Starting an Online Business

Want to start selling on eBay, Amazon, or your own store, but don't know where to start? You're in the right place! This section is all about getting you set up with your very own online business.

Learn How to Start a Business

What's a side hustle, and do I need to register my business? What do I need to consider when deciding on a business model? All these questions and more, answered by our seasoned experts ?
How to Pay Taxes for US Online eCommerce Sellers
Calling all US sellers... have you been paying your taxes? Hopefully, it won't come as news to you that when you are making money—whether it's on eBay, another auction site, or even at a flea market—you should be paying taxes. Too many sellers simply ignore the fact that they owe the IRS a percentage of their profits. To help prevent you from getting in trouble with Uncle Sam, I've put together this comprehensive guide to paying taxes in the US. Do I Need to Pay Tax on My Online Income? Yes. It's really quite simple—if you sell anything on eBay and make a profit, you need to pay tax. Also, remember that it is against the law to not report all income to the IRS. To determine whether you have made a profit, calculate the total revenue from all your sales for the tax year, and then subtract all operating expenses. Your operating expenses include
By SaleHoo Group • 8 min. read
How to Create a Competitive Analysis (and SWOT) for Your eCommerce & Dropshipping Business
How do businesses do competitive analysis for eCommerce and dropshipping? ? Quick Answer: Competitive analysis for eCommerce and dropshipping involves looking into competitors’ products and marketing strategies, evaluating their SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and using this critical data to improve your own. Building a successful eCommerce and dropshipping business is easier said than done. There’s lots to think of—juggling the in’s and out’s of inventory, marketing, logistics, shipping, and customer service can be very overwhelming. It certainly doesn’t help that the industry is booming, and there is so much competition across seemingly any niche. And as Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” says—know thy enemy. This means prioritizing competitive analysis as a critical e
By SaleHoo Group • 13 min. read
Supplier Relationship Management: Everything You Need to Know for 2024
Supplier relationship management is an essential element of growth and success for your ecommerce business. To ensure efficiency in your operations, you must develop a mutually beneficial partnership with suppliers.
By SaleHoo Group • 13 min. read

How to Make a Website

Building your own website and store is both exciting and daunting! There are lots of things to consider and the answers aren't always obvious. Learn all the must-know nitty gritty in this section.
Building Your Online Store: A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your eCommerce Empire!
A step by step guide to successfully starting an online store on Shopify, WooCommerce and more...
By Simon Slade • 19 min. read
Unlocking the Power of UX: Top UX Patterns to Keep Visitors Engaged and Drive More Sales!
The average browser doesn't really know (or care) about the design work that goes into every website that they visit. They're only aware that they like one site, hate another, and are so-so about others. They generally don't know or understand why. In most cases the response is subliminal, which is exactly what you're aiming for. Good UX is invisible. We've mentioned in a previous article that one of the top reasons visitors abandon their shopping carts is because of bad UX. It may be a perfectly functional website with all the elements necessary for a customer to find, select, and buy items, but if it doesn't provide an enjoyable experience then you're unlikely to attract many repeat customers. Perhaps it was a hard time finding a particular button. It could be the load times were too long, or maybe they just got tired of scrolling. Nearly anything can end up causing a bad impression. In such cases, it behooves you to understand how properly designed UX patterns work.
By Simon Slade • 10 min. read
Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Online Store: A Guide to eCommerce Optimization
So, you’ve launched an online business venture, huh? That’s great.  Whether it’s dropshipping, Amazon Affiliate marketing, info products, Software as a Service (SaaS), or whichever eCommerce venture you’ve embarked on, online is where the riches are these days. While your enterprise might be profitable, I’ve got some good news for you. You can still grow even more. How? Through smart eCommerce optimization. By fine-tuning what you are already doing, you can close more sales and maximize profits. In this guide, I will give you 12 proven eCommerce optimization tips to boost your online business. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s discuss your store’s vital but unseen foundation—the store architecture. eCommerce Architecture: Your Online Store’s Foundation How you set up your store determines wh
By Neal Taparia • 7 min. read

