i want to open small web store?

Question

i want to open a small web store. and what should i start with? i know i need to create websites, traffic, etc, but where should i start with?? i do have geocities web site myself (non-profit), i really like it, but is it good for small business too??

Answer 1

Do not use Geocities. It is banned from many businesses and you will not be able to sell as much as you want.


First: Domain name

Second - find a host. I happen to like Yahoo! Stores. They have secure checkouts and their templates are easy to use.

They can cost up to $40 a month, not including their cut of the referrals (downside).

Ebay is an alternative

Answer 2

Geo cities and other free web hosting sites are good websites to start at if you don't have a lot of capital to put into them. The other cost web hosting sites might be good but the biggest key is having your own domain name even if you use Geo cities or other web hosting. and it is a good idea to make them relatively short in character features.For example my company name is relatively long but my domain name is abbreviated to have the first initial to the name in it. http://bhmd.org Brian Hazel Marketing/Distribution. The customers that remember the domains are short go back. Also domain names are fairly cheap. The best thing to do is look at your target audience and look at what they are interested in this can help with planning. My site is a a general site for the mass population of the earth and has been designed to meet such. I have been in business 7 years and have made some mistakes yet continue my work because I believe it will pay off in the long run. I am an affiliate business partner for a year now with Don Trump. Another good thing you can do is go to the Small Business Administration website and ask for your local office. There they can give you advice and tips on planning, finance an other questions you might have that can make you a success.

Answer 3

You would need space maybe in a mall or strip mall so start with checking rental prices on that and deciding how much space you need. You need to find suppliers and what you would pay for inventory then research the price you might get for them to even start to see what your gross profit might be. Then market research to how many pair you might sell a month. Are you planning to sell to teens or SAHMs or men and women with jobs or retired people? How many of that kind of people are going to come into your shop a month and how many will buy jeans? Take a job at a store like the Gap for a few months and watch the customers to get an idea of how much they are buying or how many are just looking. Try to work up to manager or bookkeeper to get an idea of the workings of the store that clerks and customers don't see. Also jeans brands all fit different so make sure what you buy fits your target customer and are the style those kind of people wear. Then research what kind of racks and shelving you would need and the prices and find out what advertising will cost. Find out what taking credit cards might cost you since most people don't use money anymore. You should then be able to start to make a business plan and see what you will need to open the door. You will also need to get a cash registers and check out counter and dressing rooms with mirrors. Computers and software, file cabinets, stationary. If you need to travel to buy the merchandise you will need that in the budget too. Knowing what will sell months later means going to some trade shows to see what is coming you don't want to be behind the other stores fashion changes often.

Answer 4

It really doesn't matter what type of store you want to open, you need to start with a business plan to help you focus your thinking. If you aren't familiar with this idea, go to your local libary and check out a book on it, or contact the local Small Business Administration for help. The rest will fall in line once you know where you are going.