When your own store makes sense
Your own store gives you the full retail margin, your brand in front of customers, and their data. It also means bringing in every visitor yourself and handling payments, taxes and returns. It works best once you know which products sell abroad, often from a marketplace first, and have a budget to market it.
Choose a platform
Shopify and WooCommerce are the common choices. Shopify runs from India, but Shopify Payments isn't available in India, so you connect a third-party payment provider instead. Check Shopify's current transaction fees for third-party payment providers when comparing costs.
Take international payments
- Use a provider authorised by RBI for cross-border payments (the PA-CB framework, introduced in October 2023).
- Check it accepts international cards and wallets, settles to your Indian bank account, and issues an electronic foreign inward remittance advice (e-FIRA) for each payment. You need these for GST and export records.
- Export proceeds generally must reach India within 15 months of export. From 1 October 2026, RBI's new regulations allow 18 months where goods are invoiced or settled in rupees.
Handle duties and taxes at checkout
Shoppers expect the checkout price to be final. How that works differs by market:
| Market | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| United States | Duty applies to every shipment since the $800 de minimis allowance ended on 29 August 2025. Many sellers ship duties-paid through their courier so customers aren't charged on delivery. |
| European Union | For parcels up to €150, VAT can be collected at checkout through the IOSS scheme, and a flat €3 customs duty per item category applies from 1 July 2026 until July 2028. |
| United Kingdom | For consignments of £135 or less, you charge UK VAT at checkout and must register with HMRC if you sell directly. |
These rules changed in 2025 and 2026. Check them, or ask a tax adviser, before you launch in each country.
Set up shipping
Use an express courier or cross-border shipping aggregator (e-commerce exports by courier can go up to ₹10 lakh per consignment under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023), or India Post through a Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra for lighter parcels. Connect the carrier to your store so rates and tracking show at checkout. The full comparison is in our B2C export guide.
Build the pages shoppers check
Buying from an unfamiliar store abroad feels risky. These pages answer the questions shoppers have before they pay:
- Shipping policy: countries, costs, delivery times, and who pays duties
- Returns and refunds: what you accept and who pays return shipping
- Contact details that work, with replies in the customer's time zone
- Privacy policy covering the customers' data you collect
- Prices in the customer's currency where your platform supports it
Bring in visitors
A store without visitors sells nothing. Pick one country first and one or two channels: search engine optimisation for products people search for, social media and creators for design-led products, and paid ads once you know your margins. Measure cost per order, not clicks.
Questions
Can I use Shopify from India?
Yes. Shopify stores can be run from India, but Shopify Payments isn't available there, so you connect a third-party payment provider. Check the provider supports international cards and issues e-FIRA for export payments.
Do I need an IEC for my own store?
Generally yes. Selling goods to overseas customers is export, so you need an Importer Exporter Code and GST registration, ideally with a Letter of Undertaking to export without paying IGST.
Marketplace or own store first?
Usually a marketplace first, because the customers are already there. Open your own store once you know what sells and can pay to bring in visitors.