Saturday, September 1, 2007

Making Money Online

Its interesting how easy it is to make a few bucks selling stuff online. For example, I setup an eBay store a couple of months ago. You can check out my eBay store, (stores.ebay.ca/Bamboo6-Kids) here. I've actually been making a few sales. nothing that's going to make me quit my day job, mind you, but still reassuring and produces a bit of pocket change. What I've found though is that it takes a hell of a lot of time to setup the product and process the sale. That's what happens when you setup your store on the cheap rather than paying the professionals. But - even though its time consuming, keep in mind, its easy!

That said, a colleague of mine has done it in a much more professional, and much more structured manner. Their site, ochanga.com is beautifully done, their product is premium, and the business model is very low maintenance. Drop shipped product, virtual office, standardized imagery from the product manufacturers. Excellent.

One key difference between the two is type of committment. My colleague has willingly invested the time in preparing a strong business model, the seed capital necessary to structure their business properly, and designed an excellent storefront to showcase their wares. Much different from my simple approach of selling through eBay. If you are willing to invest the time and money, and have a good product idea, then I think the ochanga.com model is an excellent one to follow.

Depending on your tax bracket and the profitability of your business, a home based business may be an interesting side venture, considering the tax benefits that such a venture allows you to realize.

No comments: