Anybody run an internet/ecommerce biz? (internet business, sales, profit, pay)

[Nancy Lynne]

If you do, without sharing your site (no advertising! )...would you mind sharing your experience? Is it a decent way to make $ or is it just a part-time thing?

I am currently unemployed, getting desperate, and starting to research this idea very intensely. I've already learned alot, have bought a few domain names, am now looking at a host provider, etc.

Also, what do you think about the sites that are for sale on that site called something that ends with bay? (No advertising! ) Are they legit??? And...why in the heck are people asking so much for them when the profits are so little, i.e., one store is asking 45K and the profit is 2K?

Love to get feedback!

Thanks!

[Rapture]

Hi Nancy,

I manage several sites for other people and several for myself. Having an internet business is a great idea, internet sales are expected to continue to increase every year and double within the next couple years but there are a lot of things you need to know first. Unfortunately there are a lot of scams & companies out there that mislead people into thinking it's so easy or they try to sell pkgs for an internet business but don't tell you all the facts. If you are looking into anything like that I strongly suggest against it. In fact whatever company you are interested in, type the name in a search engine with words like "complaint", "rip off" or "scam" and they company will probably come up if there have been problems with them. The least expensive way to have an online business is to do everything yourself but if you don't know web design software or how search engines work it could be really tough for you. Quickest, easiest thing is to open an ebay store but if you have never sold anything on ebay, I would practice first with a couple items here & there to get to understand how it works. Also, read everything they have to offer (which is a lot) and get to know the little tricks of selling. If you don't know anything about web design, ebay etc... I would hire a web designer that you can trust but be prepared to maintain the site either yourself or through a web maintenance plan. I'm not on here soliciting business but if you want to take a look at my site I can pm it to you. It spells out different packages and gives more detail of what's involved in having a site designed for you.

Most important things:
1. sell something people want & will continue to buy, for example people that buy vitamins run out and then have to buy them again so hopefully they will come back to you.
2. have a site that's easy to navigate, don't get fancy or have crazy animations.
3. create good relationships with vendors, best thing is to use all drop shippers if you can.
4. give excellent customer service.
5. most important optimize your site, pay per click advertise or whatever you have to do to get first or second page in searches. if people can't find you they you can't sell anything.

Good luck and if you have any other questions, let me know.

[Need_affordable_home]

I too am having an internet business and am self employed. Im unemployed and cant get a job that pays enough to support myself and besides id need a $100k job in south Florida to live the life that $35k can get me the same quality of life in a place like Oil city by being self employed. In short, the costs of living is too high where theres jobs and where the costs of living is low, you need to be self employed.

[Nancy Lynne]

Thank you for your response.

Please do PM me with more info.

Thanksssss!!! Thumbs up to you again!

[kimmieyky]

Oh, Nancy - this must be the day for on-line selling!

I used too, and it was easy because the Nutritional company I partnered with took care of the basics - all I had to do was add my personal touches, etc. and the money was handled by them. Being an associate of big companies which offer this service can be a good thing - you need only come up with your own 'company name' and work your client base.

I liked it, because if you know how to work the search engines ( it can be very difficult), you can increase your traffic flow to make your site pop up higher. That is a challenge in itself.

Rapture - I have also done a little of what you are talking about. I have done web design, and still ocassionally do - I just never got off the ground enough to be able to stay home and work it. Now that I am unemployed, I am thinking of beginning again - my problem is marketing. I am not good at finding creative ways to approach people - and where I live, there do not seem to be enough people who want their own sites. I am not kidding when I say many areas around here still do not have cable/internet access.

Any suggestions in that arena? How did you market your abilities?

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

Oh, Nancy - this must be the day for on-line selling!

I used too, and it was easy because the Nutritional company I partnered with took care of the basics - all I had to do was add my personal touches, etc. and the money was handled by them. Being an associate of big companies which offer this service can be a good thing - you need only come up with your own 'company name' and work your client base.

I liked it, because if you know how to work the search engines ( it can be very difficult), you can increase your traffic flow to make your site pop up higher. That is a challenge in itself.

Rapture - I have also done a little of what you are talking about. I have done web design, and still ocassionally do - I just never got off the ground enough to be able to stay home and work it. Now that I am unemployed, I am thinking of beginning again - my problem is marketing. I am not good at finding creative ways to approach people - and where I live, there do not seem to be enough people who want their own sites. I am not kidding when I say many areas around here still do not have cable/internet access.

