A piece of cake, a bed of roses, and the answer to all your problems. Actually, no, not really at all.

So all you have to do is have something to sell, put up a website, and the money will come flowing in!?

There are all those benefits to starting a business online, why wouldn't you join the ranks of people succeeding online?

Right?





Well...hold on...now I have to rain on your little parade:

97% of online businesses fail.

Sorry.

According to Joe Stewart’s blog entry, Internet Network Marketing, most people who try to make money online will not make any money at all, aka, they will fail. In light of this, the first step in starting a successful online business is recognizing the fact that you may not succeed on your first attempt, or maybe at all, but that’s no reason not to try. Instead, you should just be more certain that you are starting out right—and not with the unrealistic expectations that many online sites and pictures propagate!

Joe explains that the problem of online business failure is a result of people expecting to get a high return for minimal work…but that’s not the case at all. Running an online business takes a lot of hard work and dedication—and you won’t make a name for yourself overnight. In fact, you may not see the results of your work for 6 months or even a year…it takes time to get noticed on the massive world of the Internet.

Joe also says that starting an online business because you NEED the money is a bad idea—

"One of the worst things you can be, when you start an internet network marketing business, is desperate. If you need that first sale as soon as possible because you need the money, it'll never come. The people that make all the sales are the ones who don't care if they get the sale or not (because they make so much money anyway)."

This is why Joe says having both a steady income (day job) and time to commit to your online selling every day is essential to online success.

In his article, The Best Internet Home Business Tip You Will Ever Discover, another online business aficionado, Michael Tasker, further emphasizes the continual work that online selling requires:

"The need to test, adjust, trial, create and continually market are challenges that need constant attention. You have to put in the effort, work hard and keep at it. Accepting this will result in a solid plan to create, build and profit from your information marketing business."

Those interested in starting online businesses need to have an understanding of the work that is involved in starting an online business and the means to accomplish the necessary work. Starting an online business should be handled like any like any other “real” entrepreneurial venture, just as if you were starting a “real” business.

With that in mind, what does it take to be an entrepreneur?

Scott Walker’s article on Entrepreneur Corner outlines three main characteristics:

1. Guts--The entrepreneur world is not for the timid. You have to have the guts to pull the trigger, to do what it takes to succeed. Most people just talk; few execute.

2. Desire--Great entrepreneurs make their venture the number one priority in their life; in short, they become obsessed.

3. Passion--Great entrepreneurs really love what they’re doing and believe they have found their calling.

Still think you have what it takes to succeed as an online seller? If you haven’t been deterred, stay tuned to hear about the ways you can start up your very own online businesses!

Welcome to our Store, err...our Site!

Among its many other features and advantages, the Internet has allowed everyday people to not only create their own space on the web, but also to gain popularity and even compete with already existing establishments. This phenomenon can be seen in many areas including music, media, art, video, various services, and selling products of all kinds. With the rise of the Internet, a family beekeeping business can compete with the nationally known Burt’s Bees products, a stay at home mom could sew dolls clothes to rival the popular American Girl outfits, or a creative college student could create and sell unique jewelry to pay her way through college! Business Link cites reaching a global audience, competing with larger businesses, and being able to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week all as elements that make success as an online seller a reality.

One of the biggest advantages to having an online store is that anyone can claim a place online for little or no money. Instead of the high costs of having to buy or rent a physical store or vending space, entrepreneur’s can launch an online business for a fraction of the cost. Elias Georgi discusses the cost factor in his article "7 Advantages Of Having An Online Home-Based Business":

"Apart from web hosting monthly payment, there is hardly any additional expense to buy or sell online. Your customers see, check, compare your/competitors’ products & order and pay online. Isn’t that great! You can either keep the benefits for yourself or pass them on to your customers. You couldn’t possibly do this in an offline business. An online home based business also incurs the lowest transaction fees compared to offline transaction fees."

Another great thing about online selling is that it can be started while the business owner is doing something else—for example, while they are in college, working a separate full time job, or managing a house full of kids. As time goes on, if the business is a success, the owner may be able to quit their day job, or when they graduate from college simply focus all of their time on managing and expanding their online business!

Another advantage of online stores is that a business owner doesn’t necessarily have to hire employees—it can easily be started independently. If the business becomes very successful, the owner may need to get help to manage it all, but for starting out all one needs is a product to sell and a bit of computer smarts to set it all up. Along with this, an entry on the Business Identification Blog points out that:

"Selling online we can save on costs of hiring local personnel, facilities, etc. Moreover, the promotion and advertising we can do on the Internet, which is much less expensive to make promotion or advertising in traditional media."

Online sellers may choose to start a business independently, but more often, sellers will create an account with an online marketplace such as Ebay or Etsy, where they can establish their name and gain credibility in the online world. Successful businesses will eventually gather loyal customers who will continue to buy from them if/when they decide to move to an external site. Many online sellers will maintain a presence on online marketplaces as well as their own external site.

This has been a brief overview of the advantages and appeal of online businesses…stay tuned for more in depth looks at some of these topics as well as so much more about the aspects of online businesses!