Start an online store in United States.
Cards dominate (85%+), Apple Pay + Google Pay rising fast. BNPL (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm) is now standard at checkout for AOV $50+.
Market snapshot
$1.1T+ ecommerce GMV — world's largest single-country market. Amazon captures ~38% but DTC grows fast.
Recommended platforms
Best-fit platforms for United States.
Ranked by country fit. We factored local payment methods, currency support, tax compliance tools, and the quality of regional agency ecosystems.
Shopify
Top pickThe fastest, most polished way to launch a store.
Shopify is headquartered-adjacent and has deepest US merchant tooling — shipping, tax, fulfillment networks.
WooCommerce
The most flexible, content-driven way to sell online.
Best when you already have WordPress presence or need customisation without monthly SaaS fees.
BigCommerce
Enterprise-grade features at SMB pricing.
Lower transaction fees than Shopify at scale. Strong B2B features. Austin-HQ so US support is excellent.
Payment gateways
6 gateways available in United States.
Native to United States
Checkout expectations
What United States buyers expect to see at checkout.
Missing any of the dominant methods below typically costs 15-40% of conversions. Pick a gateway that covers these:
Legal + operational
Tax, KYC, and cross-border realities.
Tax & VAT
Sales tax is per-state + has economic-nexus rules (typically $100K / 200 transactions triggers). Use Shopify Tax, TaxJar, or Avalara — do not try manually.
KYC & registration
EIN + business bank account minimum. Stripe onboarding is 10 minutes if LLC formed. Gateway KYC here is the world's easiest.
Cross-border considerations
US merchants default to Stripe or Shopify Payments. International expansion — layer PayPal (trusted abroad) + local gateways for EU/LatAm/MENA.
Top categories online
- Apparel
- Beauty
- Food & beverage (DTC)
- Health & wellness
- Home
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✗Not collecting sales tax from day 1 — back-taxes can sink a growing brand
- ✗Choosing Square Online / Weebly thinking they'll scale — they won't past $500K ARR
- ✗Ignoring PCI scope on custom WooCommerce — costs explode when breach hits
Questions about United States
Founders ask these a lot.
What's the best ecommerce platform for United States?+
Shopify is typically our top pick for United States. Shopify is headquartered-adjacent and has deepest US merchant tooling — shipping, tax, fulfillment networks.
Which payment methods do United States buyers expect at checkout?+
Cards dominate (85%+), Apple Pay + Google Pay rising fast. BNPL (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm) is now standard at checkout for AOV $50+.
How many payment gateways are available in United States?+
We track 6 payment gateways operating in United States: Stripe, PayPal, Adyen, Braintree, Square Payments, 2Checkout (Verifone). Stripe, PayPal, Square Payments are native to the country.
What are the tax requirements to sell online in United States?+
Sales tax is per-state + has economic-nexus rules (typically $100K / 200 transactions triggers). Use Shopify Tax, TaxJar, or Avalara — do not try manually.
What registration / KYC do I need to launch in United States?+
EIN + business bank account minimum. Stripe onboarding is 10 minutes if LLC formed. Gateway KYC here is the world's easiest.
Need a launch plan for United States?
30 minutes with Dharmendra — platform pick, gateway setup, tax strategy, and the first-90-days roadmap specific to your United States business.
Book a call · $29