subject: Affordable Online Business: Five Things You Need To Know [print this page] An affordable online business is the dream of every Internet marketer and home-based entrepreneur. It can be pretty easy, thanks to today's technology. Just a few years ago, you would have needed a few thousand dollars for shopping cart software, another few thousand for web design, and don't even get me started on proper search engine optimization.
Today, anyone with basic computer knowledge and a little patience can start their own affordable online business. It's easy enough that many people start online business ventures in their spare time, something they do in the evening and on weekends. They can sell downloadable items, like ebooks, or even actual products, which are fulfilled and mailed by different services like Amazon.com
Here are the five things you'll need to start your own affordable online business.
Domain name: Your domain name is an important part of your affordable online business. And you can find an inexpensive source for domain names at places like GoDaddy.com or Hostmonster.com for as little as $9.95 per year. You can also do a quick Google search for "GoDaddy Promo Codes" to find 10 - 30% discounts on your domains. These hosting companies are a great place to find affordable online business resources.
Server space: You'll need somewhere to store your catalog and shopping cart software. A third-party server can have a monthly fee, depending on the provider, the size of your server, and the bandwidth you need probably the highest price item in your affordable online business. You can also set up a free account on ebay or Amazon. These services are free to set up, and you only pay when you post or sell an item.
Shopping cart software: I remember the days when shopping cart software was big, bulky, expensive, and really scary. Not anymore. Now there are free solutions available, especially on places like GoDaddy's ecommerce solutions. Amazon and ebay also have their own shopping cart system, making your affordable online business even more affordable. Some of these shopping cart packages also have merchant accounts, but if you decide to go with another solution for your affordable online business, then you'll need to find a separate way to process credit card payments.
Merchant account: Of course, you'll need an easy way for people to pay you. PayPal is one of the easiest solutions to set up. It is one of the most accepted ways for an online business to process payments. It is easy to set up (just sign up and follow the instructions), and convenient (you can even plug it into your bank account). You can also use Google Checkout as part of your overall Google/Gmail account. To which we also recommend.
Google account: We love Google. We use their email accounts, analytics, document sharing, and Picasa photo sharing site. We have posters of Google on our bedroom walls, and we eat Google cereal as part of this balanced breakfast. Basically, Google makes it so easy to be a part of the online world without costing you a single cent. It can be a big part of your affordable online business plan. Use Gmail to receive ordering information and to answer sales questions. Use Analytics to monitor your web traffic and see where your problem and success areas lie. Use the spreadsheet function in Google Docs to track your profits. And then post photos of you in your fancy new car on Picasa: All for free.
There are many more tools that are necessary for running your affordable online business. These are just the five you'll need to start it up and get it running. As you do more research and learning, you'll find new resources and tools that can help you continue to grow your online business venture and help it succeed.
by: MarkKemp
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