Start your ecommerce store by AI
Tell HOD-AI what you sell. It verifies your email, suggests a theme made for your category and opens your store — with UPI, Cash on Delivery and GST invoices already working.
3 months free · no card · 0% commission · Hinglish mein padhein
Quick Answer
You can start an ecommerce store in India by chatting with HOD-AI on hodmedia.in. Verify your email with a one-time code, name your store, say what you sell, and pick one of the themes HOD-AI suggests for your category. The store goes live on a free hodmedia.in address with UPI, Cash on Delivery and GST invoices built in. The Store plan is free for 3 months, then ₹299/month or ₹2,499/year.
How do I start an online store with AI?
Open HOD-AI and say you want a store. It verifies your email with a one-time code, asks your store name and what you sell, then suggests themes built for that category. Choose one and the store is live straight away on a free hodmedia.in address — ready for products, payments and your first order.
- Step 1
Say hello and verify your email
Open HOD-AI on hodmedia.in and tell it you want a store. It asks for your email and sends a one-time code, so the store is tied to you from the first minute.
- Step 2
Describe your business
Give your store a name and say what you sell — cakes, sarees, perfumes, pet treats, electronics. HOD-AI uses the category to set up the right kind of store.
- Step 3
Pick a theme HOD-AI suggests
HOD-AI suggests themes made for your category from 88 themes across 16 categories. Choose one — you can change colours, sections and even the whole theme later.
- Step 4
Your store is live
Your store opens on a free yourname.hodmedia.in address straight away. Add products, connect UPI, cards and Cash on Delivery, and share the link on WhatsApp and Instagram.
What do I get when HOD-AI creates my store?
You get a complete online store, not a website template: your own address, a mobile-ready theme for your category, a cart and checkout that take UPI, cards and Cash on Delivery, automatic GST invoices, courier shipping and WhatsApp order updates. HOD Media takes 0% commission on every sale you make.
- Free yourname.hodmedia.in address
- Custom domain with free SSL when you're ready
- A theme from 88 designs across 16 categories
- UPI, cards & Cash on Delivery (Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree)
- GST invoices on every order
- Shiprocket, Delhivery, Shipmozo, Shadowfax & more
- WhatsApp automation and order alerts
- Hindi, English & Gujarati support from real people
Browse the themes HOD-AI chooses from.
Who is an AI-built store for?
It is for Indian small sellers who would rather describe their business than learn a website builder: home bakers, boutiques, perfume and gift sellers, resellers and shops already selling on WhatsApp or Instagram. You need a phone and an email address — no coding, no designer and no GST number to start.
- You sell on WhatsApp or Instagram and are tired of answering “price?” all day
- You have a shop and want customers to order online too
- You are starting a home business, reselling or print-on-demand
- You want Cash on Delivery and UPI without setting up anything technical
What happens after my store is live?
You add products, connect your payment gateway and share your link. With Store + AI, HOD-AI keeps working for you: add a product from one sentence, create an offer, book a shipment, write a policy page or ask how sales went yesterday. Each change is shown to you first and happens only when you approve it.
See everything it can do on the HOD-AI page.
- YouAdd Kesar Badam Cookies, 250 g pack, ₹180, MRP ₹200, 40 in stock.
- HOD-AIHere is the product I will create: Kesar Badam Cookies · 250 g · ₹180 (MRP ₹200) · stock 40, with a short description. Approve to add it?
- YouApprove.
- HOD-AIAdded. Shall I put it in your “Cookies” collection too?
Do I need the AI plan to start?
No. Signing up with HOD-AI and getting your store live works on the Store plan, which is free for 3 months and then ₹299 a month. Choose Store + AI at ₹499 a month when you want HOD-AI to keep adding products, shipping orders and answering your questions, with 200 credits a month.
Without AI
Store
₹299/monthor₹2,499/year
≈ ₹208/month · save ₹1,089 a year
First 3 months free — no card
- Full online store, unlimited products
- UPI, cards & Cash on Delivery
- GST invoices, custom domain + free SSL
- 0% commission on your sales
With HOD-AI
Store + AI
₹499/monthor₹4,999/year
≈ ₹417/month · save ₹989 a year
Paid from day one — no free trial on AI plans
Everything in Store, plus:
- HOD-AI agent in your dashboard — type or speak in Hindi or English
- Ask it to add products, create discounts, ship orders, build pages
- AI shopper chat on your store, answering buyers 24×7
- 200 AI credits every month (top-ups from ₹99)
Compare every plan on the pricing page.
Starting a store with AI: questions
Can AI really create my online store?
Yes. On HOD Media you can sign up by chatting with HOD-AI: it verifies your email, asks your store name and what you sell, and suggests themes for your category. Your store is then live on a free hodmedia.in address, with UPI, Cash on Delivery and GST invoices already built in.
How long does it take to start a store with AI?
The chat signup takes a few minutes, and the store is live as soon as it finishes. Adding your products, connecting a payment gateway and setting shipping usually takes an evening; HOD-AI can add products for you from a sentence each.
How much does it cost to start an ecommerce store with AI?
Starting is free: the Store plan gives you 3 months free with no card, then ₹299/month or ₹2,499/year. If you want HOD-AI to keep doing store work for you, Store + AI is ₹499/month or ₹4,999/year with 200 AI credits a month, paid from day one. There is 0% commission on either.
Do I need a GST number to start?
No. HOD Media never asks for a GSTIN at signup. Whether you must register depends on your turnover and whether you sell across states — check your own case. When you add a GSTIN later, every invoice becomes a proper GST invoice automatically.
Do I need to know coding or design?
No. HOD-AI picks a theme for your category and you change anything by clicking or by asking — “make the buttons green”, “add an About Us page”. Nothing needs code, and every change is shown to you before it goes live.
Can I run the store from my phone?
Yes. Signup, adding products, accepting orders and chatting with HOD-AI all work in a phone browser. Most HOD merchants run their store from a phone.
Which payment methods will my store accept?
UPI, cards, net banking and wallets through Razorpay, PayU or Cashfree with your own account, plus Cash on Delivery with an optional part-payment in advance. The money settles to your bank; HOD Media takes 0% commission.
What if I don't like the theme HOD-AI suggests?
Pick another. You can browse all 88 themes, switch at any time, or ask HOD-AI to change colours and homepage sections for you. Your products and orders stay as they are when the design changes.
Can I start without the chat?
Yes. The usual signup form at hodmedia.in/register creates the same store, and you can choose a theme yourself from the themes page. The chat is simply the quickest way for someone who would rather describe their business than fill a form.
Is there a Hindi version of this guide?
Yes — “AI se online store kaise banaye” covers the same steps in Hinglish, with answers to the questions small sellers ask most.
Ready? Describe your business to HOD-AI
Related: What HOD-AI does · AI store builders for India, compared · AI se online store kaise banaye · Best ecommerce platform in India
Updated 25 Sep 2026