Learn By Helping Others
By February 22, 2014 0 Comments Read More →

Learn By Helping Others

My first big break in the world of online business occurred long before I got my first product idea. It happened the day that I hired a home repairman from an ad on Craigslist. The repairman arrived at our home in very old vehicle, and it was clear from his car and his clothing that he […]

Posted in: Your Website
Your Product Idea (2)
By February 4, 2014 0 Comments Read More →

Your Product Idea (2)

Part 2: Good Vs. Terrible Product Ideas Encouraged by the success of my first online store – and at the urging of a friend who wanted to become a partner – a couple of years later I started another web business. My friend owns a TV repair shop. He noticed that online TV parts retailers […]

Posted in: Product Ideas
Your Product Idea (3)
By January 26, 2014 0 Comments Read More →

Your Product Idea (3)

Part 3: Evaluate Your Product Idea As you plan a new business you should think seriously about whether your product idea is a good fit for you, personally. Will you be happy working nights and weekends to start up a business based on your idea? Will helping people solve this problem – for years if […]

Posted in: Product Ideas
Register Online First
By January 8, 2014 0 Comments Read More →

Register Online First

If you’re going to own a web store, you’ll need a web address (often called a “root domain“) that will appear online in visitors’ search results, or when they type the name into their browser address bar. As discussed in my article about getting the right company name, your choice of web address is critical […]

Register with Your Government
By December 30, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Register with Your Government

After you’ve registered your company name online, registering your new business with the government can seem almost stress-free. I found our county offices to be surprisingly helpful – and no wonder, since over the years we’ve sent them a lot of sales taxes collected from customers in our state. A first step is to visit […]

Set Up Your Bank Accounts
By December 21, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Set Up Your Bank Accounts

Your choice of where to set up the bank and payment card accounts for your new business could have a big impact on daily convenience. You should choose carefully, since it could become difficult to move accounts as your business grows. It’s often easiest to create separate, linked business accounts at your current bank. But […]

Set Up Your Website (1)
By December 12, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Set Up Your Website (1)

Website Basics When starting your first online store, it’s usually best to start simple and keep your costs low. It makes little sense to hire an expensive web designer – or to sign up for an eCommerce service with high monthly costs – until you’ve proven that you can sell your first products and keep […]

Set Up Your Website (2)
By December 3, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Set Up Your Website (2)

Choose How to Set Up Your Website As outlined in the previous article about Website basics, your choices to set up a website often come down to using professional web development software or a content management system (CMS). The main alternatives include: 1. Use Professional Web Development Software Over the years I’ve met brilliant designers […]

Posted in: Your Website
Website Legal Stuff
By November 24, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Website Legal Stuff

Once you’ve decided how to set up your website, it’s a good idea to follow a few basic legal rules to help keep your business trouble-free. Most of these rules are based on common sense and good ethics – and there can be big financial reasons to follow these guidelines, too. The list below is by […]

Get the Right Shopping Cart
By November 15, 2013 0 Comments Read More →

Get the Right Shopping Cart

Your shopping cart is software that allows visitors to select the items they want to purchase, calculates shipping and tax, and communicates the costs to your payment gateway so that customers are charged the correct fees. The shopping cart also provides reports to help you manage your inventory, keep your financial books, and perform other important tasks. […]

Posted in: Your Money, Your Website