Opening an online business?

by Franco

Hi
I would like to open an online business, I still do not know what kind but I am afraid of scams. Can you recommend some business that are legit?
What are the steps to open one?

Thanks
Franco

YOUR ANSWER

I am not able to recommend any online businesses that you can 'join' because quite frankly I do not know of any that I would trust. There may be some out there, but they are incredibly difficult to find amongst all of the white noise on the web.

If you want to avoid scams, the safest way is to develop your own information or hard goods business online. You need to remember that starting an online business is not that different from starting an offline business. You still need to develop your business idea into a work-able business model, investigate the market you are going to be competing within and develop your business identity and strategies.

One step many online entrepreneurs skip is the development of a business plan, this can be a mistake. The benefit of creating a business plan is not necessarily the glossy report that is usually the end product, the benefit is in the process. Do the research, analyze the data and make informed decisions about the form and substance of your business and you will have a far greater chance of succeeding with your new business.

For more information on all of the steps from developing a business idea to opening your doors (online or offline) check out the rest of this site starting with Business Models and begin working your way through each step.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask another question if you have any specific issues or concerns about starting a online business. Remember, the more specific the question is, the more specific the answer will be...