My Launch List! Online Business Setup Checklist
LYNNIE VERSION
Would you like to read this article in more grown-up words, still easy to understand? Jump here.
Hi! I’m Lynnie! Today I’m telling you about the online business setup checklist. Five things to check before you open your shop!
Not every business needs all five. So for each one, ask: “Do I need this?”
1. Helper agreements
Grown-ups call these partner agreements. For six of the ten ways to earn, you ALWAYS need one. (And for your own online shop, only if a shipping helper sends your stuff.) Without the helper, that way to earn just can’t happen!
2. Your offer
Your offer is how you wrap up what you sell, online. It’s your promise: “If you pay, here’s what you get!”
It can be a landing page, a checkout page, or a short pitch. Show off the heart you put in! Looks matter online, just like in a real shop.
A good offer has: a clear title, nice pictures, an honest description, and an easy way to buy.
3. Rules pages
You’re responsible for your rules pages, and for making them easy to find. Grown-ups call them legal policies.
4. Getting paid
How will the money get to you? If buyers pay you directly, setting that up is your job. Grown-ups call it payment processing.
But some ways to earn get money only from a helper company. Then you just give them your bank details, and their safe, automatic system pays you. Easy!
If you do need it, companies like Stripe or PayPal handle it. They’re already built into most platforms, or easy to connect.
5. Shipping
Three ways always need shipping: your own online shop, dropshipping and the sharing economy.
With your own shop and sharing economy, you handle the thing yourself. You pack it and send it, or hand it over in person. With dropshipping, the supplier sends it. But to your customer, YOU are the one responsible, because they paid you!
Watch out for shipping costs when you set your prices. Shipping can make the final price higher than you think!
How to use the checklist
Go through all five. Mark each one: “needed,” “maybe,” or “not needed.”
Then do them in order: helper agreements, then your offer, then rules pages, payments and shipping. Each step gets what it needs from the one before.
An example
Someone sells print-on-demand designs on their own website. They need all five! A print helper, an offer page for each design, rules pages, a way to get paid, and a shipping policy, even though the helper sends things.
Cheap and simple
None of the five has to be expensive. You need very little money to start. You’d be surprised! Affiliate and money programs are usually free to join. Payment companies only take a little bit per sale. Lots of platforms even have rules page templates.
And all five can be done without showing your face!
What’s next?
The next article shows, in one picture, which of these five each way to earn needs. The whole lesson is in the book on our products page. Want a grown-up to help with your checklist? Go to our services page.
What grown-ups usually ask (and I answer)
What are the five setup things?
Helper agreements, your offer, rules pages, getting paid, and shipping.
Are there step-by-step lessons for starting each of the ten ways cheaply?
Maybe! If lots of people want them. Join the waitlist and you’ll know first.
What’s a helper agreement?
A deal with a brand, platform or supplier that makes your way to earn possible.
What’s “your offer”?
Your page or pitch that puts a price on your thing and makes it buyable.
Do I need rules pages from day one?
On pages you own, yes. Marketplaces and social apps handle it for you.
Who handles payments?
Companies like Stripe and PayPal. Not needed if a helper pays you.
Which ways need shipping?
Your own shop, dropshipping and the sharing economy. Print-on-demand only on your own website.
Where can I get help if I don’t have much money?
Lynnaider shows you how to start each of the ten ways for free, or for very, very little money. You’d be surprised! And a free robot helper called Lynnaider Compass helps you step by step!
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and should not be regarded as legal, tax, or business advice. Pursuing an online business does not guarantee income; results depend on many factors including the business environment, individual effort, skills, and consistency. Some links on this site may allow Lynnaider to earn a commission at no additional cost to the reader.
