Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a unique business that can operate in a physical store or exclusively online, you should learn how to open a cigar shop. Cigars are increasing in popularity with both men and women in all age groups and are more widely accepted among the non-smoking population. Cigars are rolled fermented tobacco leaves that you light like a cigarette but there are no harmful additives. Opening a cigar shop in a storefront can be quite lucrative if your location is a good one. Looking for a location far away from any other cigar and tobacco shops may not be the best idea. If there is not a cigar store in a 25 mile radius of a particular area, there’s probably a reason. Instead, consider opening your shop in the same general area of a competitor. That way, you may be able to attract some of the traffic away from other stores. Find out what types of cigars other stores in your area offer and go a different direction. Select a niche like cigars from Central America and offer a greater variety of those items. Consider dedicating an area of your shop as a lounge for customers to smoke the cigars they’ve just purchased. Install TVs and make video games and magazines available to your customers. The more relaxed your customers are, the more likely they are to purchase more cigars and to come back for the experience. You may decide, however, when looking into how to open a cigar store, that opening a virtual store online may be a better option. Other than proper storage for your stock of cigars (a large humidor or a temperature and humidity controlled room), you will just need a slick website and knowledge of cigar laws and taxes. Your state’s department of revenue will have the latest taxation schedule that will include information about how cigars are taxed. You will also need to have a way to verify each customer’s age on your website since it is illegal (in some countries) to sell cigars to persons under 18. You should include in each shipment instructions for proper care of cigars to ensure they stay fresh and don’t dry out. Other options for opening a cigar shop are to operate a kiosk on the street or in a mall or you could have numerous cigar vending machines. Regardless of whether you choose to operate your cigar shop in a storefront, online or with a kiosk, it’s important to also offer cigar accessories like cigar cutters, humidors, lighters, cases, etc. Selling cigars can be one of the most profitable business ideas out there if you choose your location carefully, advertise your website correctly and offer the best cigars and customer service.

A Day in the Life of a Cigar Shop Owner:

If you run your business in a storefront, you will start your day by making sure your inventory is properly displayed before the shop. Throughout the day you will assist customers in finding just the right cigars for their needs. If you operate online only, your hours are more flexible but you will need to check orders often and ship out cigars in a timely manner. It’s important that you continuously update your website with new items and keep in constant contact with your suppliers to ensure you have the right amount of stock and your customers won’t have to wait for their shipments to arrive.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for high quality cigars that come with excellent customer service.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Stock of cigars
• Storefront or website (or kiosk or vending machine)
• Humidor(s) or temperature/humidity controlled storage facility
• Knowledge of cigars
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Cigars are increasing in popularity among a wider age, gender and socioeconomic population.
• You can mark up the prices of your cigars and make a good profit while keeping prices competitive.
• If you operate this business online, you can make your own hours and work from home.
• If you operate this business in a storefront, you get to spend your days with fellow cigar aficionados in a fun environment.
• Your customers will come back again and again for more high quality cigars.
• As an industry insider, you have access to the best and newest items on the market.

The Bad:

• If you open a physical store, start-up costs can be steep.
• It can take some time to build up your customer base.

Resources:

• International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association
• Association of Independent Cigar Specialists
• Wikipedia on Cigars

Technorati Tags: how to open a cigar shop, how to open a cigar store, opening a cigar shop

Business Overview:

