Off line businesses are joining the digital age by creating their websites but there is a tendency to just creating online businesses. Traditional start ups decide to have only an online presence such as www.asos.com which has been a great success as a global company set up in the UK.

Any business can be started online, thus by passing the offline presence.

One of the major advantages of an online business is the low start up cost but that does not mean that we should go into it without researching and looking at all the possibilities. The reasons might be because due to the recession we cannot find work and/or we would like a second income.

What type of business can you start online?

Most businesses start from what the entrepreneur enjoys most. These things include football/soccer, child care, alternative medicine, sewing, counselling others, fixing computers, playing golf. It might also start by you writing your own “How to Guide”.

Hobbies, interests and special knowledge should be the starting point for your online business. If you enjoy the products or service you are providing it makes it a lot easier to cope with the time and effort that is needed to be successful.

Broadly the business online can be divided into:

Sites that sell goods and services: such as accountancy, bookkeeping, antiques, collectibles, new goods such as clothes, domestic appliances, computers, well almost anything. You can also sell second hand items such as designer clothes. You can use auction sites for starting and driving traffic to your website. This is the more traditional model in online businesses such as the retailing. The site owner makes money by buying and selling products or by selling services.

Sites that provide information: There are sites that provide information, normally free to users and their income is generated by businesses paying the website owner to advertise related products and services.

The major advantage of an online business is that it is open 24/7 and 365 days a year. You can set the business to sell while you are at your full time job for example and print orders and prepare them for posting in the evening.

You don’t need to have an office or a big space, but a room or a table at home. You will profit directly from any effort and dedication afforded to the business.

Hasta la vista …..