are in Qatari riyals, Kuwaiti dinars or Omani rials, with three decimal places for the dinar and the Omani rial, and the store is in English and Arabic for citizens and expats alike. For payments you connect the provider your customers use, including KNET in Kuwait as listed on the payments page, and you add the delivery company you work with. The commercial licence comes from the relevant authority in your country.
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See the detailsYour store starts with what you sell.
Describe your products, delivery and payments, and Fanann builds the store and the orders board. Start free, no credit card.