Start a Business Online Howto 8 – List of Online Business Choices
WARNING notice: If you are an experienced person with an online business, this series is probably not for you. The purpose of this series is to take simple steps and help those who are unemployed, no jobs, at home moms, or have the desire get out of their trap and start their business.
Life is basically a big buffet. Which of course leads to indecision.
OR the options do not seem to be on the table in front of you and you try to use your brain to get it done. (better download the free mind-mapping software at http://thebrain.com/)
Now that you have inventoried yourself and considered your will power to stick with it, how about a faster, easier, simpler (& funner) way to consider what type of business you want to go into?
Before we do consider these points:
- You are unique. As Will Smith said in the movie" "The Pursuit of Happiness", ... "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something because they can't"
- Just because someone else does not have the interest or success at a business does not mean you won't.
- Anything you can sell offline can be sold online.. so whatever business you have in the "dirt world" can be in the virtual world.
OK... here it is, a list of online business option categories: Have your skill, will & goals list handy as you choose.
Antiquities Architectural & Garden Asian Antiques Books & Manuscripts Decorative Arts Ethnographic Furniture Home & Hearth Linens & Textiles (Pre-1930) Maps, Atlases & Globes Maritime Mercantile, Trades & Factories Musical Instruments (Pre-1930) Periods & Styles Primitives Restoration & Care Rugs & Carpets Science & Medicine (Pre-1930) Sewing (Pre-1930) Silver Reproduction Antiques Other More
Direct from the Artist Art from Dealers & Resellers Wholesale Lots
Baby Gear Baby Safety & Health Bathing & Grooming Car Safety Seats Diapering Feeding Keepsakes & Baby Announcements Nursery Bedding Nursery Decor Nursery Furniture Potty Training Strollers Toys for Baby
Accessories Antiquarian & Collectible Audiobooks Catalogs Children's Books Cookbooks Fiction Books Magazine Back Issues Nonfiction Books Textbooks, Education Wholesale & Bulk Lots Other
Agriculture & Forestry Businesses & Websites for Sale Construction Electrical & Test Equipment Fuel & Energy Healthcare, Lab & Life Science Industrial Supply & MRO Manufacturing & Metalworking Office Packing & Shipping Printing & Graphic Arts Restaurant & Catering Retail & Services Other
Binoculars & Telescopes Camcorders Camcorder Accessories Camera Accessories Camera Parts & Repair Darkroom & Developing Digital Cameras Film Cameras Film Flashes Lenses & Filters Lighting & Studio Equipment Manuals, Guides & Books Photo Albums, Display, Storage Photo Printers & Paper Professional Video Equipment Projection Equipment Stock Photography & Footage Tripods & Supports Vintage Movie & Photography Wholesale Lots
Cell Phones & Smartphones Bluetooth Accessories Cell Phone & PDA Accessories PDAs & Pocket PCs Phone Cards & SIM Cards Wholesale Lots Other
Costumes & Reenactment Attire Cultural & Ethnic Clothing Dancewear & Dance Shoes Infants & Toddlers Boys Girls Men's Accessories Men's Clothing Men's Shoes Uniforms Unisex Clothing, Shoes & Accs Wedding Apparel & Accessories Women's Accessories Women's Clothing Women's Handbags & Bags Women's Shoes Vintage Wholesale, Large & Small Lots
Bullion Coins: US Coins: Canada Coins: Ancient Coins: World Exonumia Paper Money: US Paper Money: World Publications & Supplies Stocks & Bonds, Scripophily Other
Advertising Animals Animation Art & Characters Arcade, Jukeboxes & Pinball Autographs Banks, Registers & Vending Barware Beads Bottles & Insulators Breweriana, Beer Casino Clocks Comics Cultures & Ethnicities Decorative Collectibles Disneyana Fantasy, Mythical & Magic Historical Memorabilia Holiday & Seasonal Kitchen & Home Knives, Swords & Blades Lamps, Lighting Linens, Fabric & Textiles Metalware Militaria Paper Pens & Writing Instruments Pez, Keychains, Promo Glasses Photographic Images Pinbacks, Bobbles, Lunchboxes Postcards Radio, Phonograph, TV, Phone Religion & Spirituality Rocks, Fossils & Minerals Science Fiction & Horror Science & Medicine (1930-Now) Sewing (1930-Now) Souvenirs & Travel Memorabilia Tobacciana Tools, Hardware & Locks Trading Cards Transportation Vanity, Perfume & Shaving Vintage, Retro, Mid-Century Wholesale Lots
Apple Computers & Components Desktop PCs Desktop & Laptop Accessories Drives & Storage Keyboards, Mice & Input Laptops & Notebooks Monitors & Projectors Networking & Communications PC Components Printers Printer Supplies & Accessories Scanners Servers Software Technology Books & Resources Vintage Computing Web Domains & Services Wholesale Lots Other
Art Supplies Beads & Jewelry Making Glass & Mosaics Handcrafted & Finished Pieces Home Arts & Crafts Kids' Crafts Multi-Purpose Craft Supplies Needlecrafts & Yarn Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts Sewing & Fabric Stamping & Embossing Other Crafts Wholesale Lots
Bear Making Supplies Bears Dolls Dollhouse Miniatures Paper Dolls Wholesale Lots
DVD, HD DVD & Blu-ray Film Laserdisc UMD VHS VHS Non-US (PAL) Other Formats Wholesale Lots
Cars & Trucks Motorcycles Other Vehicles & Trailers Boats Powersports Parts & Accessories
