Before Finalizing Your Home Business Idea
Working from home is an option for people who cannot work regular eight hour working shifts, cannot tolerate the lack of creative control over their own work, and find working from home a whole lost easier and convenient. Most of the times people who are very passionate about a particular thing or have a hobby that is close to their heart. Turning your hobby into your profession can be the simplest route to staring your very own home business. However you cannot just turn any hobby into a profession, you need to make sure how to turn that hobby into a viable business idea and tap a particular market segment with it.
Before finalizing your home business idea ensure you have studied and analyzed the idea carefully. It is advisable to carry out a SWOT analysis, which emphasizes on analyzing the home business idea under four categories namely, strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. It is better to evaluate your self, using this analysis technique so that you get a chance to optimally utilize your strength, overcome the weakness, utilize the opportunities and eliminate the threats for your home business idea.
Make sure you have studied the market for your business and have a well-planned business strategy to make your home business idea successful. Make sure you have studied the economics of the business and have sufficient funds to get you started. Do not take hasty decisions and rush into any business without proper planning. It is also advised to start your business on a relatively smaller scale and keep on expanding as you succeed; this reduces the risks of sudden and huge loss in a home business which can occur if you make a hefty initial investment.
In case you decide to freelance your services, make sure you have a valid and credible person to whom you are providing your services. In case you are planning to start a home business that will require lot of space, make sure you have a spare room in your house which you can turn into your home office instead of turning your entire home into a messy workstation. Last but not the least of your concerns, make sure that before starting a home business you have a complete idea of the financial, emotional as well as physical inputs that will be required out of you. Ask yourself whether you are really ready for it.
Interesting Home Business Ideas
Freelancing: Freelancing is working independently on contract basis be it any profession, writing, photography, designing, decorating or even event management. Freelancing gives you the satisfaction of working without bothering you with the time constraints so that you can work from home, on your own, at your own convenience and get paid for it as and when you accomplish assignments. There are a lot of freelancing opportunities available over the net as well. Freelancing has become a preferred mode of working due to the freedom it offers.
Cooking/Baking: People who love cooking can make a lot of profit by starting their very own catering business. Taking up contracts for cookies, appetizers, or whole meals, take-away is a wonderful idea to pursue the passion for cooking and also earn profits out of it. Catering for birthday parties, weddings and other special occasions can be a great idea. Also thinking on the lines of ‘dabbawallahs’ of India who provide nutritious meals to a majority of the working population, starting a regular food service for students / working people who cannot manage to cook everyday might be a great idea since you can offer healthy home cooked meals as an option to eating out everyday. This home based business can be a fulfilling experience if you are really passionate about the art of cooking and are ready to turn your home kitchen into your workstation!
Arts and Crafts: In case you love spending hours in arts and craft then turning your hobby into a full time home based business might not be a distant idea. Manufacturing customized arts and craft kits might be a great idea for a home-based business. Also think about manufacturing decorative craft accessories like origami kits, coloring books, might be a great idea.
Scrapbooking Business: Fast paced lifestyles often rob people of spending time to cherish and express gratitude for the wonderful memories in their lives. If you just love decorating and scrap booking, then taking assignments from people to create their very own memorabilia might be a truly rewarding home business idea. Using photographs, and other trinkets and snippets to create beautiful scrapbooks that you will enjoy creating and others will enjoy cherishing.
Event Planning: Being a party-planner, party decorator or a wedding planner can be a whole lot fun but also requires a lot of effort. If you have exceptional management and planning abilities with the right amount of creative outlook and the ability to understand a client’s needs, then this is the perfect home business idea for you. Planning birthday parties, weddings and other special events will require a lot of time, presence of mind, as well as the ability to handle the creative as well as financial aspects of the events assigned to you. Good communication skills are also a prerequisite for this home business idea, which you can pursue on contract basis.
