Bloggy Business Today

Electronic commerce or e-commerce is the marketing process of buying or selling products or services over computer network such as internet. This form of business is growing each year, the proof are the increasing number of e-commerce websites. The competition is strong, that is why those who are planning to enter to this kind of business should be careful in setting up the details.

Here are the simple ways to create an electronic commerce (e-commerce) website

1. Select a good domain name
2. Make sure to register at different search engines
3. Create an effective website content that will connect to local and international market
4. Offer various payment options
5. Pay attention to different things for consideration when doing international business such as shipping and other sales service.

Creating website content considered as a critical process, because this will serve as the heart of the business. If the content looks awful or terrible, no one will trust the site. Build an e-commerce site that will surely drive shoppers. Here are the few tips in making a website content for e-commerce.

1. User-friendly….One reason why shoppers do buy products through internet is to save time and the least that they want is the complicated site. Simplicity is one of the keys to an attractive e-commerce site. Clarify those important needed things like the kind of product you are selling, the photo, product price and where is the shopping cart located.
2. Build a site with dimensional navigation….which means product pages should linked together accordingly. This is necessary especially when your site do offer variety of products and services.
3. complete product information or technical specs – when the site offers different products and services, the shoppers might confused and ended up not buying when they see many choices but do not detect the difference between them and not sure if the specs that they are looking for are in the lists. The aim is to avoid confusion to the consumers.
4. It should specify the whole process in buying, such as the taxes, the delivery and shipping method and the product availability.

At some point, people will always have this idea in their mind. Starting a business is never easy and unless you are gifted with the golden touch of managing for success, chances are the road to success will be bumpy.

Today may not seem to be the best time to start a business but there are people who are still considering it, especially the ones left with little options as far as income is concerned.

According to a new survey by FindLaw.com, the most popular legal information Web site, 61 percent of Americans have either started or thought about starting a small business.

• Thirty percent of Americans say they have started at least one small business.
• An additional 31 percent of Americans have thought about starting their own business at some point in their lives.
• Only 39 percent of Americans say they have never started, or even considered starting, their own business.

Small businesses are an important part of the economy, generating a significant portion of new jobs. Small businesses (defined as 500 or fewer employees) employ about half of all U.S. workers and have generated more than half of net new jobs annually over the last decade, according to the Small Business Administration. There are an estimated 20 million businesses in the U.S. that consist of only the owner with no additional employees.

“Owning your own business is a dream that many people have and that many people act upon,” said Stephanie Rahlfs, an attorney and editor at FindLaw.com. “Even in difficult economic times, people often take advantage of opportunities to start a business where they see unmet needs, a chance to turn a personal passion or interest into a business, or because they want to have more control and responsibility over their work life.

“Starting a business involves many legal and regulatory requirements, including state and local licensing and registration, taxation, zoning, intellectual property and financing,” cautions Rahlfs. “Knowing what the requirements are, what information you’ll need, and where to find good advice and help are essential. Research has found that businesses that make it through the first four years have a much better chance of lasting long-term.”

Free Internet resources, such as the FindLaw Small Business Center, can provide helpful information on starting and managing a small business. The FindLaw Small Business Center covers first steps for starting a business, incorporation and business structures, business laws and regulations, finance, taxes, business forms and contracts, and a directory for finding attorneys who specialize in small business.

The FindLaw survey was conducted using a demographically balanced telephone survey of 1,000 American adults and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus three percent.

In today’s world of instant gratification and on-demand demands, business communication not only has to be effective, but it also has to be quick.  With 24-7 access to messaging technology, there is really no excuse any more for “not getting back to you.”

Here are some helpful hints for getting the most out of your business e-mails:

•  Short and Sweet: Get to the point.  This is not your opportunity to wax poetic about the weather or the game on tv last night.  If you expect people to respect your time, respect theirs first.
• Don’t send an e-mail just to chat:  If you want to chat, call someone on the phone after hours.  Make it clear what you want out of the e-mail.  You may want to make the crucial parts stand out by putting them in bold or italics, or even bold italics
• Keep the slang on the down low: Fo-shizzle.  Slang and jargon has its place (like here or here), but not in large doses in your business communication.  And steer clear of the high school teenager lingo (LOL, OMG, BTW, ROTFLMAO, etc.) You never know who might see your e-mail.  Choose your words carefully
• Proofread: It iss troo dat da mynd can prawsess (vairee kwiklee eye myte add) enkorecktlee speld wurds, but dew ewe reel-lee wahnt 2 puht yoor wreedur thru thaht.  Any word processing software made in the last 20 years has some level of SpellCheck.  Take the extra 30 seconds of care and use it.  Unless yew theenk itz kewl to Miss Pell wurdz …

This is the third in a three-part series discussing tax strategies for businesses and business owners.

