What You Really Need to Launch an E-Commerce Website (and What You Don’t)

Introduction

Launching an online shop can feel overwhelming, especially with all the conflicting advice about what you must have on day one. From slick branding packages to custom-coded websites, it's easy to think you need to do it all. But the truth is, you don’t need as much as you think to get started, and you definitely don’t need to break the bank.

This blog will walk you through the essentials you really need to launch your e-commerce website, and just as importantly, what you can skip for now. By focusing on a lean, modern approach, particularly using tools like Framer combined with e-commerce plugins, you can go live faster, stay flexible, and start selling sooner.

This is the second post in our ongoing blog series. If you missed the first, you can catch up here:
👉 “Is Now the Right Time to Start an Online Shop?” on the 53 Degrees North blog.

Let’s cut through the noise and get your store off the ground with clarity, confidence and just the right tools.

Start Smart: What You Really Need

Set the foundation with these essentials.

A Clear Product Offering

The first and most important decision is what you’re going to sell. It sounds obvious, but too many people stall here by trying to do too much, too soon.

Start with a focused range

Choose a small number of products you understand and can explain well. Whether you’re making your own items, sourcing them from suppliers, or using a service like print-on-demand, clarity beats quantity at launch.

Validate demand

Spend time researching similar products and identifying your competitors. Look for genuine demand in your niche. Is there a gap in the market you’re filling, or are you offering a better version of something that already exists?
Useful resources for validation include product research tools on platforms like ("Shopify") and industry insight guides from ("BigCommerce").

Decide how you’ll source

Your options usually fall into three categories:

• Make it yourself – Great for handmade or custom products, but be mindful of time and scale.

• Drop shipping – Low overheads, but thinner margins and less control.

• Print-on-demand – Perfect for designs on items like clothing or stationery without needing to hold stock.

The route you choose will affect your website setup, delivery times and customer experience. Start with the simplest model that lets you test and learn.

Business Setup & Legal Basics

Before you even think about your logo or your homepage layout, you need to make sure your business is set up properly behind the scenes.

Register your business

Choose the appropriate legal structure for your business (e.g. sole trader, limited company) and register it with HMRC or Companies House as needed. This also means registering for any required tax numbers, such as a VAT number if your turnover exceeds the UK threshold.
For a useful overview of the business setup process in the UK, see this guide from ("Xero").

Set up business banking and payments

Open a dedicated business bank account to keep your finances clean and separate from your personal accounts. This will help with budgeting, accounting and tax returns later on.

You'll also need a payment gateway to take online payments. Popular choices include Stripe, PayPal and Shopify Payments. Most platforms make this easy to integrate, including the Framer plugins we’ll discuss later.

Cover legal basics

You may need basic policies in place such as terms and conditions, privacy policy, and a returns policy. These not only protect you legally but also help establish trust with customers. There are plenty of templates available, or you can create simple versions tailored to your store's model.

Domain & Hosting

Your domain name and hosting are the digital address and infrastructure of your shop. They don’t have to be complicated, but they do matter.

Choose a domain name

Your domain should be short, memorable and reflect your brand clearly. Stick to .co.uk or .com where possible and avoid anything hard to spell or overly niche.

You can purchase a domain directly through providers like Google Domains or Namecheap, or through your platform provider if it offers domain registration (like Shopify or Wix).

Secure, reliable hosting

If you use a hosted platform (like Shopify or Wix), hosting is taken care of for you. But if you’re using a design-first tool like Framer, you’ll still want to ensure your hosting is fast, secure and scalable.

Many Framer plugins, such as ("Framer Commerce") and ("Shopiframe"), connect to robust e-commerce systems like Shopify, giving you the benefits of both design freedom and enterprise-level hosting.

Look for features such as:

• 99.9% uptime

• SSL encryption (a must for e-commerce)

• Fast page load times, especially on mobile

Your E-Commerce Platform

Choosing the right platform is one of the most important decisions when launching your online store. It affects how your website looks, how you manage products and orders, and how easily you can scale later.

Popular options

There are many platforms designed for e-commerce, including:

• Shopify – A user-friendly, all-in-one solution with built-in payments and apps
  ("Shopify")

• WooCommerce – A plugin for WordPress that adds full e-commerce capability

• BigCommerce – A powerful SaaS solution for larger stores
  ("BigCommerce")

Each comes with pros and cons depending on your needs, budget and technical comfort level.

Spotlight on Framer + Plugins

For a leaner, more design-focused approach, Framer combined with e-commerce plugins like
Framer Commerce or
Shopiframe offers a compelling alternative.

Benefits include:

• No-code flexibility – Build and customise without developers

• Integration with Shopify – Manage products, inventory and orders in Shopify, while designing the storefront in Framer
  ("Frameblox")

• Beautiful, modern design – Ideal for visual-first brands

This setup is ideal if you want creative control without sacrificing essential e-commerce features.

Core Website Features

Your website needs to do more than just look good. It must function seamlessly and support the customer journey from browsing to buying.

Product pages that convert

Include clear, compelling descriptions, high-quality images, and variant selectors (e.g. size, colour). Pricing should be obvious and upfront.

Shopping cart and checkout

Use a streamlined checkout with secure payment options. Avoid anything that slows customers down or creates doubt. Most platforms and plugins come with optimised checkout flows built-in (see "Framer Commerce").

