Four Businesses to Start Online

Starting your own business online can be both challenging and rewarding. Whether you want to earn extra income or foster your entrepreneurial spirit, you can reap many benefits from creating an online business. While there will be less overhead expenses since your business is virtual, you will still need to invest lots of time and capital to start your business. There are plenty of feasible ideas if you are seeking to launch your online career, depending on your interests and skillset.

1. Sell Items Through Amazon or eBay

When many consumers consider purchasing products online, they think about searching through Amazon or eBay for a great deal or a niche item. Selling products via ecommerce sites is a convenient way to establish an online business on an international scale, since you won’t have to worry about creating a virtual storefront or figuring out how to drive traffic to your site (as Amazon and eBay are established vendors). You can also take advantage of Amazon’s delivery and storage systems, allowing them to handle packaging and distribution. If you use eBay, you can use its bidding process, which can drive up the price of your product, and you can use PayPal to handle customer payments. You should consider what products you will sell, whether you can buy products in bulk and sell them for cheaper, or if you want to resell your personal belongings. It will cost you to have a merchant account on either site, so you should still create a business plan and do research to determine how you can make a profit.

2. Sell Handmade Items Through Etsy or Your Personal Website

Similar to Amazon or eBay, Etsy is a popular site that features unique and handmade jewelry or crafts. You can purchase the supplies you need in bulk and create pieces when they are ordered, which will help minimize cost. You can also set up your own website to sell your products, which gives you freedom with design. While you may lose the customer base and trusted name that Etsy provides, having an independent domain gives you the opportunity to expand your online business and develop your own brand. Alternatively, you can sell unique products on your own website and consider creating a subscription-based service to establish a recurring customer service base. For instance, you could send seasonal gift baskets or a monthly piece of jewelry. This will encourage consumers to continue buying your products and create a steady stream of revenue for you. If you need to borrow funds for your business, having successful Amazon, eBay or Etsy accounts can increase the amount you are eligible to borrow from certain online lenders, including Kabbage.

3. Establish A Virtual Classroom

Online education is becoming increasingly more popular as people turn to trusted websites or online videos to supplement their studies. You can become an online tutor or create a subscription-based online business that provides educational tools on various topics which could include mathematics, languages, history or business. You could work with educators and bloggers to create virtual classrooms offering guides, informational videos or online textbooks for a subscription fee.

4. Become A Freelance Website Developer

If you have coding or graphic design skills, you could create your own online business of creating websites or apps for other clients and helping them establish their online presence. By creating your own website and showcasing the work you do for other businesses as well as leveraging social media, you can build a solid base of clients. Services in the technology industry are in high demand, particularly for freelancers. If you don’t have the necessary technological skills, you can take advantage of free resources, such as Codecademy, to learn coding and technical skills.

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