The dream of starting an online business continues to mobilize thousands of Brazilians seeking financial independence. But the reality of e-commerce demands more than good intentions. A survey by Loja Integrada, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the country, reveals that the biggest challenge isn't technology, but rather the journey of those trying to sell online without prior knowledge, strategy, or support.
The survey analyzed the behavior of 505 active retailers on the platform and gathered more than 1.150 responses to 45 questions posed to budding entrepreneurs. The data, cross-referenced with internal indicators, covers the period from January to April 2025. The analysis shows that 61% of retailers start without knowing what they will sell, and 33% expect immediate returns, even without prior experience or a minimum operating structure.
Despite the significant growth in the number of stores opened, the study reveals that only a small portion of retailers manage to make sales in the first month. In April 2025, for example, of the 7.800 stores created, only 123 registered at least one sale. This data, however, is not linked to the platform's performance, but rather to the structural difficulties faced by entrepreneurs who start without guidance, strategy, or clarity about their business model. This reality is not exclusive to Brazil: a study cited by the Huffington Post and Marketing Signals shows that 90% of e-commerce businesses worldwide close within 120 days of launching, mainly due to a lack of preparation and strategic positioning.
To Lucas Bacic, CEO of Loja Integrada, people come to the platform motivated by a dream—the dream of owning their own business—but they encounter technical and emotional barriers right from the start. "Without guidance, many retailers get lost in their initial decisions and give up before even successfully launching their store or making their first sale," he says.
Why don't stores sell them?
Among the main obstacles faced by those starting out in e-commerce are product marketing (40,2%), store structure (32,5%), pricing (16%), and technical configuration (7,3%). Despite their interest in learning, most retailers still rely on free and easily accessible content, such as social media (49,7%), online videos (22,4%), and Google searches (18,6%), while only 1,9% invest in paid courses. This data reveals a gap between the volume of information available and the actual ability to apply this knowledge in practice.
The portrait depicts a beginner audience, emotionally motivated, but still entering e-commerce with no clear understanding of what to sell, no operational structure, and unrealistic expectations about results. This misalignment between expectations and preparation helps explain the high abandonment rate in the first few months.
"Our goal is to offer smarter support from the very beginning of the journey, so entrepreneurs can focus on what only they can do: create, sell, and serve," says Bacic.
Currently, Loja Integrada has 2,7 million stores created in Brazil, but only 24 are active. This figure highlights the enormity of the challenge of maintaining a consistent and sustainable digital business over time.
