Starting an Online Store in Bangladesh: Payments, Delivery and Trust

The short answer: To start an online store in Bangladesh, choose what you will sell, pick a platform that fits your size (WordPress with WooCommerce suits many small shops), offer payment methods your customers trust, such as cash on delivery and mobile money like bKash, with cards through a payment gateway when you are ready, and plan delivery and returns carefully. Above all, earn trust: show a real address and phone number, clear prices and delivery charges, honest photos and a fair return policy.

Online shopping in Bangladesh is growing, and many sellers start on Facebook. A Facebook page is a good start, but a proper online store gives you more: your own address, a catalogue that is easy to browse, order records and a place that customers can trust.

Selling online here also has its own challenges. Customers may hesitate to pay before they receive the goods, delivery can be slow or uncertain, and many people want to check the product first. This article explains how to handle payments, delivery and trust, and how to set up a store that works for customers in Bangladesh.

Step 1: Decide What You Will Sell and to Whom

Before you build anything, answer these questions:

• What are you selling? Start with a focused range you understand, instead of everything.
• Who is your customer, and where do they live? Dhaka only, major cities or nationwide?
• Why should they buy from you? It might be quality, price, choice, speed or service.
• Can you supply the goods reliably? Check your stock, your suppliers and your delivery times.
• Do you have the licences your business needs? Ask an accountant or a lawyer which registrations and licences apply to your kind of business.

Step 2: Choose Your Platform

I compare WordPress and custom builds in WordPress or Custom PHP: Which Is Right for Your Business Website?. Whatever you choose, make sure the store works well on phones, because many customers will buy from one. I explain why in Why Your Business Needs a Responsive Website in 2016.

Step 3: Plan Your Payments

Customers in Bangladesh use several ways to pay. Offering the right mix can decide whether a visitor buys.

Cash on delivery

Many customers prefer to pay when the goods arrive, because they can check what they received. It lowers the barrier for first-time buyers. The risks for you are fake or cancelled orders and returned parcels. You can reduce them by confirming each order by phone before you send it.

Mobile money, such as bKash and Rocket

bKash, a mobile financial service operated as a subsidiary of BRAC Bank, started in 2011, and is now widely used for sending and receiving money by phone. Rocket is the service from Dutch-Bangla Bank. Many sellers ask customers to send payment, or a small advance, by mobile money and to give the transaction number with their order. It is simple to start with. As your volume grows, ask your developer or the service provider about integrating mobile payment into your checkout, so that orders are confirmed automatically.

Cards and online banking through a payment gateway

A payment gateway lets customers pay with cards or online banking on your website. SSLCommerz, which was set up in 2010 with Dutch-Bangla Bank and BRAC Bank, was the first payment gateway infrastructure in the country, and other providers exist. To use one, you typically need to apply, and the provider will tell you what documents and business details are required and how long it takes. Compare the fees, the setup time and what your customers prefer.

Start simple

You do not have to offer every method on day one. Many new stores begin with cash on delivery and mobile money, and add a gateway once orders grow.

Step 4: Plan Delivery

Delivery is where many online stores succeed or fail.

• Choose reliable courier partners, and try them with real parcels before you promise anything. Compare speed, price, coverage, tracking and how they handle problems.
• Publish your delivery charges clearly, including any difference between Dhaka and other areas.
• State realistic delivery times, and do not promise more than you can do.
• Package carefully so that goods arrive in good condition. Add an invoice and your contact details.
• Give customers tracking information or at least a confirmation message when the order is sent.
• Plan returns and exchanges in advance, including who pays for return delivery.

Step 5: Earn the Customer's Trust

Trust is the biggest hurdle for a new online store. Customers cannot touch the goods or meet you, so you must show that you are real and reliable.

