Online shopping in Armenia has grown fast. People order clothes, cosmetics, electronics, food and gifts from their phones, and they expect the same convenience they see in big marketplaces. A small store cannot compete with those platforms on size, but it can win on speed, personal service and a clear offer. This guide shows how to launch a store that sells from the first week.
Decide what kind of store you need
| Model | Good for |
|---|---|
| Catalogue with "order" button | Few products, custom orders, prices that change |
| Full store with cart and payment | Many products, standard prices, repeat orders |
| Store plus Telegram bot | Regular customers who reorder |
If you are just testing demand, a catalogue with orders to Telegram is fast and cheap. When the flow of orders grows, add a cart and online payment.
The catalogue
A good catalogue is easy to scan on a phone:
- clear categories that match how customers think;
- product photos on a clean background, several angles for expensive items;
- price, availability and main characteristics visible without scrolling;
- filters for size, colour or price if you have many products.
Product data is the biggest preparation task. Prepare a table with names, prices, descriptions, sizes and photos before development starts, and the launch will go much faster.
Checkout: shorter is better
Every extra field loses customers. A practical checkout asks only:
- Name.
- Phone or Telegram.
- Delivery address or pickup.
- Payment method.
Do not force registration. Let people buy as guests, and offer an account later.
Payments
To accept cards online you need a business account and an agreement with a payment provider or acquiring bank. The website sends the customer to a secure payment page and gets the result back. The order is then marked as paid and you get a notification. Our guide on accepting payments online in Armenia explains the steps.
Delivery and returns
Write clearly:
- delivery areas in Yerevan and outside it;
- prices and times;
- what happens if the customer is not at home;
- how returns and exchanges work.
Clear terms reduce questions and also help pass the payment provider's review.
Orders that do not get lost
At Kinto every new order goes to the owner's Telegram immediately: products, total, contact, delivery details. A manager can confirm in seconds. If you use a CRM, the order can create a deal there too. See CRM integration. For repeat customers, a Telegram bot can show the catalogue and take orders right in the chat.
Search and promotion
- Each product and category needs a unique title and description.
- Product descriptions should be your own text, not copied from the manufacturer.
- Fast loading on mobile is essential.
- Connect Google Search Console and Yandex Webmaster after launch.
- Use Instagram to show products and lead people to the store.
Read SEO in Armenia: the basics.
Costs and timeline at Kinto
| What | Starting price | Starting timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Online store with catalogue, cart, payments | $4,000 | 22 days |
| Payment setup | $600 | 3 days |
| Telegram order bot | $500 | 4 days |
| CRM integration | $700 | 4 days |
| Analytics dashboard | $500 | 3 days |
| Support for 6 months | $900 | after launch |
The estimate is fixed in the contract before the start. See online store and pricing.
Product pages that convert
A product page should answer every question a customer might ask a shop assistant:
- What is it, in one clear sentence?
- How does it look, from several angles and in use?
- What sizes, colours or versions are available?
- How much does it cost, and is delivery included?
- When will I receive it?
- Can I return it?
Add a short block with related products and a visible "Add to cart" button that stays on screen while scrolling on a phone.
Working with Instagram
Many stores in Armenia start on Instagram, and that is a good channel for discovery. The store website complements it:
| Website | |
|---|---|
| Shows new products and style | Shows the full catalogue with prices |
| Builds the community | Takes orders and payments 24/7 |
| Conversations in Direct | Clear terms, delivery, returns |
Put the store link in the profile, use product links in stories and answer price questions with a direct link to the product page.
After launch: the first numbers to watch
- Number of visitors and where they come from.
- How many add products to the cart.
- How many finish the checkout.
- Average order value.
- Most viewed products and most common questions.
If many people add to the cart but do not pay, look at delivery costs and the length of the checkout first.
Mistakes new stores make
- Launching without delivery and return terms.
- Prices that differ between Instagram and the website.
- Heavy photos that make the catalogue slow.
- Orders going to an email that nobody checks on weekends.
- No way to contact the store quickly when a customer has a question.
A launch plan
- Week 1: structure, design of the main pages, product data table.
- Week 2: catalogue, product pages, cart and checkout.
- Week 3: payments, delivery rules, Telegram notifications, tests on phones.
- Launch: search setup, analytics, first promotion in Instagram.
Key takeaways
- Start with a clear catalogue and a short checkout without forced registration.
- Connect online payments once the provider account is ready.
- Write delivery and return terms clearly; they reduce questions and help pass payment review.
- Send every order to Telegram instantly and to a CRM if you use one.
- Use Instagram for discovery and the website for orders and payments.
- Watch cart and checkout numbers in the first weeks and fix where people drop off.
Start your store
Tell us what you sell, how many products you have and how you deliver. Write to @kinto_am on Telegram or leave a request on kinto.am. We answer within 15 minutes between 10:00 and 20:00.
Updated: 2026-10-12