iPod & MP3 Players iPod & MP3 Accessories A/V Accessories & Cables Batteries & Chargers Car Electronics DVD & Home Theater Gadgets GPS Navigation Home Audio Marine Audio Portable Audio & Video Pro Audio & Stage Effects Radios: CB, Ham & Shortwave Satellite Radio Satellite & Cable TV Telephones & Pagers Televisions Vintage Electronics Wholesale Lots Other
Autographs-Original Autographs-Reprints Movie Memorabilia Music Memorabilia Television Memorabilia Theater Memorabilia Video Game Memorabilia Other
Bath & Body Coupons Dietary Supplements, Nutrition Fragrances Hair Care & Salon Health Care Makeup Massage Medical, Mobility & Disability Nail Care & Polish Natural & Homeopathic Remedies Oral Care Over-the-Counter Medicine Shaving & Hair Removal Skin Care Tanning Beds & Lamps Tattoos & Body Art Vision Care Weight Management Wholesale Lots Other
Inside the Home Tools & Home Improvement Wedding & Party Supplies Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Wholesale Lots
Children's Jewelry Designer Brands Engagement & Wedding Ethnic, Regional & Tribal Fashion Jewelry Fine Jewelry Handcrafted, Artisan Jewelry Jewelry Boxes, Cases & Display Jewelry Design & Repair Loose Beads Loose Diamonds & Gemstones Men's Jewelry Vintage & Antique Jewelry Watches Other Wholesale Lots
Accessories Cassettes CDs DVD Audio Records Super Audio CDs Other Formats Wholesale Lots
Accordion & Concertina Brass Electronic Instruments Equipment Guitar Harmonica Instruction Books, CDs & Video Percussion Piano & Organ Sheet Music & Song Books String Woodwind Wholesale Lots Other
Aquarium & Fish Bird Supplies Cat Supplies Dog Supplies Horse Supplies Reptile Supplies Small Animal Supplies Other
Glass Pottery & China
Commercial Land Manufactured Homes Residential Timeshares for Sale Other Real Estate
Advice & Instruction Artistic Services Custom Clothing & Jewelry eBay Auction Services Graphic & Logo Design Home Improvement Services Media Editing & Duplication Printing & Personalization Restoration & Repair Web & Computer Services Other Services
Golf Exercise & Fitness Indoor Games Outdoor Sports Team Sports Tennis & Racquet Sports Water Sports Winter Sports Other Wholesale Lots
Autographs-Original Autographs-Reprints Cards Fan Apparel & Souvenirs Game Used Memorabilia Manufacturer Authenticated Vintage Sports Memorabilia Wholesale Lots
United States Australia Canada Commonwealth/ British Colonial UK (Great Britain) Africa Asia Europe Latin America Middle East Publications & Supplies Topical & Specialty Worldwide
Event Tickets Experiences Other
Action Figures Beanbag Plush, Beanie Babies Building Toys Classic Toys Diecast Toy Vehicles Educational Electronic, Battery & Wind-Up Fast Food, Cereal Premiums Games Marbles Model RR, Trains Models & Kits Outdoor Toys & Structures Pretend Play, Preschool Puzzles Radio Control & Control Line Robots, Monsters & Space Toys Slot Cars Stuffed Animals Toy Soldiers Trading Card Games TV, Movie & Character Toys Vintage & Antique Toys Wholesale Lots
Airline Campground & RV Parks Car Rental Cruises Lodging Luggage Maps Rail Travel Accessories Vacation Packages Other
Accessories Games Internet Games Merchandise Systems Vintage Games Other Wholesale Lots
Adult Only Advertising Opportunities Education & Learning Funeral & Cemetery Genealogy Information Products Memberships Metaphysical Personal Security Religious Products & Supplies Reward Pts, Incentive Progs Weird Stuff Other Test Auctions
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Do you recognize the list?
It is from eBay.
They have already done the work for you and categorized, wrapped, labeled and organized the many options.
Of course they would like you to use their services to have your business but that is neither the point or the objective here.
The point is... Here is a list. Print it out.
Cross off the ones you hate. Circle the ones that your skills, knowledge and will matches. Yellow highlight the ones that you are interested in down the road.
The INTERNET is a place to DO an Online Business.
The INTERNET is a place to DO your marketing for your business.
The INTERNET is a tool for your business, not the business in and of itself.
In the end, your business can be offline or online or both. First pick your niche. (Start with the category before you look at details.)
Once you have done this... and you feel comfortable with the match, we will look again at the barriers and how to set you up for success.
If your goal is to make $50,000 per year.
How many transactions at what average profit per transaction is needed for the type of business you selected.
If you selected a business where only $1 profit is expected per transaction, then you will need to sell 50,000 per year.
Is this possible? Depends. Remember... you want to start a business that will sustain you year after year. Your business will be solid and grow vs. blow with the wind.
My methods are simple. Yep. As a guerrilla entrepreneur, relying on the research and resources of the big boys is essential. After all, what small business person has the R&D, HR, and IT departments?
NOW. Don't go start a business on eBay. Just use the list.
Don't be a stranger! Was this helpful? Or is my faster, easier, simpler (& funner) method of making a list still too much of a buffet?
Leave a comment below to let me know either way. If you like it, click on the tweet at the top! I appreciate it!
