At a time when the buzzword for young graduates and emigrants, we teach you how to buck this trend by creating your own business. Let's talk about the main legal processes (aka bureaucracy) and the tools and services they have to create your business.

The internet is truly a new world, and used correctly it can become the best tool for creating a new business. With the current costs of living, both the level of renting or purchasing physical spaces, and the inherent associated expenses (Water, electricity, communications), you have more and more people creating their own businesses in their own garages or even inside their homes. However, regardless of where you manage your business, there are processes that you are not free from, such as all the initial bureaucracy, the issue of hosting services and platforms for online stores. To help you create a successful business, we explain the main steps and the differences between the different free platforms and paid solutions, as well as showing how to create your online store.

Create your Online Store

Exemplifying the usual processes for creating an online store, we tried Amen's e-commerce testing service (http://aklam.io/gFwJGh) which offers 30 days for trial. Choose the plan that best meets your needs. Since this is an example, we decided to choose the Starter package, which includes a domain, 300 custom templates, Google AdWords integration and the possibility of placing up to 100 products in 10 different categories. To get started, you must register for the first time, reduce your email and password if you are already an Amem customer, or create a new registration. Once the new registration is created, the address will be sent a few minutes later to allow you to create and personalize your website. Here a pop-up will open where you can choose your website theme and the scheme you want, and change some design details and final settings, before putting up your website.

Once these steps are complete, you will have access to the main admin panel where you can manage orders, customer database, categories, website design, product management and create marketing campaigns. Once everything is sorted, you can then move the website to a final address, choose its domain, and set up email accounts for yourself and your employees.

The steps to creating an online business

Opening a business on the internet is much more than creating a website to sell products and services.

You need to have an original, innovative idea that meets the needs of the market. Make your business plan and find out the steps you need to take to create a new company. Despite not having some fixed expenses of a physical store, it is necessary to comply with some formalities to be followed with the various public institutions. Depending on the legal form chosen, the various steps required will be as follows. You can opt for the individual entrepreneur form, and the formalities to be completed depend on the type of company you intend to adopt. Full or abbreviated name, an entity through which the process is initiated, and the Federal Revenue Secretariat are required. If the entrepreneur wishes to use an expression alluding to the activity, then he must contact the National Register of Legal Entities.

In this case, the first bureaucratic step is to request the admissibility certificate. One of the future partners or legal representatives may request the admissibility certificate in person at the National Registry of Legal Entities (RNPC) or online, on the Online Company Portal website, or at the Institute of Records and Notaries - IRN. This Certificate costs 56 euros. Then you must obtain the company or legal entity card, it is delivered electronically. The cost of this registration is 20 euros. After applying for the company card, you need to open a bank account with the share capital of the future company. You must then file a declaration of commencement of activity at the Federal Revenue Office, which can be done via the Finance Portal or in person at any Finance service. The other option is to become self-employed. Registration with Finance is done through the declaration of beginning of activity, which can be done through the Finance Portal (https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/).

Limited liability company

There are currently four possible ways to set up a limited company. It can be done through a public deed, and this modality is mandatory when there is a contribution to the share capital. The Instant Company is the method used in the overwhelming majority of situations, allowing the incorporation of the company in a single day, being especially suitable for simple situations. The incorporation of the Company online requires a digital certificate, which can be obtained with the Citizen Card. This regime cannot be used when there are contributions in kind to the share capital consisting of assets whose transfer to the company requires a more solemn form than that of the social contract (For example, real estate). The Private document is a residual modality to be used if one cannot or does not want to establish the company through other possibilities.

Public deed

The method through public deed is the most complex. In most cases, it will be possible to opt for one of the most expedited solutions, that is, Empresa na Hora. Despite the complexity, it is important to highlight this option, as sometimes it has to be used. A public deed requires several steps. It must begin with the request for a certificate of admissibility of the firm. Then, the social contract is drawn up, the share capital is deposited, and the public deed is carried out. The following steps include registering the social contract, declaring the start of activity in Finance, and communicating it to the Working Conditions Authority.

Reasons for customers not to buy online
- Payment security (17.1%)
- Reluctance to provide data (17.8%)
- See before you buy (17.8%)
- Do not buy online (53%)

How to send orders?
- Through CTT. An inefficient or expensive delivery system for your goods can deny customers and fail your business.
- Pay attention to delivery prices, complaints and quality of customer service.
- For large volumes use UPS, DHL, etc.
- If the customer is not satisfied, they can return the product and receive a refund.
- Normal deadline of 14 days from receipt.
- The seller normally has 30 days to refund the amount.
- The customer normally only purchases again if they are satisfied with the entire purchasing cycle in the store.

Costs:
- Certificate costs 56 euros.
- Registration card for the company or legal entity and 20 euros.
- Opening a bank account costs 250 euros.
- Accepting payments costs 2.9% + 30 cents.
- Domains from 9.99 euros per month
- Total: +/- 350 euros