Opening your own belt buckle store is a smart way to use your entrepreneurial skills to start a lucrative and unique business. Fashionable belt buckles are a hot accessory right now and there is plenty of money to be made in this area. The secret to a successful belt buckle business is creating or purchasing a unique product. If you have a new and fresh take on a classic or trendy style, you’re more likely to attract clients. You could also consider a niche like selling buckles made out of recycled materials. Not only would this be good for the environment and make your green business eligible for tax credits, but it’s also a great marketing tool. Other than recycled materials, you may choose to make or buy your buckles with metal, rhinestones or fabric. Once you have your niche buckles all picked out, you’ll need to take photos and put them on your website. A belt buckle store is one of the best business ideas to operate online because accessories have no sizing. If you include the dimensions of each buckle, customers know before they order if it will fit their needs. In addition to buckles, you may also sell standard leather belts onto which the buckles attach. Even though you can easily operate this business from home, you will need a storage facility to house all your inventory. You’ll want to have a full stock of a wide variety of choices for your customers. When considering where to market your business, you should look for sites that also target your market. Fashion magazines (printed and online) and blogs will attract clients to your site. You’ll need to make sure your website is clean and easy to use and your products are photographed and displayed well. Carry around business cards at all times and be sure to wear your merchandise proudly. When people on the street ask you where you got that fabulous buckle, you can hand them your card. Soon your marketing efforts will pay off and you will have a successful online belt buckle store.

A Day in the Life of a Belt Buckle Store Owner:

Each day you will check your website for any new orders. You will pack up buckles and ship them to your customers. You will spend some time each day working on looking for great new designs to sell. New products need to be photographed and put on your website so you will need to keep an eye on your site so it stays current. You will also want to spend time looking for new ways to market your business. If you can get celebrities to start wearing your buckles, sales will skyrocket.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for a new and fresh belt buckle accessory.

What You Need to Start:

• Stock of belt buckles
• Website
• Storage facility
• Other items like belts for the buckles to be attached to
• Finance software

The Good:

• Demand for trendy fashion items is always high; if you keep finding new looks, you can stay on top of the trends.
• The start-up investment is relatively low.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent craftsmanship.
• You can easily run this business online and from home.
• You can make your own hours and work as much or as little as you want.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your inventory.
• You need to be patient while the word spreads about your new business.

Resources:

• National Fashion Accessories Association
• Community of Online and Multi-Channel Retailers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Textile Product and Apparel Manufacturing
• Wikipedia on Belt Buckles

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Business Overview:

Opening a lingerie store is a fun and exciting way to be your own boss while helping to boost the self-confidence of women. The lingerie industry is worth over $29 billion (USD) annually. Even with plenty of competition, if you position yourself correctly, you could earn a piece of that pie. As you learn about how to open a lingerie store, you’ll need to decide who your target market will be. Lingerie runs the gamut from conservative to risqué so the type of items you carry will have a great impact on who your customer base is. Women will buy on average two bras and five pairs of briefs a year for everyday wear. So focusing on just the “basics” will bring in a steady stream of ladies looking to buy replacement items or something new that they saw on TV. In addition to carrying standard items, you might also carry specialty items like maternity bras, larger sizes that are usually hard to find and mastectomy bras. If you’re interested in racier fashion, you can carry lacy items and nighties that are not designed for everyday wear. In either case, you have the option of purchasing a franchise to help get your business started. A franchise will come with some inventory, marketing assistance and name recognition. If you are not interested in opening and closing a physical store each day, you can easily run your store online. If you choose to go this route, you will need a robust website and a storage facility for your inventory. Considering the demand for high quality lingerie and the popularity of shopping via the Internet, opening a virtual lingerie store is one of the smartest business ideas available today. Typically, online shoppers know what sizes to order but you should include a size chart and customer service contact information on your site. If you operate a physical store, especially if you stock everyday-wear items, you should be familiar with how to measure women to see what size bra they should buy. Or you can hire a bra fitter to work in your store which would free up your time so you can concentrate on overall customer service and marketing your business. Spread the word about your lingerie boutique to area wedding shops, fashion stores and maternity shops. Online stores can advertise on websites that also target your customer base. Keep in mind, you don’t have to choose between a physical store or an online store; you can have both. This would take more work, and more staff, to maintain both the shop and the website in order to keep customer service standards high, but it will greatly increase your market share.

