Business Opportunities Weblog

November 3, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Arizona Republic:

Peter Blake established Rest Assured to deliver and install waterbeds in Denver in the mid-1970s. He kept one truck when he moved back to Phoenix, and when a friend in the antiques business asked if he could deliver a piece of furniture, Blake safely delivered the valuable piece. Word spread, and soon Blake was working with a network of dealers and designers.

Rest Assured specializes in fine art and furniture storage, delivery and installation. “It’s a real niche business,” Blake’s wife Lynn said. “We work in a kind of partnership with designers and with their clients,” she said. “So our staff all wear collared polo shirts when they go out on jobs, and white gloves to handle art and furniture.”

“When you tell people what you do, they just say, ‘Who knew?’ There’s just a kind of fun in talking with people,” she said. “Our clients are great people.”

Photo by Rest Assured.

In Niche, Operations, Public Relations | 0 Comments

November 3, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Entrepreneur.com:

Many people in the rapidly growing 70-and-over population segment are selling their homes in favor of smaller houses or condos, either in traditional neighborhoods or retirement communities. This is a perfect time to cater to the relocation needs market.

Moving is always stressful, and it can be especially traumatic for someone who is leaving a home they’ve been in for decades that is full of precious memories.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that families are more spread out geographically and not always available to help with the moving process. Not only is the packing and cleaning process physically demanding, it also takes an emotional toll.

A senior relocation consultant can provide an element of compassionate objectivity as decisions are made about what to keep, give away, sell or toss.

As a senior relocation specialist, you can offer a wide range of services. It’s typical to provide a total turnkey package, which means you’ll orchestrate every aspect of the move, including:

• Assistance with selling the current home
• Assistance with finding a new residence
• Assistance with selecting a moving company
• Sorting and downsizing
• Estate sales
• Coordinating movers, utilities, cleaning and other tasks
• Packing and unpacking

Photo by Justin.

In Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Niche, Startup | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

A false posting on gaming website Evil Avatar sent rumors swirling around the Internet. The news claimed that EB and GameStop managers were conspiring to yank preorders away from customers who were planning to auction their system on eBay. However, Next Generation recently confirmed with the retailer that there is no such “conspiracy.”

“Are we canceling pre-orders that appear on eBay? The answer to that is no,” said Chris Olivera, director of public and media relations at GameStop.

Therefore, the eBay auctions have escaped without incident, but Sony is recommending that potential consumers be wary of those offers.

PS3 News: EB/GameStop Denies eBay Rumor

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) will auction “rights” to a whale’s life on the online site.

WSPA wants to raise $180,000 (£95,000), the value of meat from a fin whale; it then aims to pay this sum to hunters, and ask them to let one whale go.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Whales for saving by eBay auction

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

We admit it. Back in January we jumped aboard the newly announced eBay Express (EE) train along with many of eBay’s top sellers, convinced that eBay was really on to something. EE would fill the gap in eBay’s business expertly, we reasoned, in that it would provide the marketplace exactly what was missing from the eBay shopping experience. EE would provide a place to buy new items, right away, from trusted eBay sellers. Buyers would be able to buy from multiple sellers, loading up their purchases into a shopping cart, just as they could do on many other ecommerce sites.

It seemed a cinch that EE would bring new users to eBay - those perhaps who were shopping on sites like Amazon.com and who were used to a more “conventional” ecommerce shopping experience. In the words of one PowerSeller, eBay Express would provide what we have been waiting for - it was to be the most important change since PayPal.

eBay Express Progress Report: Still at the Station?

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

We wrote about PayPal’s soft launch of their PayPal mobile service back in March. This is a service which allows you to pay for goods via your mobile phone.

PayPal announced on the 1st November 2006 that over a third of UK adults now have a PayPal account which is sure to bolster the mobile payment system PayPal mobile with so many PayPal account holders on the move.

PayPal now have over 15 million account holders in the UK. This could be due to online spending rising faster than ever before, which by 2010 is expected to reach £39 billion.

PayPal clocks up 15 million account holders - Onecompare.com UK

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

The headquarters of eBay, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:EBAY) PayPal division was apparently bombed on Halloween night, as the San Jose, California headquarters was partially evacuated after four plate-glass windows were blown out and police became immediately involved.

Investigators on the scene apparently were able to determine that the bomb blast was intentional. The blast was caused by an explosive device being placed outside an exit at the building that leads to the company’s first floor network operations center.