Mistakes are a part of life.  We all make them.  Learn from them and grow from them.  And try to avoid repeating them.  As a new business owner, it is not uncommon to make mistakes when preparing one’s first tax return.  By learning from the mistakes of others, you can turn your inexperience into a strength by doing things the right way from the get-go. 

Here are a few of the most commonly made mistakes made by small business owners in preparing their taxes: 

• Not tracking all reimbursable expenses – Whenever possible, try to pay for expenses out of a company bank account or corporate credit card.  If you must pay in cash, keep a detailed accounting of these receipts so that “your company” can reimburse you.  If you forget to track these expenses, you may not be able to recoup all of these expenses on your personal return
• Overstating your deductible business gifts - You may be the most generous small business owner in the world, but play it close to the vest for uncle sam.  Don’t claim $6000 in gifts if you’re not prepared to prove it.  Excessive gift deductions is a common red flag that can put you right in the crosshairs of IRS examiner.  Stay off the radar.  As a new business owner, you do not want to invite more scrutiny than you absolutely have to.
• Dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s: Respect the sanctity of your first tax return.  Make sure your social security numbers and tax identification numbers are all accurate.  And then double-check it again.  Check your math.  With a calculator.  Not in your head.  And don’t forget to sign your return.  Once completed, send the return by certified mail.  Lost in the mail goes right up there with “the dog ate my homework” on the Mount Rushmore of excuses.
• Don’t  be afraid to ask for help – Find a good tax professional in your area who you trust.  Don’t make unnecessary mistakes just because you think you can do it all by yourself .  Live to fight another day. 

This is the second part in a three-part series exploring tax-saving strategies for businesses and business owners

Did you start a new business in 2007?  Or take over an existing company or franchise?  If so, in the next few months, you are going to have to deal with your first-ever business tax return.  For many new business owners, this process can be intimidating, stressful and fraught with peril.  How can you avoid this potential headache come tax time?  By being prepared.  That’s how.

One of the best ways to prepare is by working with a CPA or tax professional.  Aure, you can complete your business taxes on your own, but why risk making a critical mistake when you don’t have to.  You may even be tempted to purchase one of the many tax preparation software packages available on a retail basis.  But you wouldn’t perform surgery on yourself (even if you did stay at a Holiday Inn Express), would you?  If you can afford it, leave the heavy lifting to a professional.  Don’t let your ego get in the way of doing the absolute best that you can for yourself financially.  Bite the bullet and find someone competent that you can trust.  A good account should not be very hard to find.  Check with your local Chamber of Commerce or CPA association for a referral.  Or ask a friend or colleague to recommend a professional. 

 According to a recent Kiplinger’s article, you should try to keep the following items handy when preparing for your inaugural business tax return.

•  The previous year’s business tax return — This would be especially helpful for those who may have purchased an existing business or participated in a change of ownership at their current company
• Articles of incorporation
• Partnership agreement
• Accounting records — This may seem self-evident, but these documents are the very basis of your tax return.  Whether you are using a software package like Quickbooks or keeping an accounting ledger by hand, it is critical to keep these records organized and accessible
• Bank Statements — These are usually a good failsafe for any income/expense accounting that you may already be doing
• Credit Card Statements — These statements will usually catch all the day-to-day expenses that fall through your record-keeping cracks.  Many credit card companies (like American Express and Visa) provide a complimentary year-end summary statement for this very purpose
• Payroll Reports
• Details of Assets Purchased — This will help you determine potential deductions and depreciable assets
• Depreciation Schedules
• Detail of Asset Dispositions — If you sold any equipment or business-owned property during the previous year, you’ll need to have accurate cost basis and sale information to calculate any capital gain or loss
• Vehicle information — Keep all your mileage and gas receipts

As the familiar adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Get organized while you still have the time.  Don’t give in to the temptation to procrastinate.  Stay ahead of the game and always be prepared for what lies ahead.  Your accountant — and your bottom line — will thank you.