There are just some of the home business ideas that you can use. There are many more options that you can choose from staring from financial consultancy, real estate, beautician, tarot reading, cleaning agency, event planning, commercial artist, computer training, music or arts teacher, cartooning, cooking classes, cay care center, employment agency, marriage bureau, dating service, nutritional counseling and so on. The choices are abundant, all you need to do is to find the perfect idea that suits your inclination, gives you a sense of creative satisfaction, and earns you sufficient profits.
By Uttara Manohar for buzzle.com
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Friday, April 04, 2008
Guide to Successful Ecommerce Fulfillment
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Highlights the key concerns a business owner should address in order to hire the right fulfillment company
In the past decade the internet has allowed the marketplace to flourish…virtually! E-commerce companies are launching all over the web. The sound of the bell when a customer walks in has been replaced with the click of a mouse thousands of miles away. With millions of patrons in cyber space, shipping has become a rather large component to any successful e-commerce venture.
Some companies have their own warehouse and staff while others ship from their very own home. However, many companies have been increasingly outsourcing their order fulfillment in order to cut costs, alleviate the hassles and to allow more time to focus on marketing, management and growth.
A high-quality fulfillment company organizes, manages, warehouses and ships your inventory in a cost effective and reliable manner. But in order to successfully partner with a company and actually cut your shipping costs there are several factors to consider.
The proximity of the fulfillment house to your customers is more significant than your proximity. For instance, if your client base is predominantly in the Northeast then hiring a fulfillment company in California is not the best idea.
Statistics show that 70% of the US population is located in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest while California maintains another 16%. If your orders are distributed evenly throughout the country then fulfillment companies in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio would be your best options in order to minimize shipping costs.
Space is another issue that should be considered. You should choose a company that has a big enough warehouse to accommodate your needs and will accommodate your growth. Some companies yearn to see stock grow while others are content with a maximum and may not be prepared for an expanding business.
But you also don’t want to choose a company too large. Some larger companies have a minimum order amount and may penalize you if your numbers are too low. Even worse, low volume could lead you to get lost in the shuffle. That is why having a dedicated account manager is so important. Account managers are designated individuals that have the authority to act on your requests. Larger companies may have a call center or an account "team" to handle your requests which can lead to lengthy waits for your requests and confusion.
Your fulfillment company should be able to give you answers right away and help you stay completely informed. They should be able to provide you with your entire inventory and order information over the web.
Similar to FedEx guaranteed overnight delivery; a high-quality fulfillment company should guarantee order accuracy and shipping time. No company can ship all orders correctly but they should take full responsibility for their mistakes. Even the best company can make mistakes, but it’s how the mistakes are handled is what matters. The ideal company will provide a 100% accurate delivery or its free.
They should also have multiple shipping options. If they are experienced enough, they should know that labor strikes could arise at anytime and therefore, having several options like UPS, FedEx and DHL is imperative.
The longevity of a company shows that management is committed to the company. Ideally a business that is at least five years or older shows they know the business and can handle the unexpected. These companies will be able to provide references of satisfied customers. It’s vital to ask for at least three before hiring a company. If they hesitate then pass immediately.
Lastly, price and commitment are very important aspects when determining what company suits you best. Currently, there is no standard pricing in the fulfillment industry. However, you should be able to verify all charges without relying on your fulfillment company to provide a lengthy explanation. Over charging is a common practice so stay away from companies with hourly charges for receiving and assembly since it’s almost impossible to verify time spent.
Some companies try to lock you in a long term contract which can be a dilemma if their service isn’t as expected. Make sure there is a way out by choosing companies without a long term commitment.
Asking the right questions and looking for the right qualities in a fulfillment company is crucial when considering outsourcing. Hiring the best option can truly reduce and control your operating costs while providing you with more time to improve your company focus. Regardless of what company you choose, make sure they are as committed to your customers as you are. After all, no matter how web-happy we become customer service should always remain a top priority
source : buzzle.com
.
.
Highlights the key concerns a business owner should address in order to hire the right fulfillment company
In the past decade the internet has allowed the marketplace to flourish…virtually! E-commerce companies are launching all over the web. The sound of the bell when a customer walks in has been replaced with the click of a mouse thousands of miles away. With millions of patrons in cyber space, shipping has become a rather large component to any successful e-commerce venture.