A Day in the Life of a Lingerie Store Owner:

If you operate a physical store, you will make sure your lingerie items are neatly displayed before opening for business. You will spend your day helping customers find the right items. At the end of the day you will record your receipts, make your bank deposit, and tidy up for the next day. If your business is online, your hours are not so rigid but you will need to check emails from customers and ensure all orders are shipped out in a timely manner.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be women (or men shopping for women) looking for lingerie items for themselves or as gifts.

What You Need to Start:

• Lingerie store business plan
• Storefront or website (or both)
• Lingerie to sell
• Storage facility if selling online
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Lingerie is a must-have for almost all women so demand will always be there.
• You can sell high quality items for top dollar.
• It’s rewarding to help customers find just what they are looking for.
• A lingerie store is a fun and exciting work environment.
• As an industry insider, you will be the first to see new trends and fashions.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your client base.
• You have to be mindful about how much of each size to keep in stock so you’re not left with a large amount of unsold items.

Resources:

• Intimate Apparel Council
• American Apparel and Footware Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Lingerie

Technorati Tags: how to open a lingerie store, lingerie store business plan, opening a lingerie store

Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a rewarding and highly lucrative online business opportunity, you should learn how to start an information product business. With an information product business, you create, market, and sell quality electronic products based on topics of information that people are looking for online. When most people go online they do so to look for information. For example, someone might go online to look for information on how to healthily lose 10 pounds in 30 days, or they might search for information on how to become more attractive to the opposite sex and get more dates. With this business idea you conduct research into the types of information people are looking for and then you create and market information products that provide the information that people want. It’s important that your products help the people reading/listening to/watching them to solve the problems that started their search to begin with. You’ll find a deep sense of satisfaction with this online business idea because you’re genuinely helping people. By providing information products to people looking to know how to become more attractive and get more dates, for example, your product will help your clients solve their relationship problems. While you may choose to create information products based on subjects that you have knowledge and expertise on, you don’t have to be an expert on the information products that you create and sell. You could interview experts on your chosen topic (over an Internet connection using special software). The fastest way to start an information product business is to research subjects people are looking for information on, and then hire a writer or expert to create a high quality information product for you. Often online information products are delivered in the form of an eBook which your customers pay to download. However, there are many other ways to deliver information products. For example you can deliver your information products via online audio or video, or via physical products such as DVDs and workbooks. One of the most attractive things about this business idea is that the cost of delivery for information products is usually very low—yet high quality information products can often sell at high prices. For example, you might create an eBook on how to lose 15 pounds in 30 days which sells at $47—yet the cost of delivery is virtually nothing as your clients simply download your eBook to their computer without any printing or shipping costs on your part. Even physical products such as DVDs and workbooks can be produced and delivered at a relatively low cost, and some information products sell for thousands of dollars. Added to this, as an information product creator you can arrange for other online marketers (affiliates) to market and sell your information products for you in exchange for a commission (typically around 50%). Once you’ve created a quality information product and have an effective system in place for selling it, you can reach a point where others do the majority of your marketing and sales for you. Top information product creators earn six or even seven figures or more annually, so starting an information product business certainly represents a very lucrative opportunity. Additionally, you can easily run this business from the comfort of your own home (or from anywhere in the world as long as you have access to the Internet) and it is possible to start your information product business at a relatively low cost. Therefore with dedication and commitment you can achieve fantastic financial success and a great deal of personal freedom by starting your own information product business.

A Day in the Life of an Information Product Business Owner:

