Starting an online store is easier than ever—but choosing the right way to build your first e-commerce website can make or break your success. Should you use a no-code platform like Shopify for speed and simplicity, or go for a custom-coded solution for flexibility and control?

In this guide, I’ll break down both approaches, step by step, so you can pick the one that fits your business goals.

Why Planning Comes First When Build Your First E-commerce Website

Before diving into tools or platforms, set the foundation:

• What are you selling? (Dropshipping, print-on-demand, your own products)
  
• Who are your customers? (Gen Z, professionals, parents—your audience matters)
  
• How will you fulfill orders? (Self-fulfillment, 3PL, or suppliers)
  
• What’s your budget? (Shopify can cost $39/month; a custom-coded site can cost thousands)
  

👉 Once you’re clear on these, you can decide whether no-code or code is the better path.

Option 1: Building with No-Code Platforms (Fast & Easy)

If you’re a beginner or just want to launch quickly, no-code e-commerce platforms are your best choice. These platforms let you design, customize, and run your store without touching a single line of code.

Best No-Code Platforms

• Shopify → The most popular and scalable choice.
  
• Wix eCommerce → Drag-and-drop design, good for small catalogs.
  
• Squarespace → Great for creative brands and visual-heavy stores.
  
• BigCommerce → Ideal for mid-market businesses that need advanced features.
  

Step-by-Step Setup with Shopify

1. Sign Up & Choose a Plan
   Start with Shopify’s basic plan at $39/month.
   
2. Pick a Theme
   
   • Free themes for simple stores.
     
   • Paid themes for advanced features like product filtering and upsells.
     
3. Add Products
   Upload product titles, SEO-friendly descriptions, images, and variants.
   
4. Set Up Payments & Shipping
   
   • Enable Shopify Payments, Stripe, or PayPal.
     
   • Offer free or flat-rate shipping to encourage conversions.
     
5. Install Essential Apps
   
   • Bundle & Discount apps → Boost average order value.
     
   • Review apps → Add trust and social proof.
     
   • Pixel tracking apps → Connect Facebook/TikTok for ads.
     
6. Buy a Custom Domain
   Example: yourbrand.com → looks professional and boosts SEO.
   

👉 Time to Launch: 1–2 days
👉 Cost: $39–$100/month

Option 2: Building with Code (Full Control)

If you have development skills (or a dev team), coding your store from scratch or using open-source frameworks gives you flexibility and scalability.

Popular Tech Stacks

• Frontend: React.js, Next.js
  
• Backend: Node.js, Django, Laravel
  
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
  
• Frameworks:
  
  • Medusa.js → Open-source Shopify alternative
    
  • Saleor → GraphQL-first e-commerce
    
  • Magento (Adobe Commerce) → Enterprise solution
    

Steps to Build a Custom E-commerce Store

1. Set Up Project
   Use Next.js or React for fast, mobile-first design.
   
2. Create Product Database
   Structure product details: titles, descriptions, images, variants, inventory.
   
3. Build Core Pages
   
   • Homepage (featured products, banners)
     
   • Product Page (details, add-to-cart)
     
   • Cart & Checkout (integrate payments like Stripe or PayPal)
     
4. Add Admin Panel / CMS
   Use Strapi or Sanity for easy product management.
   
5. Integrate Payments & Shipping
   Connect Stripe API, PayPal API, and shipping providers (UPS, DHL).
   
6. Optimize for SEO & Speed
   
   • Use server-side rendering with Next.js.
     
   • Add structured data for products.
     

👉 Time to Launch: 1–3 months
👉 Cost: $500–$5000+ (depending on hosting and developer costs)

Which Path Should You Choose?

Platform	Ease of Use ⭐	Best For	Cost	Time to Launch	Customization	Scalability
Shopify	Very Easy	Beginners, small to medium businesses	$39–$399/month	1–2 days	Medium (via apps & themes)	High (apps + integrations)
Wix eCommerce	Easy	Small shops, simple catalogs	$17–$59/month	1–3 days	Medium (drag-and-drop design)	Low–Medium
Squarespace	Easy	Creative brands, portfolios + stores	$16–$52/month	1–3 days	Medium (limited store features)	Medium
BigCommerce	Moderate	Mid-market, multi-channel sellers	$29–$299/month	3–7 days	Medium (B2B/B2C features)	High
Custom Code (Next.js / Medusa / Magento)	Hard (needs dev team)	Enterprise, unique workflows, full control	$500–$5000+	1–3 months	Very High (limitless)	Very High

• No-Code (Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce) if:
  ✅ You want to launch fast.
  ✅ You’re testing product-market fit.
  ✅ You don’t want to deal with coding or servers.
  
• Code (Next.js, Medusa, Magento) if:
  ✅ You want full customization.
  ✅ You’re building for enterprise or scaling to $1M+ revenue.
  ✅ You have technical resources.
  

Pro Tips for Any E-commerce Website

• Focus on conversions, not just design → Reviews, urgency timers, and upsells drive more sales.
  
• Go mobile-first → 70%+ of traffic comes from smartphones.
  
• Track data from day one → Install Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, and GA4.
  
• Iterate quickly → Launch, gather feedback, optimize.
  

Final Thoughts

If you’re building your first e-commerce website, start with a no-code platform like Shopify. It’s faster, cheaper, and lets you focus on marketing and sales instead of tech headaches. Once your store scales and revenue grows, you can consider moving to a custom-coded solution for more control and unique features.

👉 Want the fastest start? Try Shopify’s 3-day free trial and launch your store today.