Are you bored or tired of working for somebody else? Do you need more flexibility at work? Do you want to be your own boss? Do you have to commute for long hours to get to your workplace? If the answer to any or all of these questions is "yes," e-commerce might just be the perfect solution for you.
What is e-commerce?
Electronic commerce, which is more commonly called e-commerce or eCommerce, involves the purchase and sale of products or services through electronic systems, such as the World Wide Web, using technologies, like e-mails and databases. Although the term has been in use for several years now, the scope and quantum of trade being transported out electronically has expanded tremendously with the advent of the Internet. A great boon of the presence of the Internet has been the work from home concept, providing an opportunity for people to use their talents and generate money from the comforts of their home.
Work from home:
It does not matter, whether you are an engineer, software professional, a lawyer, a businessman or a mother who can not leave her kids and go out to work. With increasing traffic, pollution, hazards of commuting, and the lure of making some fast and good money, the e-business and work from home concept is catching on quickly. There are several diverse options, if you want to cash in on online opportunities.
o Selling products – You could sell different types of products, ranging from electronics to clothes and from jewelery to traditional handicraft, via the Internet. You may have your own e-commerce website or e-shop, where people could view your product offerings as well as place their orders. You could also capitalize on already existing websites, such as eBay, which provide a platform to sell your items to prospective consumers.
o Selling information and content – If you have a flair for writing or enjoy expressing your opinions, you could sell articles and blogs on a wide array of topics, ranging from finance and cooking to technology and health
o Teaching online – This option is both intellectually stimulating and a rapidly growing opportunity. From the luxury of your home, you could guide and transform student lives and also get paid well, depending upon the subjects in demand.
o Provision of specialized or general services – You could provide a host of services online, including business consultancy, accountancy, legal, career counseling, translation and astrology.
o Providing e-commerce solutions – This business involves providing services, including website design, website development, installing payment processing facilities and database management. If you have technical skills, this could just be the right option for you.
The benefits of e-commerce:
o Access to an unlimited market base, domestic as well as international.
o Easy and quick dissemination of information to customers.
o Flexibility to work at any hour of the day or on any day of the week. The Internet is available 24 × 7 × 365.
o No place barriers. You can work from home or from anywhere on this planet, as long as you have a computer with an Internet connection.
o Reduction of costs. Your initial costs can exclude those related to setting up an office or a brick-and-motor store. Operating costs are also lower compared to traditional retail stores, since you do not have to maintain an inventory of goods or retain staff to handle the stock. If you opt to use an already existing platform like eBay, you could also save on marketing, processing, distribution and transaction costs.
o Flexibility to quote and change listed prices of products and services.
o You can cut out middlemen.
o Secured payments on account of latest technological advances.
o Helps you to provide customized services that differ from customer to customer.
o You can avail of benefits accruing from e-commerce solutions that provide sufficient support for marketing your website to search engines or new and existing clients.
Do remember that the concept of working from home and having your own e-business is not without disadvantages, which include working alone, lack of direct personal interaction with clients and distractions typical to being at home. However, the advantages clearly outweigh the cons. What is a necessity, like in any other business or job, is for you to focus. So, explore various options and discover what really drives you and what you really want to achieve. After all, when you have your own business and you are committed to making it a success, the sky is the limit.