Building a business online
Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/vancouvergo/1770085714/
It seems we can’t separate the Internet from our lives these days. Every day people use the Internet, whether to do a job, to help in studies or just for plain fun. Everything seems possible on the Internet: We can use it to talk to anyone no matter where they live, and we can track any information we are interested in, any time we want. As the Internet is becoming necessary in our lives, people have found ways to turn it into a job. Having an Internet shop is getting popular and a lot of people may have thought about taking the leap into an Internet business.
24 hours asked people working online about their Internet business. Kareen E. Van Nen is the owner of online shop for babies, the Nicebaby Design Co (www.nicebaby.ca). Allan Antonio runs eBusiness Connection. It is not itself an online business, but a unique and comprehensive collection of e-business information services to help B.C.’s small businesses adapt to technological change, and maintain and grow their businesses online
24 hours: How did you start that business?
Van Nen: I started this business as a creative outlet for myself. I wanted to run an ethical shop where people can find unique products for kids that are made in Vancouver. Building a web store is NOT like the movie Field of Dreams, if you build it, they won’t necessarily come. Running an online shop may not be as easy as what you might think.
Antonio: eBusiness Connection was started to help B.C. businesses remain competitive in our rapidly changing information economy by Western Economic Diversification, B.C.’s Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development and the Leadership and Management Development Council of B.C. eBusiness Connection was created in response to the entrepreneurial community’s demand for more and better e-business and e-commerce resources.
In Canada’s private sector, more than 75 per cent of businesses are estimated to be using the Internet to facilitate some aspect of their business. It is not only because of the growing number of Internet users, but also it is easy to approach to potential customers. Above all, the reason online businesses are popular is because of the low overhead.
24hours: Why do you think online businesses are getting popular?
Van Nen: The start-up costs can be very affordable, and people like the idea of being their own boss and working from home.
24 hours: What are the positive points/ negative points of running an online business?
Van Nen: One of the positive points of running an online business is being your own boss. You can work flexible hours and having full creative rein (to some degree).
One of the attractive points is working from home. While running an online business, you can do other things in your home. The negative point is not meeting customers face to face and having so many e-mails to read and write.
24 hours: In an online business, you can’t meet customers. How can you deal with them? How can you attract customers?
Antonio: In our opinion the main difference between online business and bricks-and-mortar business is the interaction within the sales process. The important thing is trust. Customers will not buy from your website if they can’t quickly determine who you are, where you are located and how to contact you. If customers don’t know or can’t find these three basic things, then they will not buy from you.
To keep trust, put your address and telephone numbers on the bottom of every page. Provide information about you and your company, your location, office hours and contact numbers.
Also, it is imperative that the information on the website be accessible, easily understood and complete. Keeping in touch with and attracting new clients is one of the important things. Advertising is necessary. You can advertise your site though monthly newsletters, updates or promotions. It is not only important, it offers repeat customers incentives to keep returning to your site.
24 hours: Nowadays many people are interested in starting an online business. What kind of advice can you give them?
Van Nen: There is a lot of hard work involved, a lot of research, people to do jobs for you that you are not able to do, like web design, and more. Every day there is a new hurdle, but once you are over, the next hurdle doesn’t seem as high.
Setting up a business to sell online is subject to the same rules and regulations as if you opened a boutique on Robson Street, therefore you will need to register the business, sign up for a business number (of which your GST number is a component), and obtain the necessary licences and permits for the jurisdiction that your business is located.
Before you invest time and money setting up a business online you need to do some important research. There are a lot of competitors on the Internet. Starting an online business is not as easy as you might think.
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/Business/2007/11/26/4685771-sun.html
