Marbella doesn't just sell on the street: it sells online too. If you run a boutique, a bakery, a clinic or any local business, an online store can open the door to customers who never reach your physical shop. In this guide we explain, step by step and without jargon, what you need to launch your online store in Marbella, how much it can cost and which mistakes to avoid.
Why sell online from Marbella
Marbella has a mix few cities can match: residents with purchasing power, a large international community and year-round tourism. Selling online lets you catch customers before they set foot in town, keep selling after closing time and reach people who prefer to buy from the sofa.
- You sell around the clock. Your shop stays open while you sleep: the order comes in at any hour and you handle it the next day.
- You reach customers from abroad. Someone who discovers you online can buy before travelling or reorder once back home.
- You complement your premises. The website doesn't replace your physical shop: it multiplies it and can help you capture demand you were missing.
What you need to launch your online store
Launching an online store is not just "building a website". You need several pieces working together, and working simply:
- A domain and hosting. Your store's address and the server where it lives. Without this, there is nothing to visit.
- A well-organised catalogue. Products or services with a name, description, price and photo. If the catalogue is messy, the customer gets lost.
- A payment gateway. The system that charges the card. It must be secure and simple so you don't lose sales at the last step.
- Clear shipping or delivery. Customers want to know how long it takes and how much it costs before paying.
Online store vs catalogue website: which one you need
You don't always need a cart. If you sell products, a store with a gateway is the natural choice. If you sell services or want to showcase your work without taking payments online, a catalogue website may be enough. This comparison helps you decide:
| What we compare | Online store (€450) | Catalogue website (€350) |
|---|---|---|
| Shopping cart | Included | Not included |
| Payment gateway | Included | Not included |
| Card payment | Yes, at checkout | No, you charge separately |
| Pages | Up to 5 + store | Up to 5 |
| Best for | Selling physical or digital products | Showcasing services or work |
| Price | €450 + VAT | €350 + VAT |
The payment gateway: how to charge without friction
The gateway is where many stores lose sales. If the checkout is confusing or asks for too many steps, customers abandon the cart. That's why it pays to choose a well-known gateway that builds trust and accepts the cards your customers use, including foreign ones, which are very common in Marbella.
- Security first. Card data travels encrypted and the customer needs to see that clearly to trust you.
- Few clicks. The shorter the checkout, the fewer abandoned carts.
- Easy reconciliation. You want to see your sales and payments without reconciling spreadsheets by hand.
Product photos that sell
In an online store you can't touch the product: the photo is all the customer has. A well-shot image can help you sell more, while a dark or blurry one can stop a purchase. You don't need an expensive studio: you can take your own photos or lean on AI-generated images. At Solaris we prepare product photos from €3 + VAT per studio image and €4.50 + VAT per lifestyle image, without setting up a photo set.
- Clean background and good light. The product should read in one second, on mobile too.
- Several angles. Detail, use and scale help the customer decide.
- Consistency. All photos in the same style give the impression of a serious shop.
SEO for your online store
A store is useless if nobody finds it. Your store's SEO combines two things: getting your website to appear in search results and keeping your local business visible on Google Maps. Consistent SEO work can help you win customers without relying only on paid ads.
- Copy using the words your customer searches. Every product and category should speak the language of the buyer.
- A Google Maps listing that lines up. Your online store and your local listing should point to the same place and reinforce each other.
- Content that keeps going. Publishing consistently strengthens your presence over the medium term.
Solaris web plans
So you can choose with facts in hand, these are the three web design plans we work with. If your goal is to sell online, the online store with cart and gateway is the option designed for it:
1-page website
€180 + VAT
- Single page with your information
- Mobile-friendly design
- Perfect to introduce yourself
Website up to 5 pages
€350 + VAT
- Up to 5 pages
- Service sections
- No cart or gateway
Online store
€450 + VAT
- Shopping cart
- Payment gateway
- Product catalogue
Do the maths: if your store brings you one or two sales a month, the design pays for itself. And unlike a rented platform, the website is yours.
Why Solaris
There are many ways to build an online store in Marbella. This is how we do it:
- Closed, published prices. €180, €350 or €450, with no surprise quotes. What you see is what you pay.
- Specialists in Costa del Sol businesses. We understand the Marbella market and the whole area, and we apply it to your web design.
- No lock-in and no fine print. We work on closed projects, with no contracts tying you down.
- We stay with you after launch. Local SEO and content so your store doesn't sit still.