Is having an online business the way forward?

by Kange

Posted: 13 years ago 29 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Is having an online business the way forward?

Over the last few years many people have lost jobs and still struggling to look for work. It is a huge struggle and massive dilemma regarding bills and how to change your direction in life and make things better. Is the answer setting up an online business? Buy a domain and set up an ecommerce package and pull in the traffic? Do you think its easy to set one up?

Its a tough climate at the minute having a business whether its on the high street. industrial estate based company or online and having to pay for employees etc. Having an online business and running it solely could be the way forward? Is it just as simple as finding that great niche product, great content website and you'll make great money? Or is the market to fierce and not a great idea?

There is always competition in everything you do and competition can be healthy or very difficult. There are so many businesses online for example gift shops, sweets, clothes, furniture etc all trying to succeed and make money and living the dream of being their own boss. I myself enjoy browsing online and buying my products online from food shopping to my new summer wardrobe. do you agree? I do feel that setting up an online business can help the unemployed at the moment by building an eCommerce website and working hard with their days to sell.. If you have an online business whether you make the products yourself, great wholesaler provider or order with a drop shipping service, your audience is not just in your country but could be worldwide?This could widen your sales ROI (returns of investment)

I believe that with a great idea the world is your oyster. Agree? Obviously if you set up a cake store your really aiming for your local area to help with delivery but anything from gifts and accessories etc could be worldwide? I think eCommerce packages are great, i am a fan having used them myself. Theres so many templates available, colour schemes and easy to use start up assistant.

So, do you think its possible to start from scratch and start thinking of an idea, domain name, building eCommerce website and start advertising your services? Would you take the leap and start advertising outside your own postcode area or even your country? I believe this is a great option for those struggling to find direction and waiting to hear from companies regarding their job applications. Would you put getting a new job on hold and work hard to get an online business up and running and sto bring in monies? What would be your time-scale? I would, would you?

#business #forward #online #website

NeilC 13 years ago

Having an "Online business" can boost and support a more traditional offline business although how much effect it might have does depend on the market/niche to some extent.

Starting from scratch with a brand new idea can be very lucrative but is not always the easiest route to making your first money online if you have very little experience.

There are some big success stories out there but as with most new ideas I'd say they are usually the exceptions rather than normal, so it's perhaps better to build up some knowledge and experience first.
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GGpaul 13 years ago

It all depends. You have to have a lot of thick skin. I guarantee you that you will go through waves of motions. ESPECIALLY when the panda updates arrive. People tend to give up after all the work that they've done. It's just like any business. Treat it as one, and the reward will pay off.
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getano 13 years ago

I don't think it depends on a lot of things. Having an online business is in 99% of cases a step forward.
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mosthost 13 years ago

I'm a big fan of online business. The overhead is lower and the potential market is much bigger than offline.

That said, you have to be willing to WORK to make it these days
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Kange 13 years ago

I very much agree that the overhead is lower with an online business and with an online business your market area can potentially be anywhere? as long as goods can be delivered securely and not damaged.

To set up a business you would need your own USP so you are different from competitors or just jump on the band wagon and not worry about having an individual USP to pull in the traffic as for exmaple a gifts a gifts if it was a gift shop?

I think that having an online business if you use wholesalers and drop-shipping services your putting your reputation and business in the hands of somebody else, good or bad thing? As long as you have a good relationship with them and bring in good sales then it should all work smoothly?

thank you for your comments
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Kange 13 years ago

Would you focus on the one eCommerce online shop or if you had planned it all very well would you set up 3/4 so you have several avenues of income and businesses?
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Chips Fletcher 13 years ago

In the UK we are watching many High Street shops closing because of the overheads. You just dont get the same problem with an online store
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WebPen 13 years ago

I don't know if you can call it "forward".

Most people don't have the discipline for working online- plain and simple.

If there's no threat of a boss walking into your office/work area, theres less motivation to work- even when your house/food is on the line.

Even though lots of people are turning to IM, most still fail due to lack of discipline.
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hellow0rld

13 years ago

I recently quit my job an SEO account manager to work full time on my web hosting business. We have had moderate success over the first 2 years but slowed down after an affiliate decided he didn't want to sell hosting anymore. I've been working on the SEO for my site. I feel rather cut off so I am not even sure if I am doing it right anymore and why I've been on this site more in the past week or so. I hope it pays off, otherwise I am literally up the creek without a paddle.

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Kange

13 years ago

Originally Posted by hellow0rld

what is your plan if it doesnt pull through? After two years then i feel that you were right in leaving your job if your business track record was good but such a shame if its no longer going that way..Very brace move

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Noel Cunningham 13 years ago

I think going Online is the way forward for business. I know in my region that traditional stores are shutting down ever day cos they just can't generate enough revenue to break even...

