"How to start an online business in Nepal" is one of the most searched business questions in the country, with variations like "without investment", "for students" and "from home". The honest answer is that the technical part is cheap and quick. The hard part is choosing what to sell and reaching the first customers. This guide gives a seven-step plan that works for both a student selling from home and a shop moving online.
Where I quote rules, they come from the official sources linked in each section, checked on 11 November 2026. I have left out any fee or figure I could not verify today.
Step 1: Choose one product or service, not a category
Most online businesses in Nepal that fail start with "we sell everything". Start with one thing you can describe in a sentence: handmade candles, second-hand textbooks, home-cooked tiffin in Lalitpur, video editing for YouTubers, CV writing for job seekers.
Two practical filters:
- Can you deliver it? Physical products need packaging and a courier or your own delivery. Services need only your time and a phone.
- Can you supply it again next week? A one-time stock clearance is not a business.
If you have no money to buy stock, start with a service. Design, video editing, writing, tutoring and social media management need skills, not inventory. My guide to freelancing in Nepal for students explains how to price and find the first clients.
Step 2: Confirm that people actually search for it
Before you print a logo, type your idea into Google and read the autocomplete suggestions. They are real searches from Nepal. "Online business in Nepal" itself suggests "from home", "without investment", "for students" and "registration", which tells you what people worry about.
Do the same for your product, then check the "People also ask" questions. If nobody searches for your product by name, you will need to sell through social media and ads rather than Google, which changes the plan in Step 3. The free keyword research guide shows the full process with Google's own tools.
Step 3: Pick your first sales channel
| Channel | Cost to start | Time to first sale | Control | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook or Instagram page + WhatsApp | Free | Days | Low, you depend on the platform | Almost everyone starting out |
| Marketplace (Daraz Seller Center) | Free to register, commission on sales | Weeks | Medium | Physical products people already buy online |
| Your own website | Domain, hosting and build | Weeks to months | High | Services, brands and shops that want repeat customers and Google traffic |
Social media first. A Facebook Page with a WhatsApp Business number is the fastest way to take orders in Nepal. The WhatsApp Business guide covers the catalogue and quick replies, and my Facebook Page setup guide covers the Page.
Marketplace second. Daraz runs a Seller Center for Nepal where you can register and list products. It gives you buyers who are already shopping, in exchange for commission and their rules on packaging and returns.
Website when you are ready. A website lets people find you on Google, builds trust and is yours. What it costs and what to ask a developer is in website cost in Nepal, and the e-commerce specific questions are in the e-commerce website guide.
Step 4: Register the business and get a PAN
You can test an idea informally for a few weeks, but to open a business bank account, use a payment gateway, sell on marketplaces and register a business-name domain, you need to be registered. Company registration in Nepal is handled by the Office of the Company Registrar under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, which now runs its services through its online CAMIS system. Many small sellers start as a registered firm rather than a company; ask an accountant which fits your size, because the paperwork and yearly duties differ.
Get a PAN (Permanent Account Number) at the same time. Payment providers and marketplaces ask for it, and customers increasingly ask for a PAN bill.
Registration fees and taxes change, so get the current figures from the office or an accountant rather than from a blog post.
Step 5: Get a domain name, even if the website comes later
Nepal's official .np registry, run by Mercantile Communications, states in its registry policy that domain registrations under the .np country code are free of cost and are given on a first-come, first-served basis. The rules that matter:
- A business can only choose a domain based on its company, organisation, product, service or brand name, and must attach the registration certificate, as listed in the registry's how to register page.
- A personal domain must be based on the applicant's own name, with a citizenship, passport, driving licence, voter's card or similar document.
- Documents are uploaded as images up to 800 kilobytes, and the registry says it may take at least 24 hours to approve, sometimes longer.
- The registry has been reverifying domains since December 2024 and now records renewal dates, so keep your contact email current in your account.
A .com.np domain costs nothing and signals a Nepali business; a .com domain costs money but is easier for international customers. Register early so nobody else takes your brand name while you build.
Step 6: Set up how customers will pay
Offer the ways Nepali customers already use:
- Cash on delivery for physical products inside the valley or your city. It still drives many first orders.
- Wallet and bank transfer through eSewa, Khalti or a bank app, with a screenshot confirmation on WhatsApp for small sellers.
- Payment gateway on your website when you have one. Khalti, for example, offers a payment gateway for merchants to accept payments online on their own site; eSewa and several banks offer merchant options as well. Each needs your business documents from Step 4.
Write your payment, delivery and return terms once and pin them on your Page and website.
Step 7: Reach the first 100 customers
Nobody finds a new page or website by accident. Plan the first month of marketing before launch:
- Post real content. Product photos, short videos, prices and answers to common questions. Five good posts before you invite anyone.
- Use your own network. Friends, relatives and existing customers are the first followers and the first reviews.
- Google Business Profile. If you serve a city or area, a free profile puts you on Maps. Follow the local SEO checklist for Nepal.
- Small paid tests. A small Meta ad budget aimed at messages can tell you quickly whether people want the product. In my UnlockSkill Meta Ads project, $91.77 of spend produced 938 messaging conversations, about $0.10 per conversation, because the offer and audience were clear.
- Measure one number. Enquiries per week, or orders per week. Change one thing at a time and watch that number.
Starting without investment: what is realistic
"Without investment" is possible only for service businesses and for reselling with cash on delivery where you buy after the order. Even then you invest time and need a phone, data and a wallet or bank account. Keep costs near zero for the first three months, record every order and cost, and reinvest only what the business earns.
FAQ
Do I need to register a company to sell online in Nepal?
You can test informally, but to open a business bank account, use a payment gateway, sell on marketplaces and get a business-name .com.np domain you need a registered firm or company and a PAN. Company registration is handled by the Office of the Company Registrar.
Is a .com.np domain really free?
Yes. The official registry states that .np domain registrations are free of cost, but you must submit the required documents and the name must match your business or your personal name.
Can a student start an online business from home?
Yes. Services such as design, editing, tutoring and content writing need no stock. A Facebook Page, WhatsApp Business number and a portfolio of real work are enough to start, and a personal .com.np domain can be registered in your own name.
Should I build a website first or sell on Facebook first?
Sell on Facebook and WhatsApp first to prove that people buy. Build the website once you have repeat orders and want Google traffic and a professional presence.