As an information product business owner, you’ll have the luxury of choosing your own hours of work. Added to this, as a successful information product business owner you’ll be in a position where you’ll have products and sales systems in place that generate much of your income for you automatically. This is because you’ll have successful information products that are being sold for you by affiliates. You will have to be committed to continually growing your business, which is why you will periodically set about researching and creating new information products. To do this you would spend time researching what types of information people are looking for on the internet. You might assess which information products people are already buying, and consider how you might be able to compete with and improve upon the products that are currently available with your own product. Alternatively you might use search engine data, for example, to look for information that people are searching for but about which there might not be existing information products available. Once you have identified something that people are looking for information on (how to lose weight if you are diabetic, for example) you would then set about creating your product. If you are an expert on the subject, you might decide to create your information product yourself. Alternatively, you would hire someone to create it for you (for example, you would hire a freelance writer to create a quality eBook for you). Having created your product you would then set up a sales system which would allow your customers to buy your product. Usually this would consist of a sales page with a checkout allowing your customers to buy your product via credit card or PayPal payment. You could write and set up your sales page yourself, or you could hire someone else to do it for you. Having created your product and set up your sales system, you would then go about marketing your product. You would do this either by notifying affiliate marketers in niches relevant to the subject of the information product you created so that they sell your product for you (in exchange for a commission), or by setting up websites to market and sell your product on—or both. Of course, researching your product, creating it and setting up your sales system may take you more than a day (and possibly a week or more depending on the approach you take). If you decide to have someone else create the product for you, a typical day will be spent overseeing the smooth running of your business and reviewing and approving the information product ideas your subcontractors will present to you. You will also spend time networking with other information product creators and building your associations with affiliate marketers (so that you have lots of people available in related niches to sell your information products for you).

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people looking for information on specific subjects. Usually this information will help them solve a problem (such as in health, relationships, money etc.), or it may be related to something that they are very passionate about (or a combination of both).

What You Need to Start:

• An information product (such as an eBook, audio or video program, DVD, workbook, etc.)
• A website to sell your information product through
• Marketing (i.e. having affiliates to market and sell your info product for you, and/or having your own online marketing via search engines, ads, etc.)
• A business license
• Financial tracking software

The Good:

• Information product businesses can be very lucrative (top information product business owners generate six or seven figures or more annually).
• You don’t have to be an expert to create information products (you can hire experts to create your information products for you).
• You can run this business from the comfort of your own home—or from anywhere in the world as long as you have access to the Internet.
• The start-up costs for this business can be relatively low (especially if you choose to create your information products yourself).

The Bad:

• Achieving success as an information product creator won’t happen overnight—it will take time and commitment.
• Big markets for information products (such as weight loss and dating) can be competitive, so finding lucrative information product opportunities will require good research and persistence.

Resources:

• Product Development and Management Association
• Information Marketing Association
• eBook Developers Association
• Wikipedia on E-Books

Technorati Tags: start an information product business

Business Overview:

If you’re interested in learning how to start a internet business, consider focusing on a highly profitable ecommerce business. An ecommerce business is similar to a retail shop that sells goods and products. The difference is that with an ecommerce business instead of selling goods and products through a physical storefront, you sell them through a website in an online store. With this business idea, you select a niche and then create an online store to sell products in your niche. For example, you might decide to open an ecommerce store selling sports equipment, plus size women’s clothing or software . Of course, when learning how to start an internet based business, you’ll see you aren’t limited to selling certain types of products, nor are you limited to catering to only one niche market. Your ecommerce store can be small and narrowly targeted, or it can be bigger and more broad in focus. Smaller ecommerce stores will typically require smaller start-up and marketing costs and can generate around $2,000 USD or more monthly. Bigger stores will require a much larger start-up investment in terms of capital and time—but with a successful ecommerce business the financial rewards can be very high as successful ecommerce businesses can generate 6 to 7 figures or more annually. When starting an online store, in addition to the freedom you’ll have in deciding the size and focus of your ecommerce business, you’ll also have several options as to how to ship and deliver the products you sell. You can of course purchase your own inventory and ship your products yourself—though you will need a storage site and a delivery method for your stock. Alternatively, you could drop ship your products. With drop shipping, the products you sell through your ecommerce website would be processed and delivered by a supplier. Instead of attracting customers via a physical storefront, your customers will find your store via marketing through search engines, online and offline ads, and mailing lists—for example. Marketing your ecommerce store effectively will be key to its success and marketing costs will be your main expense when starting up this business. However you choose to focus and market your ecommerce business, if you have the desire and the commitment to succeed then learning how to start an ecommerce business could well lead you to success with this online business idea.

