SYO E-Business.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Entrepreneur Press, Publisher Cover Design: Jane Maramba Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions © 2012 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to the Business Products Division, Entrepreneur Media Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. e-Business: Entrepreneur’s Step-by-Step Startup Guide, 2nd Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-464-7 Previously published as Start Your Own e-Business, 2nd Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-192-9, © 2009 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved. Start Your Own Business, 5th Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-387-9, © 2009 Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America 16 15 14 13 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Preface . xi Introduction Riding the Web to Riches . xv Chapter 1 The Internet Gold Rush . 1 A New Set of Rules . 2 Reaching Their Peak . 4 Fighting Irish . 5 Sweet Dreams . 7 Chapter 2 Ten Reasons You Should Be Online . 9 Chapter 3 Dotcom Dreams . 13 Chapter 4 Should You Shutter Your Brick-and-Mortar Store? . 19 Moving Out . 20 į Having It Both Ways . 21 Double Vision . 21 Who’s Minding the Store? . 23 Chapter 5 Web Site Building 101 . 25 Know Your Purpose . 26 Getting Started . 27 Start Your Own e-Business StartYour On a Shoestring . 27 Puttin’ on the Glitz . 28 Testing, Testing . 30 Online Storefront Solutions . 31 Advanced Tools and Tricks . 33 Chapter 6 The Ten Most Deadly Mistakes in Site Design . 39 Chapter 7 e-Chat with OneTravel.com’s Michael Thomas . 43 Chapter 8 Cheap Tricks with BlueSuitMom.com’s Maria Bailey . 49 Chapter 9 Nuts and Bolts of Web Hosts and Domains . 53 Master of Your Domain . 55 What’s In a Name? . 56 Chapter 10 The Scoop on Business-to-Business e-Commerce . 57 Taking Care of Business . 58 The Many Faces of B2B . 59 Liquidation.com . 59 Elance.com . 61 Bulbs.com . 62 A Slam Dunk? . 64 Chapter 11 e-Chat with Autobytel’s Jeffrey Schwartz . 67 vi į Chapter 12 Contents Cheap Tricks with AllLotto.com’s Fred Weiss . 73 Chapter 13 The Secrets of Venture Capital Funding . 79 Making Connections . 81 Looking Good . 82 Funding in Hard Times . 83 Inside Information . 86 Chapter 14 Financial Angels Explain Why They Fund Start-Ups . 89 Chapter 15 e-Chat with WorldRes.com’s Eric Christensen . 95 Chapter 16 Cheap Tricks with RedWagons.com’s Tony Roeder . 99 Chapter 17 Cashing In on Affiliate Programs . 103 It All Clicks . 104 Adding It Up . 105 Solid Links . 105 The Dark Side of Banners . 106 New Alliances . 108 Chapter 18 Teaming Up with Big Brick-and-Mortar Companies . 109 Risky Business . 111 Forging Ahead . 114 Chapter 19 e-Chat with e-Bags.com’s Peter Cobb . 115 Chapter 20 Cheap Tricks with No Brainer Blinds’ Jay Steinfeld . 119 Chapter 21 Web Site Traffic Builders . 123 vii į Baiting Your Hook . 124 The Most Bang for Your Buck . 125 A Direct Approach . 127 News Flash . 127 Special Delivery . 128 Stick It to Me . 129 Chapter 22 Start Your Own e-Business StartYour Secrets 0f Search Engines . 133 Getting Listed . 134 Engine Trouble . 135 Rank and File . 135 Directory Assistance . 137 Paid Placement . 138 Chapter 23 e-Chat with Drugstore.com’s Peter Neupert . 141 Chapter 24 Cheap Tricks with eHolster.com’s Tom Traeger . 145 Chapter 25 Accepting Credit Cards . 147 Taking Credit . 148 Secure Horizons . 148 Chapter 26 e-Chat with Buy.com’s Scott Blum . 151 Chapter 27 Cheap Tricks with BowlingConnection.com’s Gary Forrester . 155 Chapter 28 Tapping International Markets . 159 Foreign Affairs . 160 All Aboard . 161 Chapter 29 e-Chat with Proflowers Inc.’s Jared Polis . 163 viii į Chapter 30 Contents Cheap Tricks with Fridgedoor Inc.’s Chris Gwynn . 167 Chapter 31 Knowing Your Customers . 171 Log Rolling . 172 Analyze This . 173 Getting to Know You . 175 Survey Says . 175 Going to the Polls . 176 Private Eyes . 177 Too Close for Comfort . 178 Confidence Boosters . 179 Chapter 32 Customer Service for Success . 183 Chapter 33 e-Chat with Netflix’s Reed Hastings . 187 Chapter 34 Cheap Tricks with FrugalFun.com’s Shel Horowitz . 191 Chapter 35 Security Holes, Fraud, and More Bad Stuff . 195 Chapter 36 A Tour of the Web . 201 River of Dreams . 202 In Full Bloom . 204 Pushing the Envelopes . 206 It’s In the Mail . 207 The Right Dose . ..