Some companies have their own warehouse and staff while others ship from their very own home. However, many companies have been increasingly outsourcing their order fulfillment in order to cut costs, alleviate the hassles and to allow more time to focus on marketing, management and growth.
A high-quality fulfillment company organizes, manages, warehouses and ships your inventory in a cost effective and reliable manner. But in order to successfully partner with a company and actually cut your shipping costs there are several factors to consider.
The proximity of the fulfillment house to your customers is more significant than your proximity. For instance, if your client base is predominantly in the Northeast then hiring a fulfillment company in California is not the best idea.
Statistics show that 70% of the US population is located in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest while California maintains another 16%. If your orders are distributed evenly throughout the country then fulfillment companies in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio would be your best options in order to minimize shipping costs.
Space is another issue that should be considered. You should choose a company that has a big enough warehouse to accommodate your needs and will accommodate your growth. Some companies yearn to see stock grow while others are content with a maximum and may not be prepared for an expanding business.
But you also don’t want to choose a company too large. Some larger companies have a minimum order amount and may penalize you if your numbers are too low. Even worse, low volume could lead you to get lost in the shuffle. That is why having a dedicated account manager is so important. Account managers are designated individuals that have the authority to act on your requests. Larger companies may have a call center or an account "team" to handle your requests which can lead to lengthy waits for your requests and confusion.
Your fulfillment company should be able to give you answers right away and help you stay completely informed. They should be able to provide you with your entire inventory and order information over the web.
Similar to FedEx guaranteed overnight delivery; a high-quality fulfillment company should guarantee order accuracy and shipping time. No company can ship all orders correctly but they should take full responsibility for their mistakes. Even the best company can make mistakes, but it’s how the mistakes are handled is what matters. The ideal company will provide a 100% accurate delivery or its free.
They should also have multiple shipping options. If they are experienced enough, they should know that labor strikes could arise at anytime and therefore, having several options like UPS, FedEx and DHL is imperative.
The longevity of a company shows that management is committed to the company. Ideally a business that is at least five years or older shows they know the business and can handle the unexpected. These companies will be able to provide references of satisfied customers. It’s vital to ask for at least three before hiring a company. If they hesitate then pass immediately.
Lastly, price and commitment are very important aspects when determining what company suits you best. Currently, there is no standard pricing in the fulfillment industry. However, you should be able to verify all charges without relying on your fulfillment company to provide a lengthy explanation. Over charging is a common practice so stay away from companies with hourly charges for receiving and assembly since it’s almost impossible to verify time spent.
Some companies try to lock you in a long term contract which can be a dilemma if their service isn’t as expected. Make sure there is a way out by choosing companies without a long term commitment.
Asking the right questions and looking for the right qualities in a fulfillment company is crucial when considering outsourcing. Hiring the best option can truly reduce and control your operating costs while providing you with more time to improve your company focus. Regardless of what company you choose, make sure they are as committed to your customers as you are. After all, no matter how web-happy we become customer service should always remain a top priority
source : buzzle.com
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Sunday, December 03, 2006
E-Commerce or Electronic commerce also referred to as EC, e-commerce or e commerce consists primarily of the distributing, buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of products or services over the Internet and other computer networks
Certain products/services appear more suitable for online sales while others remain more suitable for offline sales.
Many successful virtual companies deal with digital products, including information storage, retrieval, and
Eg: Google , ebay, Amazon, paypal
Virtual marketers can sell some non-digital products and services successfully. Items which can fit through a standard letterbox - such as music CDs, DVDs and books - are particularly suitable for a virtual marketer, and indeed Amazon.com, one of the few enduring companies, has historically concentrated on this field.
But in developed markets customers buy and sells big items like cars,online. Amazon and e-bay sells almost all items you can name.
Credit cards are the most popular means of sending payments on the internet, accounting for 90% of online purchases. Most merchants today process credit card transactions on site through arrangements made with commercial banks or credit cards companies
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