Best Online Business Ideas

Still browsing for that winning idea for your future business? We totally get it, so we've collated all the expert resources to inform and inspire you in this section.
12 Businesses to Start with Little Money: Launch Your Entrepreneurial Journey!
Starting a business might seem like a daunting task, especially when you're working with limited financial resources. Yet, contrary to popular belief, a lack of significant capital doesn’t have to be  This guide outlines twelve proven business ideas that require little upfront capital but offer a roadblock to entrepreneurship. Today’s economy offers a wealth of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to start a business with minimal initial investment, thanks to advancements in technology, the growth of online platforms, and the availability of free or low-cost resources.substantial potential for growth. Whether you’re looking to turn a hobby into a business, create a side hustle, or develop a full-time venture, these ideas offer a path toward financial independence without breaking the bank. What is a Low-Cost Business? A venture that requires minima
By SaleHoo Group • 12 min. read
Sourcing and Selling High-Demand Products and Gifts for Men: 15 Profitable Ideas with Supplier Recommendations
Even as far back as ancient times, shopping was never quite the buzzword for men as it was for women. The primitive-communal setup of our ancestors developed women as meticulous gatherers, while men were trained to be skilled hunters. Women had to be conscientious not to pick the wrong berries, as they might poison the whole group. Men, on the other hand, needed to act quickly or their kill might duck away. This ancestral imprint gives us a clue as to why women tend to shop more than men. But, just as they aggressively targeted their prey during primitive times, modern men don't really shop, they just buy. That Cro-Magnon, fast-twitch, impulsive hunting instinct has translated into simple impulse buying in the age of information.
By Simon Slade • 8 min. read
Is the eBay Partner Network Worth Your Time in 2024? A Comprehensive Analysis
Any online seller worth their salt is always looking for ways to maximize their income. This includes adding passive streams of revenue, and one of the most popular passive streams available is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is basically the process of selling products for someone else, but without all the legwork. In many cases you can get paid for someone else's sale just by funneling buyers through to their site. The eBay Affiliate Program has traditionally been one of the most popular options for prospect affiliate marketers. It makes a lot of sense at first glance. If you're selling on eBay anyway, and you sell to visitors funneled from your own website, you can get paid twice. Of course, you can also get paid for money spent on other sellers' products. It sounds like a win-win. So why has there been so much derision, criticism, and all around scoffing mockery as to the efficacy of the eBay affiliate program? Is it really worth your time? Today's the day you find out, as we go through the data together.
By Simon Slade • 10 min. read

Best Online Business Tools

Did you find that there are more make-or-break details to running an online business than you anticipated? Fear not, these tools and guides will support you on your path to success.
10 top PayPal alternatives for eCommerce: A comparison guide
Are you looking for top PayPal alternatives for eCommerce? This is a list of the top 10 payment platforms today. Your online payment system could spell a massive difference in the success of your business.
By SaleHoo Group • 13 min. read
8 Crucial eCommerce Accounting Best Practices for Business Owners in 2024
Accounting for eCommerce is very different from other businesses and even physical brick-and-mortar accounting.
By SaleHoo Group • 10 min. read
7 Tips for Wholesale Selling Online: The Ultimate Guide to Profitable Wholesaling
Starting a wholesale business requires the right kind of knowledge, whether building it from scratch or incorporating it into an existing venture.
By SaleHoo Group • 13 min. read
In-depth Courses

Fast-track your success with in-depth eCommerce training from the pros

Learn how to successfully build, launch, and grow your online store with courses taught by world-renowned eCommerce professionals. Exclusive to SaleHoo.
Dropshipping on Shopify

The ultimate guide to building a successful dropshipping store using Shopify. You’ll learn how to choose the right product & supplier, build your store & drive traffic & sales.

Amazon Product Launch

A step-by-step, in-depth guide to launching your first product on Amazon (or any marketplace!) and building a full-time income online in just six days.

Contributing authors