Over the past week of lessons (L41-L44), in the business II course of the Ron Paul curriculum, I was presented with 4 online business ideas.  The opportunities were: 1. Blogging.  2. Photography.  3. Website security.  4. Selling products online.  I have interest in both photography and blogging, but they are, at this point in my life, just a passionate hobby used in building a personal portfolio.  Of these four endeavors, I am intrigued most by the opportunity of selling products online.

Selling products online is essentially creating a worldwide storefront.  There are several online platforms that can be used to sell products on (e.g. Amazon, Ebay, Etsy etc.), or one can create their own storefront website.  To build a successful online store, whether it is built on another platform or on a personal website, there must be a professional setup that provides a good customer experience.  It takes an investment to build a secure and successful online store.

The target customer depends on what is sold and in what niche.  To be set apart from competitors, the store should be stocked with a unique brand that consumers cannot find elsewhere.  Products can be handmade, made or produced by a local source, or they can be ordered wholesale by a manufacturer.  Personally, I am still unsure of what I want to sell online, however, I think the best way to develop a niche is to ask people about their problems and develop a product or series of products that solve a common problem.

This could be transformed into a career, or it could just be a business to get me started.  Regardless, if I follow a formula of success, this is an experience that is invaluable.