A Day in the Life of an Ecommerce Store Business Owner:

As an ecommerce store business owner, your day will begin by logging in to your website and reviewing your sales. If you decide to stock and deliver your products yourself, then you would process your orders and ensure that your orders are quickly and efficiently shipped to your customers. Obviously if you have a large ecommerce store your staff will be taking care of this piece of the business. If you drop ship your products, then you would ensure that the payments for your sales have been received and processed by your supplier and that the goods are being processed for delivery. Other typical tasks that you will likely fulfill during your work day will include looking for good marketing opportunities to increase the exposure of your ecommerce business and tracking your finances carefully.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people looking to buy specific types of products online. Specifically which types of products your customers will be looking for (sports equipment, for example) will depend on the niche or niches you decide to focus your ecommerce store on.

What You Need to Start:

• An ecommerce web site (a web site selling products, with the ability to take payments and process orders)
• An inventory and a site to store your inventory at (or a drop shipping arrangement with a supplier)
• An ecommerce business plan
• Marketing (search engine placements, online and offline advertising, mailing lists, etc.)
• A business license
• Financial tracking software

The Good:

• You have the freedom to decide which types of products to sell on your ecommerce store.
• Your ecommerce store can be as small or as big as you want it to be.
• You can run this business from the comfort of your own home.
• If you decide to drop ship your products, your supplier will process and deliver your products for you—so you won’t even need to purchase your own inventory or storage space, nor will you need to worry about delivery.
• It can be very lucrative—successful ecommerce stores can generate six to seven figures annually.

The Bad:

• You will need to research and market your ecommerce store well and provide excellent customer service so that you stand out against bigger, well-established competitors.
• It can take time to build up consistent traffic to your ecommerce site—so it may take a while for you to see good profits.

Resources:

• American Ecommerce Association
• eCommerce Merchants Trade Association
• eCommerce Benchmarking Association
• Wikipedia on Electronic Commerce

Technorati Tags: ecommerce business plan, how to start a internet business, how to start an ecommerce business, how to start an internet based business, starting an online store

Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a lucrative and unique business consider opening a leather shop. For some aspiring entrepreneurs, opening a boutique business is appealing, but they want to be able to cater to male as well as female customers, which is why a leather shop is the end to their search for the perfect business. If a leather retail business sounds like something you’d be interested in, you should know that you can, of course, have a physical store but you can also completely run your shop online. You also could combine the best of both worlds and have both a storefront and an online store as well. It’s a truly flexible business idea. There are many advantages to having a storefront for your goods. Customers can see and touch your merchandise; they can also try on clothing items before purchasing them. However, many consumers today want to shop and buy online and take advantage of excellent online customer service when it comes to questions and returns. However, when you’re just starting out, you might want to focus on one or the other until you have more time and manpower to help handle the demand. Next you must decide what type of merchandise you will offer. The world of leather goods includes everything from clothing items (jackets, boots, pants, belts) to office supplies and accessories (portfolios, journals, desk pads, briefcases), to fashion accessories (handbags, wallets, luggage). If you run an online-only business you will need to either have a climate-controlled warehouse for your goods or to set up all your items so that they will be drop-shipped and you won’t need to actually carry any inventory. Finally, once you’ve decided on a storefront or website and selected what merchandise you will carry, you’ll need to market your business. The type of store you have will determine where and how you advertise. If you have a storefront, you should advertise locally in newspapers, magazines and local online publications. If you decide to run with this as an online business idea, you should advertise on websites catering to your target market whether that be motorcycle enthusiasts, those looking for office supplies or individuals in the market for luggage and accessories. The good news for this business is there will always be a demand for leather goods. And the variety of items you can offer is virtually limitless. It’s the perfect opportunity to start your own business and help individuals find high quality leather pieces to enjoy.

