What you need to sell online in Portugal

E-commerce has gained prominence in Portugal, becoming a profitable and convenient option for many businesses due to the increase in online shopping, but what What do you need to sell online in Portugal and be successful?

We're going to explore everything you need to sell online in Portugal, from the steps to start selling online to the strategies to boost sales of your products or services. What's more, we'll look at the legislation relating to E-commerce in Portugal, so that you can start and operate your online business successfully.

“44% of the population aged 16 to 74 has made purchases over the Internet and 10% has made sales over the Internet.” ANACOM (National Communications Authority)

Essential steps to start selling online in Portugal

Before you start selling online, it's important to consider a few essential steps to ensure the success of your business. Start by defining your target audience in order to target your Digital Marketing strategies more effectively.

Choosing a domain and registration: The domain will be the link to your website, with the name of your online store. Choose a name that is relevant to your business and easy to remember. You should check the availability of the domain and register it.

E-commerce platform: there are several E-commerce platforms available to create and manage your online store, such as Shopify or Magento (Adobe Commerce), so you should research and choose a platform that suits your needs and offers features such as customization, ease of use and customer support, or you can choose to create a tailor-made online store, through a specialist company, to ensure that your online store is developed in the image of your brand, according to the requirements, needs and objectives of your business.

Setting up the online store: once you've chosen the e-commerce platform, it's time to set up your online store. This involves creating product pages, setting prices, configuring payment and shipping methods, among other factors. Make sure you create an attractive online store with fluid navigation to ensure a good shopping experience for your customers.

Optimizing your online store for search engines

Optimizing your online store for search engines is essential for increasing visibility and attracting your target audience. To reach customers for your online store, it is important to develop and share relevant content that is optimized for search engines using SEO techniques. Identify the most relevant keywords and integrate them naturally into your content, in titles, product descriptions and urls.

Provide detailed and informative product descriptions using relevant keywords and highlight the unique benefits and features of each product.

Ensure that your online store's urls are user-friendly, clear and descriptive. Avoid long and confusing urls, and include your keywords whenever it makes sense.

Page loading speed is another important factor that influences user experience and search engine rankings, so make sure your online store pages load quickly.

Promoting your online store on social media

To promote and advertise your online store through social media, you should identify the most popular and relevant social networks for your target audience, which could include Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or other platforms. Create attractive and professional social media profiles for your online store, with a logo, high-quality images, clear descriptions of your type of business and share relevant content of interest to your target audience, appropriate for each social network.

Respond to user comments, messages and questions to develop a stronger connection with your customers, demonstrate professionalism and build a positive reputation for your business.

You could also consider investing in paid ads on social media to reach your audience and increase the likelihood of them visiting your online store and making a purchase.

Comply with Portuguese legislation on E-commerce

In order to sell online in Portugal, it is important to comply with Portuguese legislation and EU rules for E-commerce. You must be aware of consumer rights in Portugal and ensure that your online store remains compliant so that authorities such as ASAE or Finanças don't fine you.

In terms of mandatory information, the seller must provide detailed company information - name or corporate name, company headquarters, commercial register and VAT number - as well as a complaints book, dispute resolution body and website.

Return policy and right of withdrawal: customers have the right to 14 days to return the product or cancel the contract free of charge (except for some types of product) and the refund must be made within 14 days using the same payment method.

Invoices must be issued in accordance with tax rules and all prices must include taxes, and each invoice must be issued immediately after payment of the online purchase. The website must comply with the GDPR to ensure security in the processing of personal data and explicit user consent.

Online transactions must be secure and comply with PSD2 rules, such as 2-factor authentication to prevent fraud so that they are in line with European financial security standards.

There must be price transparency and price reductions must fall into one of the following categories - sales, promotions and liquidation - and the use of words such as 'opportunities' to advertise sales with price reductions is prohibited. The total price of the products, including taxes, transport costs and other charges, must be shown before the customer makes the purchase.

To send communications there must be prior consent from the customer.

Failure to comply with these rules can result in considerable fines for your online business.

E-commerce opportunities and challenges in Portugal

E-commerce in Portugal offers countless opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to sell online. The growing popularity of e-commerce, coupled with easy access to the digital world, is increasing online sales and making the sector promising.

The competition, the need for differentiation, the ability of businesses to adapt to technological changes and the need to comply with legislation and regulations are some of the challenges of selling online in Portugal. However, it is possible to achieve success with effective strategies, a functional E-commerce platform or online store that fits the business image and solid knowledge of the market and regulations.

To sell online, you should always keep an eye on market trends and seek professional advice whenever necessary. With dedication and effort you can reach your target audience, increase sales and expand your online business in Portugal and around the world.