• Show who you are. Add a real address, a working phone number and your business name on every page.
• Write clear policies. Explain delivery, payment, returns and refunds in plain words.
• Use honest, clear photos of the actual products, from several angles, and accurate descriptions with sizes, colours and materials.
• Show prices and charges up front. Hiding delivery charges until the last step makes people leave.
• Use HTTPS, so that the connection is secure and the padlock shows. I explain how in Why Every Website Should Move to HTTPS.
• Show reviews and real customers, and never invent them.
• Link your Facebook page, and keep your details the same everywhere, as described in Facebook Page or Website? What a Small Business in Bangladesh Really Needs.
• Answer quickly. Reply on the phone, by message and by email, and confirm orders promptly.

Step 6: Make the Store Easy to Use

• Make the site fast. Slow pages lose customers, especially on 3G. See Why a Slow Website Loses Customers, and How to Speed Yours Up on 3G.
• Make it easy on phones. Large buttons, clear photos and a short checkout.
• Keep checkout short. Ask only for what you need: name, phone number, address and payment choice.
• Let people find things: clear categories and a search box.
• Show stock honestly, so customers do not order what you do not have.

Step 7: Bring Customers to the Store

A store does not attract visitors by itself.

• Use Facebook to show products, share offers and send people to your store.
• Make sure Google can find you. Write good product titles and descriptions, and set up Google Search Console.
• Collect phone numbers and emails, with permission, so you can tell customers about new products and offers.
• Encourage reviews and word of mouth. Satisfied customers are your best advertising.

Step 8: Look After Orders and Customers

• Keep track of every order, from payment to delivery.
• Confirm orders by phone or message.
• Update your stock after every sale, so you never sell goods you do not have.
• Follow up after delivery, and ask if the customer is happy.
• Handle complaints politely, and solve problems quickly. One calmly handled problem can create a loyal customer.

What Does It Cost?

The cost depends on your platform, your design, the number of products and the payment and delivery setup. I explain how to think about the budget in What Decides the Cost of a Business Website in Bangladesh?. Remember to include hosting, a domain name, a security certificate, photography, delivery packaging and the time to manage orders.

Common Mistakes

• Launching with too many products and not enough time to manage them.
• Poor photographs that do not show the product honestly.
• Hiding delivery charges until the final step.
• No return policy, or one that customers cannot find.
• No contact details, or a phone number that nobody answers.
• Sending orders without confirming them, and getting returned parcels.
• Ignoring mobile users.
• Overpromising delivery times.
• Selling items you do not have in stock.

A Quick Online Store Checklist

• I know what I will sell, to whom, and where I will deliver
• I chose a platform that fits my size and budget
• The store works well on phones and loads quickly
• I offer cash on delivery and mobile money, and I have a plan for cards
• I tested courier partners and published clear delivery charges
• My return and refund policy is written and easy to find
• My address, phone number and business name are on every page
• The site uses HTTPS
• Product photos and descriptions are accurate
• I confirm every order, and I track stock
• I have a plan to bring customers to the store

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a payment gateway to start?

No. Many stores start with cash on delivery and mobile money, and add a gateway later when orders grow. Ask your developer what suits your products and customers.

How do I reduce fake orders?

Confirm each order by phone before sending it, and consider asking for a small advance payment on higher-value items. Keep records of repeated problem orders.

Is it better to sell on Facebook or on my own store?

Both help. Facebook is great for reaching people and talking to them, and your own store is the stable home with full control, as I explain in my article on Facebook pages and websites. Use them together.

How many products should I start with?

Start with a manageable range that you can stock, photograph well and describe accurately. You can add more once the process works.

Who owns the store?

You should. Register the domain and hosting in your own name, hold the logins, and make sure your developer hands over everything.

What about taxes and licences?

Rules differ by business and can change. Ask an accountant or a legal adviser what applies to you before you start selling.

Want Help Building Your Online Store?

If you are planning an online store and want it to be fast, trusted and easy to use on phones, I can help. I design and develop websites for businesses, and I will explain each step in plain language. Send me a short message about what you want to sell.