A Day in the Life of an Online Leather Shop Owner:

If you operate your leather shop exclusively online, you will begin your day by checking any new orders. You will check your inventory for these items and arrange shipment. You will need to answer any customer questions regarding sizes, returns, exchanges, etc. via email or phone. You will discuss new items with manufacturers and distributors and arrange for delivery to your home office. You will need to keep a close eye on your inventory to ensure your stock keeps up with your orders. If you have a storefront, you will begin your day by checking to see everything is displayed and priced properly before opening for business. You will likely have a staff to help you so you will need to let them know about any new merchandise that has arrived and how you would like it priced and displayed. You will spend your day helping customers find just the right item for their needs. At the end of the day you will close your store and assist your staff in readying it for the next business day. Whether you have a physical store or an online store, you will need to tally the day’s sales and take a look at your bottom line.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for high quality leather items. These items could include clothing, accessories or office supplies.

What You Need to Start:

• Storefront or website
• Merchandise
• Storage space
• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Staff (for physical store)
• Computer with high-speed Internet access and financial software

The Good:

• Leather goods are always in high demand.
• The mark-up on leather goods is high which means a hefty profit.
• You will be aware of all the latest trends in leather goods.
• You are likely to get repeat business if you offer excellent customer service.
• Operating this as an online business gives you the flexibility to work from home.

The Bad:

• The startup cost for this type of business is high so it could take some time to turn a profit.
• You have to keep a close eye on your inventory so you don’t have too much costly merchandise just sitting in storage.

Resources:

• United States Hide, Skin and Leather Association
• Leather Association
• Leather Industries of America
• Leather Apparel Association
• Wikipedia on Leather

Technorati Tags: opening a leather shop

Business Overview:

If you’re an insurance agent and you’re ready to take your expertise to the next level, consider learning how to start an insurance agency online. Starting an independent insurance agency online can expand your customer base exponentially and can give you the edge you need over other agents. For this business idea to be successful, there are a few items you will need to get in order before you venture out onto the internet. For one thing, you will need to have a solid business plan in place to help you pinpoint who you’re seeking as customers, what specific insurance services you will provide, and what prices and packages you can provide to your clients. Of course you will need to determine how you’ll go about setting up your website and which service provider you will choose. For this you might consider using a company that offers simple templates that you do yourself or you might even consider hiring a company to create and run your site for you, depending on your startup budget. You’ll also want to learn the basics of marketing and advertising on the web so you can drive up your business. Once you’ve gotten these things under your belt, starting an insurance agency online can be your ticket to career freedom.  With this online business idea, you can work from home and set your own hours. Additionally, you can easily scale your business model so that you have other agents working for you and with you to expand your market. From there, as with any insurance agency, the level of customer service your company provides will determine how successful your business will be.

A Day in the Life of an Online Insurance Agency Business Owner:

Once you’re up and running online, your typical day will be much like a typical insurance agent’s day—except that you might still be sitting in your home office in your favorite chair. You will need to process policies and answer clients’ questions, maintain your expertise in your specialty areas, and look for new clients for your business. If you have agents working for you, you might need to meet and discuss any policy changes or industry news that could affect your business. If you’re maintaining your own website, you will want to ensure everything is working properly and all links are active or if you have a service provider doing it for you, you will want to keep in contact with them.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be web-savvy individuals looking for the type of coverage your company provides. They may be looking for a good deal or they might like a provider who can tackle most of their policy work via computer.

What You Need to Start:

• A general ability to navigate the internet
• A detailed business plan
• A website of your own
• An online advertising plan
• Agents to work for you (if desired)

The Good:

• You can work from home and set your own hours.
• You can tailor your business to fit the area of insurance you prefer.
• The business can be highly profitable as your customer base grows.
• You get all the perks of being a small business owner.

The Bad:

• Getting enough work initially may require a bit of effort until your marketing plan kicks in and your customers come rolling in.
• If you don’t have technical web skills, you will need to hire someone to initially build your website and then teach you to maintain it.

