- 07 April 2022
- by Sparsh Bhasin
- Business
- 0 Comments
There’s nothing like owning your business. Even if you have a great job, the satisfaction that comes from being your own boss is unparalleled. But, most people skip on starting their business just by thinking about the costs. Fortunately, technology has allowed us to start our businesses from the comfort of our homes, and sell products and services to those in need. There are tons of home business ideas that you can try and start your business today. In today’s connected world where technology offers you a ton of flexibility in how we work, small business ideas from home are gaining traction.
Some online business opportunities from home may ask you to convert a spare room into a mini-warehouse for the products you sell. Although, other businesses may only require a smartphone and a laptop. The best part is that you can start these businesses in your spare time.
Home Business Ideas: Pros and Cons
Work from home business ideas is an important venture, whether it’s a full business or a side-hustle. Either way, you just need your home as the base of operations. A few home business ideas, especially those that sell products and services online don’t need a lot of inventory and can be operated on the run. You don’t have to be bound to your home all the time.
Before you decide on a business to start from home, you need to understand the pros and cons of the business.
Pros:
- Most home business ideas have limited overhead costs, such as warehousing fees, and potential tax deductions.
- You don’t have to stay limited to a local market, as you can sell online domestically and internationally.
- You can include your family in the online business opportunities from home.
- Flexible work/life balance, which is perfect if you’re a stay-at-home parent or a retired person.
Cons:
- You may need to convert space in your home to take care of your business. You may require space to hold inventory, create a home office, or sort equipment. The biggest challenge can be doing it without disrupting your life.
- You still have to comply with some regulations that pertain to the business you need to start. If you want to start a cooking business, then you would want to invest in a commercial kitchen.
- Working from home offers you tons of freedom, but it can also be lonely. If you thrive in social places, then working from home may not be ideal for you.
Best Home Business Ideas
While there are almost endless home business ideas, as a first-timer, you need to choose a business idea that can be easily manageable.
1. Buy Products in Bulk and Sell Them Online
A lot of work-from-home business ideas are based on the simple concept of importing products in bulk and then selling them individually. If you see a need for specific products in the market, then you should buy the products and sell them online. If you’ve found a niche that you know about, then you can find the perfect products to sell to the customers.
Either way, if the products are relatively easy to store and ship you may have a good home-based business idea.
2. Sell Homemade Products
If you have some particular product that you can make, you can also consider turning that hobby into a business. Even if you have to create your products in a studio, commercial kitchen, or workshop, you may be able to store them and sell them.
Whether you want to start with a marketplace such as Etsy or want to build your own website, selling your creation is a great way to share your hobby with others and convert the hobby into a business. Just make sure that the regulations concerning products that are eaten or put on the skin.
Some of the most common homemade products you can sell include:
- Candles
- Jewelry
- Cosmetics
- Art
- Food
- Apparel
3. Print on Demand Business
A print-on-demand business is a great idea and it doesn’t require you to hold inventory in your home or ship it by yourself. Print-on-demand offers you even more flexibility to customize products with your creative mind.
And the best part is that you can sell a huge range of products, including books, t-shirts, hats, backpacks, blankets, Zoma body pillows, mugs, shoes, hoodies, phone cases, watches, and more. Many print-on-demand businesses focus on serving a specific niche. From pet owners to vegans, to gamers, there are tons of target markets you can be a part of.
4. Sell Your Service or Expertise
Products require you to hold inventory, track shipping, and offer after-sales support. But selling a service doesn’t require any of this. If you have a particular skill or service to sell then you should make it your business.
Creative individuals such as website designers, graphic designers, marketers, content writers, and other freelancers may consult with other companies, offering their services to multiple clients, more than often from their home office with occasional travel. Other businesses may operate based on appointments and looking to offer their services.
Some of the top services include:
- Online tutoring
- House cleaning
- Freelance writing
- Personal training
- Virtual assistance
- Dog-walking
- Online marketing
- Website and graphic design
Service-based businesses require you to promote yourself on social media channels. If you’re able to gather some satisfied clients, then these clients will automatically promote you with word of mouth.
For this reason, you don’t especially need a huge number of customers, as you would with a product-based business, you just need a couple of satisfied clients. Based on the service you’re offering, just a couple of happy and high-quality clients can be enough.
5. Buy an Existing eCommerce Business
If you don’t want to start a business from scratch, then you should invest in an already existing business. If you have the money to spend, then you should consider buying an established eCommerce business.
Prices can vary greatly based on a series of factors, including total revenue generated, profit potential, available assets (email list or social following), inventory, and more.
There’s a marketplace supported by Shopify for buying and selling eCommerce businesses. You can browse the “Exchange” store for listings for businesses that fit your budget, and needs. Just make sure to vet each listing and consider everything that is included in the sale of the eCommerce store.
You can verify all the data through Shopify so you can be sure that the numbers are verified before buying.
