Your Questions About Business Online Services

Jere answers:

If you’re planning to create an online business selling products or a service, you will need to formally register your business with the state or government and pay your business taxes as everyone else does (depending on your total income). Of course you can do it, anyone can do it.

If you need money to go to school, apply for government loans and bursaries and grants (government will grant you low-income families grant and possibly a millennium grant with textbook grants yearly if you are eligible).

I honestly think it is better if you try to find some work, or get paid by your parents to look after the children. Possibly have your own babysitting business and just look after the neighbour’s kids and your family kids after school while the parents are away and working.

Since you’re only 16, you probably don’t know much about business, marketing, and how management of your business works. Read a few books on it if you are serious, otherwise you may make as low as nothing to some income a year if you “Wing” it. But business is sometimes simple, I do this for you at this price providing that you have something in demand to clients.

What I do suggest is creating a certain hobby that you can master and technically provide your skills to others for a price, such as editing documentations, powerpoint presentations (professionally), art, graphic design services, commissions, tutoring, teaching English to immigrants and newcomers, etc.

If you need money and you say that you want to move out, I would reconsider that since it sounds like you have no access to any source of funds for school. Until you are financially stable or financially compensated, go for it.

Jere answers:

Although there are millions of scams out there, there is nothing “illegitimate” about selling products, yours or others, online. The looks like they are selling legitimate products in a legitimate manner. HOWEVER, this site promotes selling your own designs on their clothes. This is suited for someone who is interested in designing. Basically, you set up a store that sells their products with your design which you upload. Here’s the deal though: If someone orders the product, they produce it with your design with their technology – which you will no doubt have to pay for. So you have to examine the cost of that.

When selling anything online you want to pay attention to web traffic and search engine optimization. There are billions of websites and millions of searches every day. Competition is stiff.

If you are an artsy person and are interested in this cafe press thing, I would seriousy examine all costs and read every single link on their website. Get exact numbers. It says you get a percentage of sales. How much is that?

Personally, I think starting a website with an online business is a great idea..and someday I’ll get around to finishing the one I started last year…ya right…

The most important thing about your website will be driving traffic to the website so people know it’s there and buy your stuff. You can have a great product, but if nobody sees it nobody will buy it. Learn about search engine optimization and study how to build web traffic to your website.

Find a few different websites and compare them first before diving into anything.

Take a look at this comparing cafe press to others;

http://www.podentrepreneur.com/2008/02/11/print-on-demand-review-part-two-cafepress-zazzle-spreadshirt/

I don’t know if this link will work for you but here’s some websites that visitors (which by the way have gone slightly down over the last year) visit along with cafe press:

http://trends.google.com/websites?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cafepress.com&geo=all&date=ytd&sort=0

Although it’s always good to search for reviews on the company you’re researching, remember that people saying good things might be involved with the company’s affiliate program and therefore have financial interest in promoting the company. Additionally, many company’s pay people to write positive reviews about their website. So be cautious.

Http://www.epinions.com/Cafepress_com_Online_Stores_and_Services/sec_~opinion_list/display_~reviews/pp_~1/pa_~1#list

There’s a list of reviews from people. You will note all the “rave” reviews are from store owners or “popular authors” and I bet many are affiliates. Make sure you click “view all” reviews and you’ll find the ones from regular customers – who were generally displeased with service and quality – something YOU need to be concerned about if you want repeat sales.

I’m not thrilled with this website, but it does give a nice explanation of cafe press:
http://whereisthatmoney.blogspot.com/2007/12/sell-on-cafepresscom-thomas-does.html

Anyhow, do your research, look into other options. Make sure you find out your base cost, production cost, product costs – apparently cafe press lets you put your own price on it..so if it costs 10 dollars for them to produce it you can choose to sell it for 15 or 20 dollars..whatever you think people will pay. Then you get the difference between the base cost and what you charge.

Anyhow, I can’t say it’s a rip-off site. You won’t make millions – but it might be a way to get a dabble in an online business without getting hurt and learn your lessons and use what you’ve learned on a website that will make you more money!

I’d be concerned about reviews about poor products though..so look around and see what’s out there…

And don’t forget you can always make your own website (from a template) and provide related content – then put affiliate ads on the website from different products – so you’ll get a little commission from differnet websites – again you really need to look into the legitimate ones. Spend time researching.

Good luck to you!

Jere answers:

The best way to earn money working online is to do affiliate marketing. This is where you sell goods from other merchants straight to consumers and make a commission. There a great number of affiliate marketing networks that you can join. They will provide you with merchants and their products that you could sell. You don’t even need a website (but this would be the best way of doing it). You could send links to your friends and family. You can add links in most forums in your signature line. Don’t spam as people will not tolerate this. For more information on affiliate marketing … Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiliate_marketing

Also here is a list of reputable affiliate networks that you can join to make money online. Best part, you could sign up free and start making money today…

Cafepress (You can design or sell t-shirts and other goods)
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/storeref.aspx?pid=948741&cjpid=2111530&xid=948741&tid=dgshop&refby=mycart

Azoogle (affiliate network for goods and services)
http://www.azoogleads.com/corp/publishers/apply.php?i=19913

ShareaSale (affiliate network for goods and services)
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=44&u=207949&m=47

ClickBank (affiliate network mostly electronic media)
http://techweb.reseller.hop.clickbank.net

Copeac (affiliate network for goods and services)
http://affiliates.copeac.com/signup/2858

LinkShare (affiliate network for goods and services)
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VAF/co98pmk&offerid=7097.10000024&type=3&subid=0

All Posters (affiliate network mostly selling posters)
http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?ParentAccount=F1578735648

You could pretty much sell anything under the sun. Just do a Yahoo search for “affiliate program”. And you will find a great number of merchants who will be happy to sell goods and services for them.

If you plan on setting up simple websites or even blogs to get started, I highly recommend…
HostGator (low monthly cost and unlimited sites)
http://secure.hostgator.com/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=funnyjawbone

The best way to start is to come up with a niche (or theme) that you’re passionate about. So for example, if you’re into automobiles, why not setup a blog about cars or be even more specific just on Honda Accords. Put affiliate offers related to cars or Honda Accords (basically ads) on the sides for your readers to buy from you. Do enough of these type of mini niche sites, and you’ll have checks coming in – in no time.

Remember don’t spam. Always provide useful and valuable content to your user. And they will thank you by making purchases through your site. And it becomes a win-win situation.

Low risk. Low investment. Potential high gains. Give it a shot. Good luck.

Jere answers:

This is Indian based outsource business research company. We provides

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Jere answers:

Bankofamerica has a great service for online business.