Business Ventures

[reddobe]

Im currently half way through my University, still waiting to find out whether or not i will be able to further myself in getting a degree at the same University.

But i was thinking about opening a business specialising in selling products for dogs. But i would like to be able to move, what i mean is if there is ever need to move somewhere else i wouldn't want to complicate anything. Is there much money in the way of selling pet products online e.g. online business?

Living where i am there isn't much in the way of working with animals and was looking to be realisitic but im just not sure what to do when i complete my eduaction, im probably going to be ending up doing a non-animal related job just to make any sort of money.

What do others think or does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Debi]

selling online is as difficult as having any store...tons of competition. But, it does give you the freedom of not being stuck in a particular place. getting your domain name, and setting up a paypal acct. takes minutes. the big problem for most people is getting their website listed in major hosting sites..like Google, Yahoo, etc. it's pricey and in my opinion if you're lost on page 15...isn't great. another difficulty with online selling is having to add shipping costs on to your price (and you must or else it's too costly). it then HAS to be something a person can't simply purchase from a store, or a bigger online store that can afford to be more reasonable than a small shop. you also run the risk of getting ripped off if you accept personal checks. you can stipulate a waiting period for it to clear prior to shipping...but again, that's a big hassle for a consumer. better to set up a business acct. with paypal to accept credit cards (sometimes costly), then stick to money orders or direct deposit into your paypal acct. have you looked online to see what your competition is? my opinion......if you expect to make big money, you will be disappointed unless you come up with something so amazing, different, and you are adept at marketing. like any business venture. this isn't meant to deter you, I love a good venture!!! just know that it will take time, so having another job is probably a must.

 

[bonster]

My .02 (or tuppence!) on this: might not be a megabucks venture, but I would suggest that you'd do alright specialising in special items, not necessarily easy to find but useful and of quality.

I've found it hard to find things like custom (sighthound) collars, coats, jumpers, name tags etc at pet stores here in Spain or in other European pet stores. However I have found some specialist, home business that do that kind of thing and they've got my money, and I've found they often have clients from all around the world...

Good business, can be done on-line and you can do the craft yourself or find others that do and represent them. Doesn't tie you into one geographic place either.

Another business (localised) I've used in the UK before is bulk delivery of quality natural dog food - and the guy doing it was branching out into other pet supplies.

Once you've got something going you can expand you range, even diversivy into related services such as pictures from photos etc....

Do a search on eBay for collars or leads or such and you'll get tons of hits -- but set up a specialist site and get known, really please a few owners, maybe work with an animal charity and donate some product or offer a discount to fosteres/homers etc and you should get known....

Just ideas...

 

[reddobe]

Thanks for the advice and ideas guys.

Yes i would prefer the idea of not being stuck in a particular place. The most difficult aspect of doing it online really would be getting established and recognised. The cost of maintainence and actual web design if your not particularly good at it can be quite expensive im guessing.

Setting up a business probably isnt that hard but the real problem is making money out of what it is your doing that's the hardest part, i suppose the same can be said for any business really.

 

[GlassOnion]

Maintaining a website is nothing. Just keep it updated. You'll have to buy a server which would be about 20 bucks a year. Once you do that, though, all the 'maintenance' is in their hands.

Building a (quality) website, is difficult. I'd hire someone for that if you don't know how to do it. But also I'd learn the basics of HTML so you can update your site yourself.

 

[bonster]

A website shouldn't be too hard or expensive, and to get established you can then do flyers and small ads with the web address in them.... link up with related organisations and 'trade links' etc.
Making money can be difficult with any business, but at least being on-line overheads are low, you can sell items you may not even have yet and you don't have the expense or incumbence of 'bricks and motar'.

 

[reddobe]

Thanks for the advice so far

I do know some of the basics in web design, i have already accustomed myself to Front Page 2000, although not the best web design software available it still good i think. Designing it wouldn't be too much trouble it's just the ammount of money i would have to invest and how long before it would even take to make the money i put into it.

Im currently doing Business on my course as a module and i don't really see any viable business opportunity where i live without any money i cannot move etc and it sometimes fustrates me and i feel like im working towards a qualification that im not really going to be putting to good use once i have gained it.

I'll probably be end up working in a non-animal related job just to make money and i don't want to waste my 20's sitting in a boring office, i had enought of that when i worked for my local authority and was the reason i persued working with animals to escape that sort of work.

All so confusing

 

[GlassOnion]

and i don't want to waste my 20's sitting in a boring office, i had enought of that when i worked for my local authority and was the reason i persued working with animals to escape that sort of work.

You and me both man. I sent out about 30 or so resumes not too long ago and had to print off, label, match, address, package, and seal 30 envelopes (60 pieces of paper) and towards the end I realized that some people actually do that for a living. Day in and day out, that's what they do for their bread and butter.

I couldn't stand it. I'd take a stapler and shoot myself in the head. It'd be way more enjoyable than that job.

 

[Puckstop31]

i don't want to waste my 20's sitting in a boring office,

It is not a waste.... It is called experience. One must walk before you can run.

Something else to consider in an online venture. You will have to develop some kind of relationship with the major Credit Card companies as being online, this will be your only payment method. Know that VISA gets 3% of each sale, off the top too.

Something like that could be a fun side project, but if you are going to rely on it to live...