XOM - Bomb explodes at eBay’s PayPal headquarters on Halloween night - Blogging Stocks

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

In June, eBay launched Skype integration in a limited number of categories. On Wednesday, eBay announced it is expanding the number of categories in which sellers will be allowed to add Skype Me buttons to their listings. Skype is eBay’s VoIP Internet telephony service that allows users to make phone calls over the Internet.

eBay said the test of Skype integration into eBay listings has shown that buyers and sellers have “enjoyed the opportunity to resolve questions quickly and easily, while also improving trust in the process,” though AuctionBytes has not seen signs of wide adoption of Skype click-to-call buttons in eBay listings.

eBay Adds Skype Capability in More Categories

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 5 Comments

Pajama Market:

Duane Keiser paints one postcard-sized painting nearly every day, posts a photo of his painting on his blog called A Painting a Day, and sells them through eBay for at least $100.

His most recent paintings have sold for $455, $635, $305, $510 and $303. That’s between September 10-18. Duane lives in Richmond, Virginia.

The simplicity of this site speaks for itself. This is the most brilliant use of a blog I’ve ever seen!

Photo by PB&J No.5 by Duane Keiser.

In Ebay & Online Auctions, Ecommerce, Ideas, Niche | 5 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Associated Press:

A retired professor has invented a manhole cover that can be locked to prevent access by scrap metal thieves and terrorists.

William Meyers came up with the idea for securing manhole covers against unauthorized entry shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks when he saw reports of municipal workers in New York welding covers shut.

Manhole covers are also welded or bolted when presidential motorcades roll over them or during road races, Meyers said.

He also noted an increase in the taking of manhole covers by thieves who sell them for scrap metal.

After three years, Meyers said he has received a patent for the device and is ready to begin marketing the product.

Photo by chidorian.

In Government, Invention, Niche | 2 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 14 Comments

Fresh Thinking Business Blog:

Sam Walton grew up poor during the Great Depression, yet rose to start the biggest retail store Wal-Mart.

Here’s his 10 rules for building a successful business:

Rule 1: Commit to your business.

Rule 2: Share your profits with all your associates, and treat then as partners.

Rule 3: Motivate your partners.

Rule 4: Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners.

Rule 5: Appreciate everything your associates do for the business.

Rule 6: Celebrate your success.

Rule 7: Listen to everyone in your company and figure out ways to get them talking.

Rule 8: Exceed your customer’s expectations.

Rule 9: Control your expenses better than your competition.

Rule 10: Swim upstream.

Photo by Wal-Mart.

In Ideas, Strategy | 14 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

She sat poolside for hours, holding an inflatable raft, keeping her daughter atop it tanning “like a turkey” and away from the unwanted shade.

A doting mother, she was helping her daughter, Denise, tan for a party, but Lydia Woods got tired of sitting there. So she invented a fastener to hold the raft for her.

More than a decade later, the Fort Lauderdale resident says she has profited aplenty from her invention, the Tarp Klip, by selling it nationwide and abroad to hundreds of thousands of customers. The 62-year-old, who has three grown daughters and three grandchildren, said she makes enough money to support her family, and she continues to push her business.

It took Woods, a homemaker at the time, several years to research her fastener and make a prototype. But once her business took off, she showed a knack for advertising.

She advertises the versatile fastener to boaters, campers and gardeners, and sells it through stores, magazines and online. “An idea comes from a need: I wanted to please my daughter when she wanted that inflatable anchored,” Woods said.

Photo by Tarp Klip.

In Invention, Niche, Women | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Coloradoan.com:

Having a microbusiness suits businesswoman Shelley Paul. She doesn’t have to work in a big office building or put in the long hours that sometimes accompany corporate jobs.

Paul opened Design Worx, an Old Town graphic design firm, 12 years ago. Last year, she relocated the business to her home studio.

Now a trend, microbusinesses have five or fewer employees and save money by outsourcing and limiting operating expenses.

Paul creates logos and taglines to help start-up businesses and nonprofit organizations create an image. She also makes post cards, invitations and press kits to help market companies.

Having a microbusiness, Paul explains, allows for flexible hours and ensures she is available for her clients anytime during the day.

Photo by V. Richard Haro.

In Operations, Startup, Women | 0 Comments

November 2, 2006 by Dane Carlson | 1 Comment

This week’s Carnival of the Capitalists is up at it’s home TheCotC.com.

In Blogs | 1 Comment

November 1, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 4 Comments

Jennifer Baljko at Work.com:

You’ve set up an Web site, developed some marketing efforts to bring in traffic and are seeing the number of page views increase. But are you converting your Web site visitors into customers?It’s time to work on your sales conversion rate, in other words, the number of visitors to your site who go on to place an order or fill out a form that leads to a sales call or take some other action you want.

1. Know where you stand
The first thing you need to know is how your current online sales model is working. Do a baseline analysis of what sales are already coming in through the site.

2. Make the path to conversion easier
Visitors may leave your site because site navigation is too difficult, there are limited payment options or, worse, there is no compelling reason to buy whatever is being sold.