Mobile-friendly design

The majority of online shopping now happens on mobile, so your website must work perfectly on smartphones and tablets. Framer is built with responsiveness in mind.

SEO basics

At a minimum, your site should include:

• Relevant keywords in titles and product descriptions

• Alt text for images

• Meta descriptions for each page

These basics help your shop appear in Google results and attract organic traffic
(see tips from "Adobe").

Shipping & Fulfilment

Even if you're not packing boxes yourself, you still need a plan for how your products will reach your customers.

Choose a shipping strategy

Options include:

• Free shipping (build cost into product price)

• Flat rate (simple and predictable)

• Real-time rates (via carrier integrations)

Decide whether you'll ship locally, nationally or internationally, and use clear messaging at checkout to set expectations.

Order management tools

Use your platform’s built-in tools or plugins to automate and track fulfilment. If you're using Shopify, Framer plugins like Shopiframe keep everything in sync behind the scenes
("Shopiframe").

Marketing & Analytics

Once your shop is live, you’ll need a way to attract visitors and understand how they behave.

Email marketing essentials

Set up:

• Order confirmations

• Abandoned cart emails

• Welcome or thank-you messages

These help build trust and encourage repeat purchases.
Tools like Mailchimp and Klaviyo integrate easily with Shopify and other platforms ("TargetBay").

Social media integration

Connect your store to Instagram, Facebook and other social platforms to showcase products and drive traffic.

Analytics tracking

Install Google Analytics, Meta Pixel and/or your platform’s native analytics to track sales and optimise performance (see advice from "AgencyAnalytics").

Customer Support

From the very start, you’ll need a way for customers to ask questions and get help.

Support channels

Start simple:

• Email inbox for enquiries

• Live chat plugin if you expect real-time questions

• Add your contact info clearly in the footer or on a dedicated page

Policy and FAQ pages

Create pages for:

• Returns & refunds

• Shipping information

• Privacy policy

These reassure customers and save you time answering common questions ("Gorgias").

What You Don’t Need (Right Now)

Save money and time by avoiding these at launch.

There’s a lot of noise online about what you need to start an e-commerce business. And while some tools and services can be valuable later, you don’t need them on day one. In fact, adding unnecessary complexity at the start can slow you down and drain your budget. Here's what you can safely skip (for now).

A Fully Custom-Coded Website

Building a bespoke e-commerce site from scratch might sound impressive, but it’s rarely worth it at launch. Modern tools like Framer combined with plugins such as Shopiframe or Framer Commerce allow you to build a powerful and stylish store with zero code.

These tools connect directly to Shopify, giving you access to a proven e-commerce engine while maintaining full control over your site’s look and feel  ("Framer Commerce",  "Shopiframe").

You’ll save thousands of pounds and be able to launch much faster, with no developer required.

A Huge Product Catalogue

It’s tempting to offer as many products as possible, but this often backfires. A smaller, curated product range is easier to manage, helps you focus your marketing, and creates less friction for your customers.

Many successful stores start with just one product or a tight collection and grow from there. This approach lets you learn what works, fine-tune your operations, and scale more effectively ("Shopify").

Advanced Tech & Automation

Features like chatbots, AI-driven personalisation, advanced inventory forecasting or automated fulfilment systems sound impressive, but they’re not essential when you’re just getting started.

Stick to simple, reliable tools built into your platform or plugin ecosystem. Once your store has steady traffic and repeat sales, you can explore automation to help you scale (see recommendations from "Deep Image" and  "TargetBay").

Costly Agencies

Professional branding, SEO agencies and marketing consultants can be helpful later, but they’re rarely essential at the beginning. You can achieve a lot on your own by using high-quality templates, free design tools (like Canva), and a consistent voice across your channels.

Platforms like Shopify and Framer offer built-in design flexibility that doesn’t require agency support ("Shopify",  "Frameblox").

Invest your time in understanding your customer, refining your offer and building momentum. You can always bring in outside help later.

A Blog (Maybe)

While blogs can be excellent for SEO and customer engagement, they're not essential for all online shops at launch. If writing content isn’t central to your marketing strategy or brand, you can skip it for now and focus on product pages, social media, and paid ads.

That said, if blogging is something you enjoy or if you’re in a niche where education is part of the buying journey (e.g. skincare, tech, sustainability), it might make sense sooner.

In summary:
The goal is to launch quickly, test ideas, and start learning from real customers. Focus on what delivers value now, and leave the extras for when your business is ready for them.

Conclusion

Launching an e-commerce website doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By focusing on the essentials that matter most—a clear product offering, a reliable platform, simple fulfillment and support—you can get up and running with confidence and clarity.

Tools like Framer, combined with plugins such as Framer Commerce and Shopiframe, allow you to create a professional, fully functional online shop without writing a single line of code. It’s a modern, lean way to start selling and grow as you learn.

Remember: you don’t need everything on day one. Skip the expensive extras, launch with what matters, and refine your shop as your business evolves.

If you're ready to launch your own store and want support from someone who’s done it before, take a look at our
👉 E-Commerce Store package at 53 Degrees North.
It’s designed to help you go live with clarity, speed and style.

This blog is part of an ongoing series to help small businesses and new founders succeed online. If you haven’t already, check out the first post:
👉 “Is Now the Right Time to Start an Online Shop?”

Let’s build your store the smart way.