To sell sarees online from home you need clear photos in daylight, one code and price per saree, a place to take orders such as Instagram, WhatsApp or a simple online store, payment confirmed before you pack, and a courier for delivery. Start small, list what you have, and answer buyer questions fast.
What you need before you start
Stock you can photograph and describe
Start with the sarees you already have. For each one, note the fabric, the length, whether a blouse piece comes with it, the work (print, weave, zari, embroidery) and the wash or care advice. Buyers cannot touch the saree online, so these words do the touching for them.
Papers: GST and the basics
Whether you need GST registration depends on your turnover, what you sell and how and where you sell. A CBIC notification (No. 34/2023, Central Tax) lets some small suppliers selling goods through e-commerce operators skip registration, but only under set conditions. Rules for your own Instagram or WhatsApp sales can be different. Ask your CA before your first sale. You will also need a bank account that can take UPI.
If you sell through a marketplace, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 ask sellers to share their legal name, address, contact details and clear return and refund terms, including the cost of return shipping. Writing these down early helps on your own store too.
How to photograph sarees at home
Daylight, plain wall, three shots
- One full drape, on a person or a mannequin, near a window in daylight.
- One close-up of the pallu.
- One close-up of the border and the fabric texture.
A plain wall or bedsheet behind the saree keeps the eye on the saree.
Show the true colour
Do not use filters that change the colour. Add one line to every listing: “Colour may vary slightly on screens.” It stops many arguments later.
One code per saree
Give every saree its own short code, for example SR-0142, and write it on a small tag. When a buyer sends a screenshot and asks “is this available?”, the code tells you which saree it is in seconds. One-off designs need a little more care, and our guide to saree inventory for one-off designs shows how.
Where to take orders
Instagram is where saree buyers browse. Post the three photos, the code, the price and how to order. Read how to sell on Instagram without a website.
WhatsApp is where buyers ask questions and confirm. Keep one list of every order with the code, address and payment status. See our guide on managing WhatsApp orders.
Your own online store
A store link lets buyers see all sarees, pick one and pay without long chats. You can have an online store without a website. If you prefer Hinglish, read apni dukan ko online kaise kare. Indi Andaz is one option: No monthly fee, 5% only on delivered online orders, payment processing included. GST applies on the fee. Indi Andaz seller website.
Taking payment safely
UPI or prepaid first
Pack the saree only after the money shows in your own bank or UPI app. A screenshot is not proof. Learn how to spot a fake UPI payment screenshot.
COD only with care
Cash on delivery brings more orders from new buyers, but parcels can come back unopened. Read COD vs prepaid for a small shop and how to reduce RTO on COD orders before you offer it on costly silk.
Packing and shipping sarees
- Fold the saree neatly along its original folds.
- Put it in a clean poly cover so rain or dust cannot reach it.
- Add the bill inside the parcel. Our guide on billing for a saree shop covers what to put on it.
- Compare courier rates on the courier’s own site before you set your delivery charge.
Getting your first orders without ads
Sellers often ask how to get their first orders without spending on ads. There is no single answer, but these steps cost only time:
- Tell your current buyers first: old customers, family groups, neighbours.
- Post every day for a few weeks, with real photos and prices.
- Make posts for festivals and the wedding season, when people shop for sarees.
- Reply fast. A slow reply often loses a buyer who was ready.
- Ask happy buyers if they will share a photo, and only post it with their permission.
FAQ
How to start selling sarees online with little money?
Start with the sarees you already have, a phone, daylight photos and an Instagram or WhatsApp account. Add a store link when orders grow. Spend on stock and packing first, not on ads.
Online saree business kaise kare?
Pehle apni sarees ki daylight mein photo lijiye, har saree ko ek code aur price dijiye, Instagram aur WhatsApp par post kijiye, aur paisa apne bank app mein aane ke baad hi parcel bhejiye.
How to sell silk sarees online?
Describe the silk type and care clearly. The Silk Mark Organisation of India says its Silk Mark label is fixed only on 100% pure silk products by its authorised users, and buyers are told to look for it when buying silk online. Only authorised users of Silk Mark can fix the label. Do not call a saree pure silk unless you are sure.
Do I need GST to sell sarees online?
It depends on your turnover and how and where you sell. A CBIC notification (No. 34/2023, Central Tax) exempts some small sellers on e-commerce operators under conditions. Ask your CA before you start.
New here? Start with our Start here page.
Sources: CBIC Notification No. 34/2023 Central Tax, 31 Jul 2023, gstcouncil.gov.in (last checked 28 Oct 2026); Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, Rule 6, consumeraffairs.nic.in (accessed 26 Oct 2026); Silk Mark Organisation of India FAQ, silkmarkindia.com (accessed 26 Oct 2026).
About the author: Pritam Nandi is the founder of Prilix Labs, the company behind Indi Andaz. He builds Indi Andaz from Ashoknagar Kalyangarh, West Bengal, to help local Indian shops sell online and bill at the counter from one place.
Indi Andaz by Prilix Labs: an online store with UPI, card and COD checkout, plus GST billing at the counter.
Prilix Labs, Ashoknagar Kalyangarh, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal 743222
Email: indiandazsocial@gmail.com
Phone: 8653001257
© 2026 Prilix Labs
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