3. Keep traffic coming in
The more people that come your site, the more chances you’ll have to win a sale.

While the ultimate goal may be a sale, you want to create a pleasant overall experience and encourage repeat visits. Doing that means providing great customer service via chat, email or text messaging.

Photo by woodsy.

In Ecommerce, Sales, Strategy | 4 Comments

November 1, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Greg Brown at Work.com:

Turn-key businesses come in several flavors, including business opportunities, franchises and existing businesses for sale. Getting the right fit for you is a matter of personality, but also of cash and your own patience. Here’s how to pick the right path:

Consider becoming a rep, dealer or agent for a well-known brand.
Big companies sell in many formats, including inside large-store chains, from stand-alone kiosks in malls, through vending machines and via independent dealers.

Multi-level marketing. Okay, if you play it right
Also called network marketing, multi-level marketing programs have gotten a bad rap because of ponzi-scheme structures and the cult-like attitudes of some who join them. But getting in is cheap (a few hundred bucks) and selling to family and friends is as old as civilization itself. Stick with well-known brands and you’ll turn connections into profits in no time.

Franchising is not out of reach. Franchises can seem pricey, but only if your short list begins and ends with McDonald’s. A decent, growing franchise can be had for $50,000 if you can demonstrate positive net worth and some business experience.

Buy an existing store. If you have a good chunk of money to invest, it can be much easier to buy an existing, successful business than to grow one from the ground up.

Photo by a51media.

In Planning, Startup, Strategy | 2 Comments

November 1, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Unusual Businesses Ideas That Work:

Working as a stock analyst in Atlanta, Lee Loree, was bored. While reading dull reports at night, he noticed his slumber-ing wife was more alert at certain times.

Curious, he started studying sleep cycles. His research and the desire to rouse his workaday routine led to the Sleeptracker, a watch that beeps to wake you during an optimal period of light sleep so you arise less drowsy. It took Loree five years of working with sleep experts and engineers to ready his product.

Sleeptracker monitors your body and continuously looks for your best possible waking times. It wakes you up at just the right moment - during a window of time that YOU set.

With projected year-end sales of $1 million, Loree hardly ever has slow days anymore–but he still wakes up energized.

Photo by Innovative Sleep Solutions.

In Ideas, Invention, Niche | 1 Comment

November 1, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Entrepreneurs Suite101:

You’ve decided your small business would benefit from importing, exporting, or some combination thereof. You have a list of questions, ideas and experiences, but need more information to move forward.

If by chance you are an entrepreneur looking to get the basics regarding importing and exporting, please read our import/export series primer on the subject first.

Bonny Albo has put together a one-stop resource list of import and export databases for the experienced
entrepreneur.

* Commercial Information Management System
* US Government Export Portal
* Export Information Service (Canada)
* Office of International Trade
* Local Port Authorities

Photo by miskan.

In Free, Government, Operations, Tools | 0 Comments

November 1, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Big Idea Scoop:

Colorado Inventor Showcase
The Da Vinci Institute is giving inventors a forum to showcase their inventions. Set for November 14 at The Cable Center in Denver, the Colorado Inventor Showcase lets inventors display their product(s), competing for prizes in a number of invention categories. In addition, inventors can attend information sessions and meet with product scouts, patent attorneys, and other inventors. Go here for more information.

Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge
Enter the Modern Marvels competition for your shot at a $25,000 grant to develop your invention. Fame is part of the package too—winners will be showcased on The History Channel’s Modern Marvels: Great Inventions Week. In addition to the grand prize, grants will be awarded to four other semi-finalists. Entry deadline is November 20. Go here for more details.

Northern Plains Inventors Congress
Join other inventors, entrepreneurs, and service providers for a two-day event in Fargo, North Dakota, that features workshops, exhibits, and an invention contest. The January 16-17, 2007 show offers workshops and panels on topics ranging from funding to promoting, prototyping, and patenting inventions. The gathering is expected to be one of the largest one-day inventor events in the U.S. For more information, go here.

Photo by USPTO.

In Invention, News | 0 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

Many women are discovering just how tricky it can be to buy their cosmetics online. There are so many different kinds of cosmetic goods available as well as the people supplying them and at first you may feel overwhelmed by the options available to you. However, there are many things that you can do to make the process of buying cosmetics on line easier.

Firstly, you should consider what it is exactly that you are looking for? Are you after ones to help fight the signs of ageing, such a moisturizer or are you just looking for a new lipstick. It may be that you are interested in purchasing a classic colour of nail polish or one of the hottest lip glosses that are doing the circuit.

Really, it all depends on what you want, and you may find that certain companies manufacture exactly what you are after. By entering a specific search term into a search engine keyword box such as “eye cream” or “lipstick” rather than just “cosmetics” or “moisturizer” you will find that a more targeted return is provided to you with a choice in websites available to you.

