[rmhays25]

Hello everyone!
I am 17 years old and have been recently searching around the internet trying to find ways to start an online business. My mother and I are thinking of making a website to sell hand-woven baskets and homemade blankets. We have had experience in making both.
Now i have no idea what to do next. I have hardly any experience with website building or buying/selling through the internet. If anyone has any suggestions or tips, all would be appreciated! Thank you.

[jawzishere]

First off you should search the net and get a basic understanding of websites and how internet business works. Next look into hosting services and domain names and purchase both. Then you can go to Scriptlance.com and hire people to create a website for you. Just detail out everything you need and want on your site and be prepared to write content.

It may seem risky but you just have to be confident and know you're gonna succeed and put the money down to get started.

Next, just focus on posting on forums related to your product/buying advertising around the web.

[ADVERTISE HERE!]

Do you have customer demand for your product already? If not, is there a demand for the product that is not being satisfied?

[rmhays25]

Originally Posted by jmenq2

Do you have customer demand for your product already? If not, is there a demand for the product that is not being satisfied?

For the past few years my mom has been making t-shirt quilts (with shirts like old sports teams, clubs, jerseys, etc.) for my sister and our friends as they are leaving for college. Everyone that has seen these blankets has wanted one for their child. Along with this, there are normal blankets that we make that seems like everyone likes. So around here it seems like there is kind of a demand for them.

[ADVERTISE HERE!]

I would suggest approaching people around there, let them know that you all are going to begin a business making the blankets, and offer a discount if they order one then, though they can have time to come up with the t-shirts. By doing so, you have committed orders and a basis for incurring startup costs.

[babyjoy214]

hi!

just new here, im working for Agents of Value and presently involved in assisting entrepreneurial companies doing business on the Internet.

i want to help so i searched on my own for your problem.. this site offers learning how to start an online business and profit from your business on the Web.. they include articles and pointers.. hope it helps!! here

and if you need help in making a website our company may be of service. Agentsofvalue.com

Goodluck!!

-Joy

[micksss]

If you are not familiar with creating a website you should find a web host that has something called fantastico in there web hosting control panel "cPanel". It has easy few click installation options for content management systems or blogs like wordpress which make it a lot easier to setup and design a website. Best of luck to you.

[capforge]

Even easier than the above suggestions, get a yahoo store for $40 a month plus a free paypal account so you can accept people's payments via credit card. Then get the companion dummies book for yahoo stores. For an even lower cost trial, see if you can sell a few on ebay. If you don't know anything about the internet and online selling, all the other suggestions above are probably going to have too steep of a learning curve.

Matt

[patz]

I suggest getting a free webhost first or build a blog site. This way you can build a website the easiest way without costing you anything. Plus those free hostings or websites has build in templates making it easier for newbies to make their own site.