How to create an online shop in Afghanistan, step by step

Many businesses in Afghanistan already sell online. They post clothes, food, beauty products and handmade items on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and customers send messages to order. That works, but it has limits: products get lost in old posts, customers ask the same questions again and again, and the business depends completely on one social media account.

A shop website solves these problems. This guide explains, step by step, how to create one, even if you have never built a website before.

What an online shop website gives you

A shop website is one page, with your own address, where customers can see all your products at once. For each product they see photos, the price, the sizes and colours you have, and whether it is in stock. When they decide, they send you the order.

Compared with selling only through posts and messages, a shop website:

• keeps every product visible, not only the newest posts
• answers the common questions (price, size, colour, delivery) before the customer asks
• gives you one link to share everywhere: Instagram bio, Facebook page, TikTok profile, WhatsApp status
• looks more serious and builds trust, especially with new customers
• keeps working if a social media account is blocked or loses reach

Step 1: Choose your shop name and address

Your shop name should be the same name customers already know from your social media page. Keep it short and easy to say in Dari, Pashto and English.

Your address is the link people will type or tap. With Bano Shops you get a free address such as yourshop.banoshops.app from the first day. Later, you can connect your own domain, such as yourshop.com, registered in your own name.

Step 2: Prepare your products

Before you start, collect the information for your best-selling products. For each one you need:

1. A clear name, for example "Embroidered Gand Afghani dress, red"
2. Two or three good photos (see our guide to product photos with your phone)
3. The price, in the currency your customers use
4. The sizes and colours you sell, and how many you have of each
5. A short description: material, fit, care, and anything customers often ask

You do not need to add everything at once. Start with ten good products. You can add the rest later from your phone.

Step 3: Create your shop

On Bano Shops, creating a shop takes a few minutes:

1. Create a free account with your email address and confirm it.
2. Enter your shop name, your city and what you sell.
3. Add your first product with its photos, price, sizes and colours.
4. Choose a design and your colours, and upload your logo if you have one.
5. Add your WhatsApp number, so orders come straight to you.
6. Add your delivery areas and prices, for example "Kabul" and "Other provinces".

For shops in Afghanistan, Bano Shops is free. There is no monthly fee and no card is needed, because sellers inside Afghanistan cannot pay online.

Step 4: Check your shop before you publish

Open your shop on your own phone, the way a customer will. Ask yourself:

• Can I understand what this shop sells in five seconds?
• Are the photos clear and the prices correct?
• Can I choose a size and colour and send an order on WhatsApp?
• Is my phone number correct?

Ask one friend or family member to place a test order. Their questions will show you what to improve.

Step 5: Share your link everywhere

A shop website only brings orders when people know about it. Put your link:

• in your Instagram bio and in Instagram story links
• on your Facebook page, in the "About" section and pinned post
• in your TikTok profile
• in your WhatsApp Business profile and your WhatsApp status
• at the end of every post: "See all sizes and prices on our shop"

Keep posting on social media. Your posts bring people in; your website helps them choose and order. We explain this in more detail in social media or your own website.

Common questions

Do I need to know how to build a website?

No. You fill in simple forms on your phone. Bano looks after the hosting, security and updates.

How do customers pay?

In Afghanistan, customers send their order on WhatsApp, and you agree payment and delivery with them directly, as you do today. Shops outside Afghanistan can also accept card payments online.

Can I use Dari and Pashto?

Yes. Your shop can show your products in Dari, Pashto and English, and customers choose their language.

Start today

The best time to give your customers one clear place to shop is now, while you already have followers. Create your free shop, add your first product, and share your link this week.