Creating your online business: a complete guide

 Even though creating an online business saves time and money, this approach can be restrictive for some entrepreneurs.

This creation involves specific formalities which may vary depending on the legal status chosen for your company. Micro-enterprise, liability company, or joint stock company, discover on SeDomicilier all the information relating to the creation of an online business.

What are the benefits of starting an online business?

Creating your business online is an alternative that allows you to make considerable savings. As part of the creation project, you can manage the formalities yourself. However, you will need to have a certain level of knowledge and be vigilant to avoid making mistakes. You have the option of delegating the creation of your online business to a lawyer or accountant. This option can help you save time, and benefit from personalized follow-up and quality service.

Online platforms also offer support services regarding the procedures relating to the creation of an online business. These platforms can facilitate administrative tasks such as drafting statutes, publishing tax notices, and registration formalities. Creating your business online is a solution that is both less expensive, and simpler and offers the possibility of better standing out against the competition. All procedures are carried out remotely and at a lower cost.

What legal form can you choose to create your business on the Internet?

To create an online business, you must choose its legal status properly. Also called legal form, it designates the legal framework which governs the activity of the company. You must opt ​​for a legal status adapted to the needs of the company insofar as it determines its operation and its applicable social regime. Legal status also influences the rules relating to organization and decision-making within society.

In choosing the legal status, you must take into account the number of people involved in the business creation project and the type of activity. If your company's project is carried out by a single person, the business takes the form of a sole proprietorship. In this case, you can choose between the status of micro-enterprise, SASU (single-member simplified joint stock company), or EURL (single-member company with limited liability).

When the project to create an online business is carried out by several people, choose one of these legal statuses:

• SARL (limited liability company),

• SA (public limited company),

• SNC (general partnership),

• civil societies…

Depending on the nature of the activity of your future company, opt for a legal status that can offer you a simplified management method and an advantageous tax regime. At SeDomicilier.be, experts can help you choose the legal form suited to your business.

Creating an online business: what are the steps to follow?

The steps for creating an online business may vary depending on the legal form chosen by the entrepreneur. The formalities to be completed for sole proprietorships are relatively simple. The procedure for creating a self-business, for example, includes declaring the company to a one-stop shop and its domiciliation. It also includes the registration of the micro-enterprise and the subscription of professional insurance. For certain areas of activity, you must take out professional liability insurance (RC Pro). Regarding other business models, the creation procedure requires specific steps.

Drafting of the company's legal statutes

To write your legal statutes electronically, you can download a model yourself from a reliable website and then complete it. In this case, you must ensure that the model includes all the mandatory information as well as the additional clauses that must appear on the document. Online company statute models can present a certain number of risks and it is often not possible to hold the drafters of the model liable in the event of unfair clauses or disputes. This is why you must use an online service provider specializing in drafting company statutes.

If you opt for this solution, you will need to provide all the necessary information. In most cases, the entrepreneur is required to complete an online questionnaire. Depending on the type of service that the entrepreneur chooses, the legal statutes of the company can be drawn up by a lawyer or generated automatically.

Publication of a legal notice online

After validation of the legal status of the company, a  legal announcement must be drawn up and published by the entrepreneur. This stage of creating an online business involves informing the public and ensuring transparency of your company. Publication must be made in an online legal announcement journal (JAL). In the ad publication form, carefully verify all the information requested for your business.

Capital deposit for your company online and signing of legal statutes

Opening a professional account in the name of the company is necessary if the company requires share capital. The latter represents in particular the financial resources of the company and can be made up of contributions in kind or in cash. Depositing cash contributions is generally not possible in an online blocked account.

For this, it is preferable to go to a banking establishment to make the deposit of the company's share capital and obtain a certificate. The statutes of your online company must be duly signed after the deposit of the share capital. The signature can be done electronically.

Online transmission of the company registration application online

For the legal existence of the company, registration is an essential step. It allows you to have an APE code, an SIRET number, and an intra-community VAT number depending on the type of company chosen. Concerning registration, as an entrepreneur, you must create an account on the one-stop shop, complete an online form then provide the documents requested for your company. Payment of registration fees can be made by credit card.