Any suggestions in that arena? How did you market your abilities?

Fortunately I know a lot of people and I've just been spreading the word. I also work for a company that I built four sites for and I will continue to manage after I move. I'm a very chatty person so a lot of times when I meet people it comes into coversation that I offer web services and then I give them a business card with my web address. You would be surprised how many people want a web site but don't know anyone to do it.

I guess a good way to start is to have your own personal site with the details of what you have to offer and prices. After that it depends on how much you time & money you want to put into it. Obviously if you pay for advertising that will help in the search engines. After building your own site, make business cards then I would contact local businesses, bands, electricians, contractors etc... and tell them why a web presence can benefit them and what you have to offer. The good thing is you are offering a service that can benefit their business, it's a tool that they can use to advertise fairly inexpensively. Good luck!

[kimmieyky]

Thank you for the info. I always seem to be able to come up with things for others - but when it comes to me and my work - I get stuck. I think I have a problem believing my abilities are something worth marketing.


I can look at the works, ideas of others and see so much potential and encourage them how to run with it, but it is hard to market myself! If I could just hand them my resume - I'd be set!!!

Thanks again!

Kimmiey

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

Thank you for the info. I always seem to be able to come up with things for others - but when it comes to me and my work - I get stuck. I think I have a problem believing my abilities are something worth marketing.


I can look at the works, ideas of others and see so much potential and encourage them how to run with it, but it is hard to market myself! If I could just hand them my resume - I'd be set!!!

Thanks again!

Kimmiey

The thing that I've noticed has worked for me the most when getting a job is being confident in what I have to offer. Everyone has something to offer and you sound like an intelligent person with a lot to offer. If you believe it, then they will believe it. Look at it this way when trying to get a job: you are doing them a favor, their not doing you a favor....I don't mean it in an arrogant way but if you're positive, upbeat and let them know all of your experience and good traits they will have to hire you! Just don't ever lie because that can come back to bite you in the butt!!!

[kimmieyky]

I have never looked at it like that. Well, maybe I have for a spplit second, but I guess my self-esteem knocked it down.

There is a very strange thing about my personality - I have much confidence and appear so 'together' to the outside world (this is what I have been told), so much so that people believe I have a strong personality and can handle anything. Truth is - an the inside, I am falling apart and just trying to make it one moment at a time.

The whole unemployment deal has really taken it's toll. So much of my life points to me as a failure (just a thing I feel from time to time - more frequent lately), but I know it is the negative energy around me which drags me down.

That's why I came here. This group is so wonderful - I have never 'talked' with a better bunch in my life - and I get a lift just reading around.

Your advice is pricless. I really needed it today. I am going to ingrave those thoughts on my heart.

KimmieyKY

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

I have never looked at it like that. Well, maybe I have for a spplit second, but I guess my self-esteem knocked it down.

There is a very strange thing about my personality - I have much confidence and appear so 'together' to the outside world (this is what I have been told), so much so that people believe I have a strong personality and can handle anything. Truth is - an the inside, I am falling apart and just trying to make it one moment at a time.

The whole unemployment deal has really taken it's toll. So much of my life points to me as a failure (just a thing I feel from time to time - more frequent lately), but I know it is the negative energy around me which drags me down.

That's why I came here. This group is so wonderful - I have never 'talked' with a better bunch in my life - and I get a lift just reading around.

Your advice is pricless. I really needed it today. I am going to ingrave those thoughts on my heart.

KimmieyKY

You can anything if you set your mind to it but it does make things harder when there's negative energy around.

Recently a friend was telling me about a problem she was having and I gave a little advice then she said, oh things just always work out for you. After I thought about that I realized that's what most people think about me. It's not true, things don't always just work out for me, I make them work out. Also, when I have problems I don't let it bring me down for long, not to say I never complain (mostly to my boyfriend) but life's too short.

Keep in mind this is the worst time of year to find a job (in most fields) so don't be so hard on yourself. You may have done this already but another tip is, go to the classifieds online and newspaper and just send out a blanket of resumes. Send to jobs you are interested in and some you don't care about. Even if the jobs you're not interested in call, it's good interview practice and you can say things you might not normally say (because you think you shouldn't) and you can see how it works.