Auctions As an Online Business Opportunity

A Home Business Article Contributed by Elizabeth Fox-Wise

Selling at Online Auction Sites is the Most Popular Online Business Opportunity

Becoming an Auctioneer ranks as the most popular online business opportunity. Some surveys have found as many as 1 out of every 3 American households have at least one family member who is doing some kind of online auction sales.

Most respondents are reporting that the income generated from their online auction houses is helping their families get through the recent economic down turn by taking care of some of the extras that families always need. Many have used this online business opportunity to replace extra part time jobs that they had been forced to take to keep up with increasing costs of goods and services. Several say that it has replaced their twice a year garage sale that they used to host to clear out all of the excess accumulated in the past year.

But are Online Auctioneers Using This As a Tag Sale or an Online Business Opportunity?

Both. Although the majority of online auction sellers do not support their families with their auction sales, many of them do operate their auctions like an online business.

An ever increasing number of online auction sellers are generating enough money with their auctions to be considered a part time online business.

These Auctioneers can clear a couple or a few hundred dollars a week, working their business part time around their normal jobs.

In households with young children, often one partner will work outside of the home, providing a paycheck and and benefits, and the other will work inside the home operating the auction online business.

Still others , albeit a smaller, group of auctioneers - have been able to turn this online business opportunity into a thriving lucrative business that is supporting themselves and their families quite well.

Why is This the Most Popular Online Business Opportunity?

The Internet is full of so many online business opportunities to choose from. Why is selling on auctions beating all of the others out hands down when it comes to the sheer numbers participating?

For several reasons.

People are leary of scams being pulled by unscrupulous anonymous entities lurking in cyberland. This fear is not unjustified, as the numbers of people filing reports with the BBB each day regarding an online business opportunity, will testify.

Most online business opportunities that you find on the Internet will have a start up cost associated with it. Some may have ongoing membership or royalty fees. None of them will guarantee an income. Most involve the risk of capital. Some start up fees may be low (under $100) but other online business opportunities have larger start up or franchise fees sometimes in the thousands.

Selling on online auctions does not have any start up or membership fees. Typically, it is free to register with an online auction house, costs a small fee for each item you list, and a percentage commission on each item that sells. Since most Americans have items in their house that they do not need or want, they can get started selling at online auctions for under a few dollars!