Buying An Online Business: 10 Best Marketplaces to Explore

Starting a business from scratch can be tough. On top of all the hard work it takes to get up and running, there’s always the possibility that it just might not work out in the end. That’s why some entrepreneurs opt to buy online businesses instead of building them from square one.

By buying an already established business, you can be sure the business model and operations are a success. It doesn’t mean less work, but it does mean a softer landing for many. Let’s look at some considerations and the best marketplaces to browse if you’re looking to buy an existing online business. 

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Pros and cons of buying an online business

As with every business option, there are considerations to weigh. Let’s look at some pros and cons: 

Pros of buying online businesses

Established business model, revenue stream, and cash flow Established customer and user base, so you don’t have to build one from scratch Proven business model with established infrastructure, tools, processes, operations, and digital assets Access to valuable performance data through tools like Google Analytics Potential for rapid growth and scalability

Cons of buying online businesses

Significant

30 Side Hustle Ideas for Making Money in Your Spare Time (2024)

Everyone could use a bit more money, right? Whether you’re saving for a big purchase, planning a special event, or chipping away at those persistent student loans, extra cash always comes in handy.

Your regular job covers the essentials, but there’s room for more. That’s where a side hustle from home steps in. It’s a chance to earn more and enjoy the freedom of working on your terms.

Below, we’ve combined a list of 30 best side hustles that you can pursue to make extra money. Whether you’re looking to make passive income or build an emergency fund, there’s a side hustle idea to fit every goal and lifestyle.

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24 side hustle ideas to pursue in 2024

1. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping is a simple way to sell products online. You partner with a third party who makes and ships the products for you. Your job is to create an online store, decide the prices, and advertise your business.

This business is low risk because you only pay for products when customers buy them, giving you a good chance to make money as long as you don’t spend

Winning Pitches: 2 Ways RangeMe is Bringing Brands and Buyers Together In-Person

Most of you are familiar with RangeMe as an online product discovery platform that helps emerging brands boost their exposure with retail and foodservice buyers. But what you may not know is that RangeMe also gives brands the opportunity to pitch their products in-person directly to buyers.

That’s right – RangeMe subscribers can get private, pre-scheduled and distraction-free meetings as part of two unique initiatives: RangeMe Live and RangeMe Discovery Hub, both of which are held at parent company ECRM’s category-specific Sessions. 

RangeMe Live is for Pro subscribers, and offers three free 20-minute face-to-face meetings annually as part of the subscription benefits. RangeMe Discovery Hub is available to RangeMe subscribers of all subscription tiers, and delivers the complete ECRM Session experience with a full schedule of private buyer meetings at special pricing for first-time RangeMe brands. 

Together, these offerings enable RangeMe subscribers to bridge the divide between digital and in-person buyer engagement, and provide a natural progression for brands as they grow their reach from local distribution to regional, national – and eventually – global distribution. 

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“To get in front of buyers at retailers this big is huge, and you literally have a room with them face to face,” …

15 Top Print-On-Demand Companies (And How To Choose One) in 2024

Print-on-demand companies make it easy for anyone to start an online business from home. You can use their services to:

Launch an online store with custom merchandise Start a clothing line with no startup capital Monetize social media followings with unique products Expand existing businesses by offering new product lines

There are many print-on-demand sites to choose from, so picking the right one is important. What should you look for when choosing a print-on-demand service?

In this article, we’ll look at the important things to think about when picking a print-on-demand service and review 15 of the top POD companies in 2024.

But first, let’s make sure we’re on the same page—what exactly are print-on-demand companies?

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What are print-on-demand companies?

Print-on-demand (or POD) companies are businesses that provide a complete ecommerce fulfillment solution—this includes sourcing and storing products, printing products and packaging materials, and shipping orders to customers. 

Print on demand works similar to dropshipping. All you need to do is create eye-catching designs, configure your products, and sell them online—a print-on-demand company will take care of the rest!

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Do you have an idea that feels like “the next big thing?” Or maybe you’d like to build on an existing idea to tweak or enhance it. When it comes to the product development process, there are plenty of use cases where it can be applied. And for the entrepreneurs and businesses that apply it well, the outcomes can be incredible.

But there’s a big obstacle: For many, the product development cycle can be wildly intimidating and even mysterious. It can be hard to know what applies where and which steps to take at the right time.

In this article, we’ll go over the basics of the process, some examples, and six key steps to product development, including:

Idea generation Product and market research Product and business planning Prototyping Sourcing and manufacturing Product launch

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What is product development?

Product development refers to the overall process of taking a product from concept to market. This includes conceptualizing the item, identifying customer needs, collecting feedback, building the product roadmap, and launching the item. For some companies, product development covers revamping an existing product and introducing an old product in a new market. 

Growing your business to a household name is the dream of every entrepreneur. However, achieving this level of recognition requires more than just ambition; it demands strategic planning, resource allocation, and often, significant financial investment. Access to capital isn’t always easy to come by, however. In fact, a study by U.S. Bank found that eighty-two percent of small businesses fail because of cash flow problems, and twenty-nine percent run out of cash.

Without sufficient funds to invest in inventory, marketing, and infrastructure, even the most promising ventures can struggle to gain traction. Meanwhile, the right financing strategy can provide the resources needed to grow and thrive.

Securing the right funding product 

Whether you are growing through retail, wholesale channels, ecommerce marketplaces, or your DTC website, being able to fund your growth is an essential part of being successful. There are many options to finance your production runs but not every one of them is the right option for every business. It’s important to ensure you fully understand the pros and cons of the funding solutions you may be considering.

Inventory Financing

Inventory financing can offer swift funding even for newer businesses or those with less-than-perfect credit, with funds typically available …