But it’s the Truth! Online Biz isn’t Cheap or Easy!

Okay, already!! Yesterday’s post about customer’s behaving badly seems to have caused some stir about my commentary. I wonder why folks don’t post a comment on the site and instead e-mail me directly with their scoldings? Don’t they want all my site visitors to see their comments — I guess not.

One person in particular took me to task about saying that to run a successful online business isn’t easy and is expensive. This person stated how it is easy compared to off-line start ups and definitely less expensive too. My commentary wasn’t comparing on to off-line, it was discussing those who literally believe — to their core — that online business is supposed to be easy and is supposed to be WAY inexpensive. Based on? This belief is based on no reality in fact but it prevails.

Easy is subjective. Many who decide they want to do business online have limited computer skills. Very few understand all the features of their e-mail and browser software and tend to not want to learn more than they have to in order to accomplish the basics. I meet their “evil twin” the moment we move beyond those basics and require they learn more in order to compete online.

Then you add the business staples, that would apply off-line by the way, like budgets, planning, processing payments, PayPal, merchant accounts, payment gateways, shipping and handling, terms of service, customer service processes and marketing strategies and all of a sudden it ain’t “easy” anymore. I hear it in their voices and I see their frustration reflected in the tone of the e-mails I receive when faced with the challenges doing business online will require of anyone who chooses to participate.

Cheap? Yes, probably compared to off-line business brick and mortars you can get off cheap online. If you are very computer savvy and technology inclinded you can do allot more yourself and save money by not having to pay folks like me. But that’s not your average online business owner. They aren’t me, they aren’t computer or technology savvy — they are frustrated by all they don’t know and at the same time, I believe there is a bit of animosity with these folks that they have to begrudgingly pay someone for something that is supposed to be so easy!

And we’re not just talking “inexpensive” we’re talking about those who have unrealistic expectations of what the cost “should” be as in not wanting to spend more than a couple hundred bucks for their entire program! Yep, that’s for an entire business site or eStore setup. Some have questioned the expense of a turnkey all inclusive $49.97 InstanteStore that has all the features and functionality you would need (and most don’t even make the effort to learn how to use properly and effectively).

So let’s talk apples to apples here and be realistic about the costs, efforts and commitment required to successfully do business online. Online is the playground of serious business folks. Folks who understand that business is business and that the staples of any successful endeavor are the core of profitable businesses on or off-line. Yes, one can chase all that fast, cheap and easy hype online (you won’t find that here) and throw good money after bad — but they won’t succeed in the long term.

Just because one thinks doing business online should be cheap and easy — doesn’t make it so. If you have comments, please do post below so that we can have an open conversation that everyone can benefit from and contribute to if they so choose.

At your service,
Judith