What you need to open an e-shop in Greece: 2026 checklist
· 6 min read · CLICKO
Last updated:
Every step to open an e-shop in Greece in 2026: business and activity code (KAD), e-invoicing and myDATA, payments, courier, legal pages and platform.
This article is a practical guide, not legal or tax advice. The rules change often, so confirm every step with your accountant.
Customers already shop online. Businesses that sell from their own site are still few:
23%
of Greek businesses with 10 or more staff take orders or bookings through their website.
Source: Eurostat, February 2026
The checklist at a glance
| # | What you need | Who arranges it | Before or after the site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business and e-commerce activity code (KAD) | Accountant | Before |
| 2 | E-invoicing provider / myDATA | Accountant + you | Before |
| 3 | Card and other payments | You + bank / provider | Before |
| 4 | Courier and lockers | You | Before |
| 5 | Legal pages | You (ideally with a lawyer) | During the build |
| 6 | Platform, domain, design | You + agency | During the build |
| 7 | Products, photos, descriptions | You | During the build |
1. Business and activity code (KAD)
You need an active business (sole trader or company) registered with the General Commercial Registry (GEMI), with an activity code (KAD) for online retail. If you already have a business, your accountant adds the code. The codes were updated recently, so ask them to check that yours is the right one today.
2. E-invoicing and myDATA
Every sale needs a document (receipt or invoice) that is submitted to myDATA, the platform of the Greek tax authority (AADE). For e-shops this is almost always done through a certified e-invoicing provider connected to the platform, so that every order issues a document automatically.
Since 1 October 2026, mandatory e-invoicing has been extended to more businesses. If you also sell to professionals, ask your accountant what applies to your invoices.
What to ask of the platform: a connection to your provider, so you never issue anything by hand. Shopify and WooCommerce both have ready-made connections to Greek providers.
3. Payments
| Method | What you need | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Card | A payment provider (a bank or Shopify Payments / Stripe / Viva etc.) | The payment must be "linked" to the document, as AADE requires. Your invoicing provider sets this up. |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Usually through the same card provider | They increase purchases on mobile |
| Cash on delivery | An agreement with a courier | Popular in Greece, but it has costs and returns |
| Bank transfer / IRIS | A business bank account | No card fees, slower confirmation |
4. Courier and lockers
An agreement with one or more couriers (e.g. ACS, ELTA Courier, Geniki Taxydromiki, BoxNow for lockers). Ask about:
- Price per shipment and per weight.
- Cash on delivery fee and when the money is paid out to you.
- Whether it connects to your platform for automatic vouchers.
- How returns work.
5. Legal pages
Every e-shop in the EU needs at least:
- Terms of use and sale: business details (name, VAT number, GEMI number, address), prices including VAT, payment and shipping methods.
- Returns policy: consumers have a 14 day right of withdrawal for most distance purchases.
- Privacy policy (GDPR): what data you collect and why.
- Cookie policy and consent banner: before any advertising tracking.
Do not copy another e-shop's pages; they must describe your own policy.
6. Platform, domain, design
- Domain in your business's name, not the agency's.
- Platform: Shopify for a quick start and little maintenance, WooCommerce for special requirements. See our articles Shopify or WooCommerce? and How much does an e-shop cost.
- Speed on mobile: most purchases happen on a phone. See Core Web Vitals.
- Ready for Google and AI: Google Search Console, Google Business Profile and schema, so people can find you on ChatGPT too. See What is llms.txt.
7. Products, photos, descriptions
What delays most e-shops is not the build; it is the content. Before you start, have:
- A product list with prices, SKUs and stock levels (a spreadsheet is enough).
- Photos on a white background and photos of the product in use.
- Descriptions that answer whatever a customer would ask: material, dimensions, sizes, care.
Tick off what you have ready before launch
0 of 12Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business to open an e-shop?
Yes. To sell online you need an active business with an e-commerce activity code (KAD) and you must issue a document for every sale.
Do I need a cash register for an e-shop?
E-shops usually issue documents through an e-invoicing provider rather than a cash register. If you also have a physical shop, extra obligations apply. Confirm with your accountant.
Do I have to accept returns?
Yes. For distance purchases, consumers generally have a 14 day right of withdrawal, with exceptions (e.g. personalised products).
How long does it take to open an e-shop?
The build depends on the size; the most common hold-up is getting the products, the photos and the invoicing provider ready.
Can CLICKO help me with all of this?
We set up the platform, payments, the connections to your courier and invoicing provider, the places for your legal pages and the SEO. You handle the tax side with your accountant, and we tell them exactly what is needed on the site's side.
Got something similar in mind?
Tell us what you want to build and we will reply with a clear proposal.