How to Sell Products Online: Catalogue, Pricing and Delivery

Build a catalogue that actually sells

A catalogue is not just a list of items — it's the only chance a customer gets to ask you questions before they buy, because they can't touch the product. Every listing should answer the three things a buyer silently wants to know: what exactly is this, how much does it cost, and can I trust that it will arrive as shown.

Group similar items into simple categories from the start, even if you only have a handful of products today. "Sarees," "Kids Wear," and "Home Decor" as separate sections, rather than one long undivided list, helps customers browse the way they naturally shop — by looking for a type of item, not scrolling through everything you sell.

Update your catalogue on a schedule, not only when you remember to. A weekly ten-minute check — refreshing sold-out items, fixing any wrong prices, adding one new product — keeps a small catalogue feeling active, which matters more to returning customers than most sellers expect.

For every product, aim to include:

• •A clear, specific title (not just "Kurta" but "Cotton Straight Kurta — Mustard, M/L/XL").
• •Size, weight, material, or quantity — whatever varies between items in your category.
• •3 to 5 photos from different angles, including one showing scale (held in a hand, next to a common object).
• •Price, and whether it includes tax and delivery.

Descriptions matter as much as photos, especially for anything a customer can't touch before buying. Write in plain, specific language: "100% cotton, machine washable, true to size" tells a buyer more than "premium quality fabric." If a product needs care instructions, mentions an allergen, or has a break-in period, say so in the listing rather than letting the customer discover it after delivery. A slightly longer, honest description almost always reduces returns more than it reduces clicks.

Photos that build confidence, not just clicks

Product photography doesn't need a studio. It needs consistency and honesty.

• •Shoot near a window in daylight. Avoid yellow indoor bulbs, which distort colour.
• •Use one plain background across all products so your catalogue looks like it belongs together.
• •Show any real flaws — a slight colour variation or texture note prevents disputes after delivery.
• •Include one lifestyle or in-use photo so buyers can picture owning it, not just looking at it.

Our Product Photography Checklist has a longer setup walkthrough if you want to go deeper on lighting and angles.

Pricing: cost, margin, and GST without the confusion

Price from the bottom up, not by guessing what "feels right":

1. Add up your true cost — materials, packaging, and a fair value for your time.
2. Add your margin. New sellers often under-price out of nervousness; a thin margin can't survive returns or discounts later.
3. Check if GST applies to your category and turnover, and decide whether your displayed price includes it.
4. Round to a clean number and state clearly whether delivery is extra.

Being upfront about tax and delivery charges at the listing stage — not at checkout — is one of the simplest ways to reduce abandoned orders. Our Product Catalogue Template has columns built in for cost, margin and final price so this stays organized as your range grows.

From listed to delivered: the product order flow

Each step is also a place things go wrong. Confirm orders quickly, pack products the same careful way every time, and share the tracking or delivery estimate as soon as you have it — silence between "ordered" and "delivered" is what generates anxious follow-up messages.

Managing stock honestly

Nothing damages trust faster than accepting an order for something you can't actually fulfil. Selling on WhatsApp, Instagram, and a store at once multiplies this risk, because a sale on one channel doesn't automatically update the others. Keep stock information current, especially for:

• •Handmade or made-to-order items. Say clearly "made fresh on order, ships in 3–5 days" instead of implying instant dispatch.
• •Limited quantity items. A "5 left" note creates honest urgency instead of a fake countdown.
• •Sold-out variants. Mark the specific size or colour unavailable rather than removing the whole listing.

If you sell across WhatsApp, Instagram, and your store at once, update stock in one place first thing each morning — this alone prevents most double-selling issues.

Choosing delivery and COD options

Match your delivery choice to your order pattern rather than offering everything at once:

Delivery charges deserve the same clarity as product prices. Decide early whether you'll absorb the cost into your product price, charge a flat delivery fee, or offer free delivery above a minimum order value — each affects how customers perceive value, so pick one approach and apply it consistently rather than changing the rule order to order.

Whichever you choose, give a realistic window ("delivered in 4–6 days") rather than an optimistic one. A slightly longer, accurate estimate builds more trust than a fast promise you occasionally miss. For selling a service instead of a physical item, see our guide to selling services online.

Packaging and the unboxing experience

For a first-time online buyer, the package arriving is the first physical proof that your business is real. It's worth a few extra minutes and rupees.

• •Protect the product first. Bubble wrap, sturdy boxes, and sealed bags cost little compared to a damaged-in-transit replacement.
• •Add a small printed note or thank-you card. It costs almost nothing and reminds the customer there's a real person behind the order.
• •Include your store link or QR code inside the package. Repeat customers often reorder directly rather than searching again.
• •Keep packaging consistent. The same box style and note every time makes your brand recognizable, even before the customer opens it.

None of this needs to be elaborate. A clean, protected, slightly personal package consistently outperforms an expensive one that arrives damaged or generic.

If you sell fragile or perishable items, tell the customer what to expect in the listing itself — "packed in an insulated box, best consumed within 2 days" sets the right expectation before the order is placed, rather than after a disappointed message arrives.

Three product sellers, three different setups

Mistakes product sellers make

Most of these mistakes share a root cause: a gap between what the listing promises and what actually gets delivered. Closing that gap, more than any single tactic, is what separates a store that gets repeat orders from one that gets one-time buyers and never hears from them again.