Assess Competitors

Well in advance of opening an electronic commerce business in your town, it's worthwhile to determine how many competitors you have. We've provided the link below to help you get a list of local competitors in your city. After following the link, enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of electronic commerce businesses in your area.

• Get a List of Nearby Electronic Commerce Businesses

Gain a knowledge of how existing firms have positioned themselves in the marketplace, and then design your business in a way that sets you apart from the others.

Getting Advice from Experienced Entrepreneurs

If you want to open an electronic commerce business it's a smart move to have a conversation with someone who is in the business. If you think owners of nearby electronic commerce businesses will give you advice, think again. It'd be crazy for them to teach you the business.

Fortunately, somebody who runs an electronic commerce business outside of your community may be willing to share their entrepreneurial wisdom with you, provided that you won't be directly competing with them. In fact, they are often very willing to share startup advice with you. In my experience, you may have to call ten business owners in order to find one who is willing to share his wisdom with you.

Do you know how to find an electronic commerce business founder in a different locale who can assist you?

It's easy. Here's a link you can use to find a mentor outside of your area.

• Find Electronic Commerce Business Owners Who Might Advise You

Is Franchising the Right Option?

The odds of achieving your primary goal of growing your business immediately improve if you decide to franchise instead of doing it all on your own.

If you are thinking about opening an electronic commerce business, it's worthwhile to assess whether purchasing a franchise might be worth investigating.

The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.

• Franchise Directory