Article Search Engine: GoArticles.com

 

 

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

We have all seen them. Those auctions that have a Buy It Now price of a penny for an eBook, wallpaper, screen saver, or some other digital product. So what’s the deal? Why would anyone waste their time, money, and energy creating auction listings for a penny?

Heck they are losing money (even if they do the “click here to get automatically pre-approvedâ€? button trick) on every sale. You can’t even make a profit by increasing the volume. It a losing deal right?

Well, maybe not…

If you look at just the price versus cost, yes, it’s a loser.

But there could be more to it.

I won’t talk about the feedback aspect that can be gained from these cheap auctions, as in many cases this is a violation of eBay’s policies. So, if you are only planning penny auctions for feedback, I wouldn’t waste my time. But there are a couple of real good reasons to list these items.

Do Penny Auctions Really Make Cents?

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

The huge internet marketplace known as eBay has definitely taken the world by storm. While it’s no secret you can find great buys on eBay, many people who are new to the whole internet shopping mall concept are a little unsure where to begin their bargain hunting. Thankfully, there are a few general guidelines to follow in order to snipe those great deals you find on eBay, as well as how to search for bargain buys no matter what you’re looking for. Anyone can find great deals on eBay; it’s simply a matter of knowing where to look and how to find what you’re searching for.

First and foremost, you’ll want to search for great deals during times no one else will be shopping. Major holidays and late hours during the middle of the night are optimum times for finding great deals, and you don’t even have to be awake to find them! There are several sniping programs you can use that will place your maximum bid close towards the end of the auction, increasing the chances you’ll end up winning the bidding war while you’re sound asleep. This works well, because for most items you want to wait until almost the close of the auction to place your bid so you can avoid bidding wars altogether.

Article Search Engine: GoArticles.com

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

We all have seen the ads and infomercials on TV from the like of Dave Espinosa and others, hawking their Ebay reseller kits and proclaiming how many people make substantial incomes off of Ebay. Is it possible? Yes, there are quite a few people out there that their entire income source is derived from auctions like Ebay and Yahoo auctions. Is it easy and where do they get their items cheap enough to resell on Ebay for a big profit? Well, that takes a little delving into.

First you have to identify a product or item that has an immediate demand. It does not matter how good the price you get on something is if no one wants to buy it, right? Scour Ebay and you can easily find some hot selling items like Ralph Lauren polo shirts, Dolce & Gabana jeans, almost anything Versace, etc. Jot down these hot items. Do not be like some sellers that sell knock offs incorrectly listed as originals, you may make a quick buck, but will soon be found out and labeled as a scammer and your sales and feedback scores will plummet. Its not worth it. A good feedback score and reputation will make you or break you on Ebay.

The best sources may even be local to you. Many Ebayers buy items from Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and even their local dollar stores and resell them on Ebay. Ebay is a huge market place and the possibilities are limitless.

Great Bargain Sources for Profitable Resale on Ebay

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Dane Carlson | 2 Comments

Entrepreneur:

It’s inevitable when you meet someone new that the first question out of their mouth is, “So, what do you do?â€? For those of us with normal jobs, the answer’s pretty straightforward. But what if your livelihood revolves around doing something that freaks most people out? Death is a serious business, but few people want to deal with the necessities surrounding it–burials, crime-scene clean-up or even body donation for science.

It may not be easy to have a creepy business, but it isn’t such a bad thing if you can find a way to make a living from it and enjoy helping people through a very sensitive time. This is exactly what the three following businesses have found a way to do. Join us as we pay tribute to these business owners who have found success servicing a less-than-ordinary niche market.

Business profiled in the article include:

• Murder Scene Mop-Up
• From Ashes to Fishes
• From the Slab to the Lab

Photo by ghostbones.

In Ideas | 2 Comments

October 31, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

Excerpt from Success: One Day At A Time by John C. Maxwell

Look at your day. How do you spend it? What ruts have you gotten yourself into that you could easily break yourself out of?

What poor habits are eating valuable minutes of your life every day?

What impact can a few minutes make? Take a look at this. What if you were able to save:

Five minutes by streamlining your morning routine (taking less time to dress, shave, put on makeup, drink coffee, read the paper, and so on)?

Ten minutes by eliminating the things you do each morning to stall starting your work or school day?

Five minutes by avoiding idle talkers or other distractions?

Ten minutes by taking a shorter lunch or break time?

Those minutes don’t seem like much. But if you did those things every day, five days a week, for fifty weeks, you would gain an additional 125 hours of time every year. That’s the equivalent of more than three forty-hour weeks to use for anything you want!

Photo by automatic .

In Ideas, Planning, Strategy, Tools | 3 Comments