Resources:

• National Association of Professional Insurance Agents
• Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Insurance Agencies and Brokerages Industry
• Wikipedia on Insurance

Technorati Tags: how to start an insurance agency online, starting an independent insurance agency online, starting an insurance agency online

Business Overview:

If cars are your thing, you might be surprised to learn that the eBay car business is thriving and is a very lucrative way to start your own online company. Unlike a local car dealership, the eBay used car business gives you access to customers nationwide and at all hours of the day and night. It has been estimated that a vehicle listed on eBay takes fewer than seven days to sell—it could be much sooner than that when you have solid cars to sell and your profits could easily be doubled. There’s really no limit to how many cars you turn over for profit with this business idea. In fact, selling cars on eBay is fairly easy once you have all the necessary permits and paperwork in place. For one thing, you must have a dealer license in your state in order to sell multiple cars for profit on eBay Motors. You may also need a business license to sell cars in your state, and you’ll definitely want to have a foolproof business plan in place before you begin. Perhaps the best part of selling cars on eBay is just how profitable—and scalable—the business can be. You can sell a car per month or per week, depending on your inventory and your ability to invest in cars to sell. Speaking of cars to sell, it will be imperative that you find a wholesale car dealer that offers solid cars in your price range. With good cars and lots of photos, you can translate this online business idea into well over six-figures in no time.

A Day in the Life of an eBay Car Business Owner:

As an owner of an online car business, you will want to ensure your sales page on eBay is easy to navigate, flashy enough to lure in customers, and loaded with information and photos of your inventory, so keeping up with your site and keeping it updated will be of paramount importance. You will also have to maintain your inventory—deciding how many cars you want to sell and keeping them prepared for sale will be a daily task. As always, keeping track of your finances daily will be important to the success of your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be varied but they will all have one thing in common: They will all be willing to use the internet to find a good deal on a car. It’s up to your company to provide them with the car they want and the customer service that makes the experience a positive one.

What You Need to Start:

• A sales page on eBay
• A digital camera
• An inventory of cars to sell
• A dealer license
• A business license (if required in your area)

The Good:

• Your profits can be quite high.
• It’s an enjoyable business if you like cars.
• You can reach customers far beyond your immediate area.
• The business can be as small or as large as you desire.

The Bad:

• A thriving online marketplace, while good for your business, means that you’ll have lots of competition. Providing good products and good customer service will drive your company to the top.
• You really need to do your homework so that you know the real value of any cars you are buying and selling.

Resources:

• National Independent Automobile Dealers Association
• National Automobile Dealers Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Automobile Dealers
• Wikipedia on Used Cars

Technorati Tags: eBay car business, eBay used car business, selling cars on eBay

Business Overview:

If you like antiques and collectibles and you’re looking for an online venture, consider learning how to start an eBay business selling these profitable items. To start your own eBay business in this genre, you will want to garner some unique products to begin your inventory. You may already have a collection that you’d like to sell or you may be scouting local thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales to add to your collectibles. If this is the case, you will have to do a bit of research to determine the best price to list your products at when selling antiques on eBay. Looking online to see what similar items have sold for is a good place to begin. However, if you are looking to start an eBay home based business with no investment and no real knowledge of antiques, consider the business idea of selling antiques and collectibles via consignment. In other words, the way this online business idea works is people give you their items to sell and name the price they would like to get for them, and you do the selling online. When an item sells, you take a percentage of the sale. This is a great way to start this business idea quickly and simply—you’ll just have to seek out clients looking to sell their antiques and collectibles and make them an offer they can’t refuse.

A Day in the Life of an eBay Antiques and Collectibles Business Owner:

If you will be maintaining your own inventory for sale, you will want to begin each day with a review of your stock to determine what you have to sell and what you would like to add to your collection—jotting a list of “wants” will help you during your next scouting mission. If you’ll be selling on consignment, you will have to advertise your business service to keep your business going and garner items to sell for your clients. Next, you will want to log on and see if any of your products have sold and get those items shipped in a timely fashion. Finally, maintaining your seller’s site on eBay, and keeping up with your inventory and your finances will be daily tasks that will keep your business thriving.

