Starting a webshop and getting a payment gateway and an acquiring agreement requires a few steps. Here is a basic guide.

To run a webshop, you need a valid CVR (business registration) number. This also applies if you run a hobby business. In addition, you need a business bank account, and it is recommended that you contact your bank. You can use an online bank, but it must be a business bank account. A very good idea is to contact an accountant.

How to get a CVR number: Register your business and get a CVR number
If you are a newly started business, you can read more about how to register a business: Starting a business

Identify your niche and target audience: Be clear about which products or services you want to sell and who your target audience is (B2C or B2B). Be aware that certain products cannot be sold online due to legal restrictions.

Subscription business: Rules for e-commerce Comply with the e-commerce law when selling via webshop, website or online marketplace

Business plan: Create a business plan that includes your business model, market research, budget and projected earnings.

Choose a domain name: Choose an easy-to-remember and relevant domain name.

Web hosting: Choose a reliable web hosting service.

Choose an e-commerce platform (Webshop). A CMS / webshop system is a software platform that allows you to create and manage an online store on the internet. These systems typically offer a range of features, including:

There are many different webshop systems on the market, both open source and commercial, offering different feature sets and customization options depending on the needs of the specific business. Popular platforms: WooCommerce (WordPress), Magento, Shopware, or Prestashop or Ordersteps B2B webshop.

Choose a platform that suits your needs and budget. Recommendation - take time to read about the different options. Or contact a web agency for guidance. Note: there is a difference between a B2C webshop and a B2B webshop.
If you wish to sell abroad, remember to set up language and currency for the relevant country or countries you want to sell to.

Freepay is a payment gateway / Payment Service Provider (PSP): a software application that acts as an intermediary between an online business and the bank that handles transactions. Freepay allows businesses to accept online payments from customers via various payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, etc. The payment gateway ensures that payment information is encrypted and securely transferred between the customer, the merchant and the bank to ensure that transactions are carried out reliably and securely.

Review fees, integrations with the e-commerce platform and supported international payment methods. Also read our guide to online payments Download the new payment guide for online payments (danskerhverv.dk)

Acquiring agreement available through us (Freepay): What is an acquirer or acquiring bank? An acquiring agreement is an agreement between you as a business owner and an acquirer, e.g. Trust Payments. It enables you to accept payment cards in your webshop and ensures that you can receive your money when a customer has paid. You need an acquiring agreement to accept payments. Some acquirers also offer physical payments (terminals/SoftPOS), and you can thereby get an acquiring agreement that can be used for both online and physical commerce, often with a saving by combining them in one place.

Contact a payment gateway provider as they can help with setting up the acquiring agreement.
The business must be registered with CVR and have a business bank account.

Review the contract carefully: Read the terms and conditions of the contract carefully to understand all fees and requirements.

Meet compliance requirements: Comply with local legislation and industry standards for online payment security. A comprehensive terms of trade must be created and must be visible on the webshop. If selling to other countries, the terms of trade must also be in the local language. See an example here.

GDPR: Read more about GDPR on the Danish Data Protection Agency's website / What do the rules say? (datatilsynet.dk)

Remember to: add logos of the payment methods that can be used in the webshop (e.g. VISA, MasterCard, Dankort, Mobilepay, Apple and Google Pay, etc.). Customers must have easy access to customer support and contact information. The CVR number must be visible on the webshop.

Integrate payment gateway: Follow the instructions from your chosen payment gateway for integration with your e-commerce platform.

Conduct comprehensive tests: Carry out thorough testing to ensure that the payment process works correctly.

Publication: Launch your webshop and market it to your target audience. It is recommended to read the Danish Consumer Ombudsman's website on electronic communications at Unsolicited communications (forbrugerombudsmanden.dk)

There are many marketing companies / agencies, and if you want to use one of them to help with marketing, it is a good idea to enquire with a few different ones. The same applies to SEO optimization of your website (SEO is Search Engine Optimization and is the process that has the potential to make a website rank better in search engines).

Customer support: Implement a customer support process to handle questions and issues. If selling to other countries, support must also be provided in at least English. There is a wide variety of software that can be used in a support function, and one of the most well-known is Zendesk. Consider creating a FAQ or a chatbot.

An ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning) can be an invaluable resource when it comes to bookkeeping in connection with online commerce. Here are some ways an ERP system can help with bookkeeping in this context:

Transaction automation: An ERP system can be integrated directly with your online commerce platform, making it possible to automate the bookkeeping of sales transactions. When a customer makes a purchase online, the information is automatically transferred to the ERP system, reducing the risk of errors and saving time.

Inventory management: An ERP system can help keep track of inventory in connection with online commerce. When sales are made, the inventory is automatically updated in the ERP system, making it possible to record items sold and keep track of remaining stock.

Payment processing integration: An ERP system can be integrated with payment gateways and other payment processing systems, making it possible to record payments automatically. When a payment is processed online, the information is automatically entered into the ERP system, simplifying the bookkeeping process.

Reporting and analysis: An ERP system can generate various reports and analyses related to online commerce activities, including sales, revenues, costs and more. These reports can be useful tools for evaluating the company's financial performance and making informed decisions.

Tax calculation and compliance: An ERP system can help calculate and handle tax-related information in connection with online commerce. This can include calculating VAT, duties and other taxes, as well as generating reports and documents required for tax compliance.

Overall, an ERP system can help streamline the bookkeeping process in connection with online commerce by automating transactions, managing inventory, integrating payment processing, generating reports and ensuring compliance with tax rules. This can save time, reduce the risk of errors and give the company better insight into its financial performance.

It is always a good idea to get advice on choosing an ERP system, possibly through an accountant. Although there are many ERP systems in Denmark, here are a few examples: e-conomic, Uniconta & Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and more.

In addition, there are also companies such as Storebuddy - Storebuddy, who have specialized in fetching data from an e-commerce platform and sending it to an ERP system to have the data correctly recorded.

Other IT systems to integrate with my webshop:

Inventory management system: This system helps keep track of your products' availability. Integration with an inventory management system such as WooCommerce Inventory Management or TradeGecko can help maintain accurate inventory information.

Customer support system: A system that allows you to handle customer enquiries and support tickets directly from your webshop. Examples include Zendesk and Freshdesk.

Freight and shipping system: If your webshop has physical products, you can integrate with freight and shipping systems such as GLS or Post Nord to automate the shipping process.

Marketing automation: You can integrate your webshop with marketing automation platforms such as Mailchimp, Pipedrive or HubSpot to automate email marketing campaigns and follow up on customer behavior.

Analytics tools: Integration with tools such as Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics can give you insight into your webshop's performance and customer behavior.

Social media integration: Integration with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest can help market your products and increase traffic to your webshop.

CRM system (Customer Relationship Management): is a software application that helps businesses manage their relationships with customers and potential customers. It typically collects customer information from various sources, such as contact details, purchase history, communication history, etc., and gives the company the ability to organize and analyze this data to improve the customer experience and strengthen relationships with customers. CRM systems can also include features for sales management, marketing automation, customer service handling and analytics reporting tools.

Read also our Getting Started Guide