The beauty with running an online business is that you have very low start up costs in comparison to the more traditional model. You don't necessarily need an office or a store and can get it up and running from your bedroom (like I did )

That's the way I see it anyway - Noel.
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The Copy Warriors 13 years ago

I think that doing a portion of your business online is not just "the way forward," but increasingly necessary. However, as for having an "online business," I generally prefer to avoid such strict categories. My business is both online and offline, and I like it that way. The rush to the internet has actually made certain offline tactics a lot more affordable than online ones. For example, brochure marketing is only getting cheaper while PPC advertising keeps getting more expensive.
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Exel 13 years ago

Online business has many advantages over offline business.

The setup is really simple and easy. Register a domain, buy hosting and you're in business.
Where in offline biz you'd need a bunch of papers, permits, office, material and whatnot.

Another important thing for me is that only you determine your limit. In offline business,
especially if you are an employee, you are always limited by many factors. Your wage can
increase ever so much. You can only advance so much in the company.

For me, online business not only the way forward, but definitely the only.
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PromoDirect 13 years ago

Setting up an online business is a great idea. 79.3% of the US population uses internet. Only this single stats can be enough to support the fact that internet is the biggest thing today and business opportunities are immense through online business.
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Cali16 13 years ago

Originally Posted by Kange

Would you put getting a new job on hold and work hard to get an online business up and running and sto bring in monies?

Personally, I think this would be very foolish for most people, especially for anyone who is totally new to IM. It takes a lot of time and discipline to get a profitable online business up and running. There is a lot to learn. Some have success more quickly than others, but the vast majority fail or struggle for months or even a couple years or more before achieving a full-time income.

It would be much wiser, IMO, to diligently continue the job search and set aside a few hours each evening and on the weekends to focus on the online endeavor.
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- Kange 13 years ago
  
  It would be much wiser, IMO, to diligently continue the job search and set aside a few hours each evening and on the weekends to focus on the online endeavor.[/QUOTE]
  
  I like this opinion thank you
  
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  Kange
  Love all things marketing along with travel, photography and food :)
  
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Kange 13 years ago

How long would you give your business to know its going to be a success before you send off your next job application or even leave full time employment to run your business full time? What stats would you be looking at performance wise etc and would you set up more then one business?
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KateStevensB 13 years ago

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- Kange 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by KateStevensB
  
  Why not do it online as well as offline?
  
  yes very true just with doing offline the additional fees like premises rental, bills, staff etc but if you make something then go to local events/fairs, markets etc
  
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  Kange
  Love all things marketing along with travel, photography and food :)
  
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anja98 13 years ago

In online business, the world is your audience.
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- Kange 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by anja98
  
  In online business, the world is your audience.
  
  i like this. sounds appealing and exciting
  
  Thanks
  
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  Kange
  Love all things marketing along with travel, photography and food :)
  
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Cameron Alex 13 years ago

I think an online business is the way moving forward. less overhead and more targeted audience. the only thing that stops you from making money online is.......YOU!
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Kange

13 years ago

do you think any business can work if you stick at it?

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Kange
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anja98 13 years ago

Originally Posted by Kange

do you think any business can work if you stick at it?

I believe so as long as its something that people are looking for online.
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Kael41

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Kange

do you think any business can work if you stick at it?

No. I think some businesses are built off of very bad foundation work that doesn't lend itself to be a sustainable entity over a period of time. I think very few people who START an online business understand what owning/operating/investing/reinvesting into a business actually entails.

Just look around the forums here, and traditionally you will have newbies asking for help to make $xxx by some alotted time element. The story is the same, yet different: "Lost my job, tired of working for the man, I have sick kids, etc, etc,etc", and yet everyone turns to ONLINE to make money.

We all need to start somewhere, but educating oneself on all aspects of business should be a necessity before starting out online. Just because you can get online to sell some info product that's been rehashed several million times already doesn't mean it's sustainable as a business concept nor does it invoke some idea that you'll be able to grow you're business out immediately as well.

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Kange

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Kael41

We all need to start somewhere, but educating oneself on all aspects of business should be a necessity before starting out online. Just because you can get online to sell some info product that's been rehashed several million times already doesn't mean it's sustainable as a business concept nor does it invoke some idea that you'll be able to grow you're business out immediately as well.

yes i agree with this

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Kange
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Cataclysm1987 13 years ago

Originally Posted by Kange

do you think any business can work if you stick at it?

Nope.

If this were true, anyone persistent enough would be successful and rich.

Spend 30 minutes on this forum looking at threads and you'll realize that is as far from the truth as can be.
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- Kange 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Cataclysm1987
  
  Spend 30 minutes on this forum looking at threads and you'll realize that is as far from the truth as can be.
  
  That is very true indeed. thank you
  
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  Kange
  Love all things marketing along with travel, photography and food :)
  
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mattflynn 13 years ago

The big variable is time. How long will it take to get a business going and profitable?
That is not knowable, particularly in the early stages. So, its very risky to drop other potential income streams (like a job) to gamble on an online business, imo.
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Litherland 13 years ago

I think if you have a business offline then you will benefit from having a website to go along your store so you can attract both avenues of traffic.

Me personally, if i see a shop on the street and i catch the name, i tend to search for it online to see what it has to offer. if you dont have the website then you miss out on a lot of potential sales.
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