About Your Customers:

Customers who buy antiques and collectibles online might be serious collectors or just hobbyists. You might also have customers buying gifts for loved ones or even first-time buyers looking to start a collection.

What You Need to Start:

• A collection of antiques and collectibles, either your own or those you’ll sell on consignment
• Advertising if you need consignment clients
• A selling site on eBay
• A digital camera to take photos of your inventory
• Financial-tracking software
• Shipping materials

The Good:

• If you like these types of products, you can really enjoy owning this business.
• You can discover some highly profitable items.
• Once you learn where to find your inventory, this can be a lucrative business.
• While you run this business from the comfort of your home, you still have the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals.

The Bad:

• Initially, collecting your inventory and learning the business can take some time.
• There is quite a bit of competition in this business, so you need to know proper pricing for buying and selling your antiques and collectibles.

Resources:

• Antique Dealers’ Association of America
• National Antique and Art Dealers Association
• Wikipedia on Antiques
• Wikipedia on Collectibles

Technorati Tags: eBay home based business, how to start an ebay business, selling antiques on eBay, start your own eBay business

Business Overview:

If you think playing video games is a blast, think about having the freedom to play any time: Owning an online video game store business can make that happen. The market for video games continues to grow, and with the advent of higher-tech games and consoles, the genre is reaching more and more players every year. Getting into the video game store business can be your ticket to doing something you love while earning good money for it. The best part is how simple this business idea really can be, though with so many companies selling games you will definitely want to have a solid video game store business plan mapped out before you invest your money. Your business plan should include how you will sell your merchandise—on your own website, on a site like eBay, or on both. You should also seriously consider where you will purchase your stock from as there are many wholesale suppliers and drop shippers out there. You should have a price plan in mind and a fair policy for returns. Most of all, you have to sell great games and products, but that’s the easy part. From there you can decide how much of the business you want to run, how much runs itself, and whether you want to hire employees and take your business to the next level. No matter how you play it, this online business idea can be as exciting as the games you sell.

A Day in the Life of an Online Video Game Store Business Owner:

An online business will require you to log on daily to keep up with your business. The first thing you will want to do is take care of any new orders that have been placed since the previous day. If you’re using a drop shipper, you’ll have to ensure they are trustworthy and get your orders shipped quickly. You will then want to scan your inventory to see if you need to place an order or take care of any issues. You will also want to decide if you’ll be adding any new products to your inventory—being on the cutting edge in the video game business is crucial to keeping your customers happy. Finally, you will want to track your finances and, if you’re following a solid business plan, watch your profits grow.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be gamers looking to purchase a new game at a competitive price. They will want access to the newest games in a variety of console formats and they will want fast shipping. You might also get customers who are buying games as gifts for others. If a serious gamer is pleased with your online video game store, you can be sure when the next new thing hits the market they will buy from you, which is why it’s key that you maintain exceptional customer service.

What You Need to Start:

• A computer and a high-speed internet connection
• A seller’s page on a website like eBay or your own website
• Access to a trustworthy wholesaler and drop shipper
• Finance and sales-tracking software

The Good:

• If you love playing video games, this is a great business for you.
• Profits can be very good if the business is well-run.
• Initial investment can be minimal.
• You can operate a small business part-time or build your video game business to include employees.
• You never have to leave your house.

The Bad:

• You’ll be competing with the major retailers and with other online video game stores.
• When you expand your business and hire employees, oversight can be difficult because they will likely be working out of their own homes.

Resources:

• Entertainment Software Association
• National Video Game Association
• International Video Gamers Association
• Wikipedia on the Video Game Industry

Technorati Tags: online video game store, video game store business, video game store business plan