Setting up an online store in Sitebuilder

With Sitebuilder, you can easily create a professional online store without technical knowledge. In this article, you'll learn step by step how to set up your own webshop.

Before you start

What you need

  • A hosting package with Sitebuilder
  • Product photos (at least 800x800 pixels)
  • Product descriptions
  • Prices and stock levels
  • Business details for the legal pages

Plan your webshop

Think about these questions first:

  • Which products will you sell, and how many?
  • Which shipping options will you offer?
  • Which payment methods will you accept?
  • What are your terms and conditions?

Activating the e-commerce module

Step 1: Open your website

Log in to DirectAdmin and open Sitebuilder via the dashboard.

Step 2: Enable e-commerce

  1. Click on Settings (gear icon)
  2. Go to E-commerce
  3. Toggle the switch to On

Step 3: Fill in the basic settings

Then enter the basic settings of your store:

  • Store name
  • Currency: EUR
  • Weight unit: kg

Choosing an e-commerce template

  1. Click Templates in the editor
  2. Filter on E-commerce or Shop
  3. Choose a template that fits your brand and click Apply
  4. Then customize colors, fonts, logo and menu

Adding products

Creating a new product

  1. Go to E-commerce → Products
  2. Click Add product
  3. Fill in the product details:
    • Name: Product name
    • Price: Selling price
    • Description: Detailed product description
    • Images: Upload product photos
    • Compare-at price: The original price, to show a discount
    • SKU: Your own item number
    • Stock: Quantity in stock, optionally with a low-stock alert

The first photo becomes the main image. Use photos of at least 800x800 pixels.

Product variants

Selling products in different sizes or colors?

  1. Click Add variants
  2. Select the type (size, color, etc.)
  3. Add the options
  4. Set the price and stock per variant

Creating categories

Organize your products in categories:

  1. Go to E-commerce → Categories
  2. Click Add category
  3. Give the category a name
  4. Drag products to the category

Setting up shipping options

Shipping methods

  1. Go to E-commerce → Shipping
  2. Choose from:
    • Flat rate
    • Free shipping
    • Pickup

Calculating shipping costs

Method Suitable for
Flat rate Standard products
By weight Varying products
Free Promotions

You can also tie free shipping to a minimum order amount, for example to encourage larger orders.

Shipping zones per country

  1. Create shipping zones, for example your home country, the rest of the EU and worldwide
  2. Link the right rates to each zone

Tax settings

  1. Go to E-commerce → Taxes
  2. Add tax rates:
    • 20% - Standard (varies by country)
    • Reduced rates
    • 0% - Export

Setting up payment methods

  1. Go to Settings → Payments
  2. Enable the payment methods you want, such as iDEAL, credit card, PayPal or bank transfer
  3. Create an account with a payment provider (for example Mollie) and enter your API keys
  4. Test with a small payment

More about providers and fees: Accepting payments in Sitebuilder.

The shopping cart widget

Add a shopping cart to your website:

  1. Drag the Shopping Cart widget to your page
  2. Customize the design
  3. Link to the checkout page

A webshop needs a few required pages:

  • Terms and conditions: link to them from the footer and the checkout
  • Privacy policy: describe how you handle personal data (GDPR)
  • Return policy: describe your return procedure; consumers in the EU have a 14-day withdrawal period

Testing and publishing your webshop

Launch checklist

  • All products have photos and descriptions
  • Categories are logically organized
  • Shipping and tax are set up correctly
  • Payment methods work (test with a small order)
  • Legal pages and contact details are complete
  • The SSL certificate is active
  • The webshop works well on mobile

Placing a test order

  1. Open your webshop as a customer
  2. Add products to the cart
  3. Go through the checkout and place a test order
  4. Check that the confirmation email arrives

Publishing

Everything correct? Click Publish and your webshop is live.

Tips for a successful webshop

  1. Good product photos - Multiple angles, high quality
  2. Clear pricing - Including or excluding tax
  3. Detailed descriptions - Dimensions, materials, etc.
  4. Fast loading - Optimize images
  5. Mobile friendly - Test on phone
  6. Keep it up to date - Keep products and prices current, process orders on time and answer customer questions quickly

Need help?

We're here for you! Running into issues or have questions? Our support team is happy to help you personally. Drop us a message through the ticket system - we usually respond within a few hours and love helping you find the best solution.

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