What you need to know before starting an online store development
24.02.2026 8 min. 51 views
Launching an online store is a strategic step for any business and requires precise planning, a clear vision, and the right choice of platform and technology partner. To create a successful eCommerce project, it is essential to define your business goals, target audience, and functional requirements before development begins. Ideally, you should have a technical specification in place.
At Stenik, we have over 20 years of experience in building scalable online stores. We know that the key to a stable and scalable online business lies in proper preparation. This article will guide you on how to strategically launch your project.
How to define the business goals of your online store?
Business goals should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the company’s long-term strategy. They will determine the choice of platform, architecture, and functionalities. Before you start, it is important to decide whether your goal is:
- Fast market entry (MVP) – a minimum viable product that allows you to test your idea and start generating sales.
- Migration of an existing business to a more powerful platform with expansion and personalization capabilities.
Key self-assessment questions:
- Scale: How many products will your catalog include?
- Target audience: Who will be the customers of your online store?
- Expansion: Which markets will you operate in – local or international?
- Traffic load: What peak traffic do you expect during campaigns (for example, Black Friday)?
- Ecosystem: Will you integrate ERP, CRM, or warehouse software?
- What are your plans for the first 12 months of business development?
- What internal expertise do you have? (Is there someone in your team with relevant background?)
Recommendations: If you are planning international expansion, the platform must support multi-currency, multi-language, and local tax rules out of the box.
Research the market and competition
The success of your online store depends on your ability to understand the market. Conduct a competitive analysis:
- What products do they offer and at what prices?
- What promotions and strategies do they use?
- What is their website’s user experience (UX) like?
This will help you position your store more effectively and offer unique value to customers.
Which eCommerce platform is most suitable for your project?
The right platform depends on your business scale, personalization needs, and planned maintenance budget. For merchants seeking speed and marketing focus, Shopify is a leading SaaS solution, while for large companies requiring unlimited flexibility and control, Magento (Adobe Commerce) is the preferred choice.
Shopify: the most popular SaaS platform
Shopify is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, meaning the software is fully hosted and maintained by the provider. It is a preferred choice for merchants who want to focus on marketing. It is suitable for businesses seeking a fast launch, easy self-service administration, and a strong marketing focus.
Main advantages of Shopify:
- Time-to-market: Launch a fully functional store within a few weeks.
- Managed Infrastructure: Hosting, PCI compliance, and automatic security updates included.
- Optimized Checkout: The highest-converting checkout process globally.
- App Store: A vast selection of ready-made applications to quickly extend functionality.
Learn more about Shopify solutions by Stenik.
Magento: the most powerful open-source eCommerce platform
When your business requires specific logic, complex integrations, and a customized user journey, an open-source solution like Magento is the strategic choice.
This is not just a platform, but a long-term investment in your own online store that fully adapts to your business needs – without compromises or limitations.
Main advantages of Magento
- No limitations: Freedom to scale and customize your online store without limits in functionality, traffic, or business logic.
- Full control: Unique UX/UI design, proprietary infrastructure, and complete control over the code – with unlimited opportunities for enhancement and optimization.
- Deep integrations: Real-time bidirectional synchronization with warehouse and ERP systems.
- Warehouse software, courier services, payment systems, marketing and analytics platforms. Everything operates automatically as a unified ecosystem.
- B2B functionalities: Ideal solution for B2B and hybrid B2B/B2C models.
- High scalability: Architecture capable of processing tens of thousands of orders per hour without compromising performance and stability.
Learn more about Magento capabilities
How to choose the right development partner?
Choosing a developer means choosing a long-term partner. Look for an agency with experience and expertise in your niche, certified specialists, and long-term support.
What to consider:
- Experience and portfolio in similar projects: Has the agency delivered projects in your niche?
- Technological focus: Specialization in the selected platform (Magento or Shopify).
- Processes: Do they use clear project management and QA methodologies?
- Guaranteed post-launch support: What are their response guarantees for technical issues after launch?
How to plan the budget for development and maintenance?
The budget should be viewed as an investment in a digital asset. It includes not only the initial development (CAPEX), but also ongoing costs for hosting, licensing, marketing, and maintenance (OPEX).
Discovery phase: Insurance for your budget
The Discovery phase is the stage where business, UX, and technical requirements are defined. It ensures predictable timelines, a clear scope, and protects the project from delays and budget overruns.
The professional analysis prepared by your technology partner should include:
- Specification: A detailed document providing a clear overview of the project scope.
- Design (UI/UX): Visualization of key pages (Home, PLP, PDP, Checkout). Without design, it is impossible to prepare a high-quality specification.
Building an online store is a complex process that requires an experienced technology partner by your side. Do not leave success to chance – plan strategically and invest in technologies that will grow together with your business.
Do you need consultation for your future online store or migration of an existing one? Contact the Stenik team to discuss your ideas and turn them into a fully functional eCommerce solution.
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e-commerce tips