Monday, September 11 2000		Lead Article

The Internet is one of the biggest money-spinners for
many computer users, says Vipul Verma

Fortunes, like marriages, are made in Heaven. With the Internet gaining popularity, a new dimension has been added to this eternal truth. Fortunes are made on the Net as well. All that we knew about the Internet until now was that it was the biggest source of information. In fact, the use of the Internet is much beyond getting plain information, as now it is one of the biggest sources of earnings too. The best part of working on the Net is that you just need to have a computer and the Internet connection. No need for a huge infrastructure. Moreover, you are also not required to be a graduate from Oxford to earn money. All you need to do is explore and exploit the Net.

Here is a word of caution: in the name of money, there are a lot of fraudulent activities going on the Internet. So before you take a plunge, be cautious and do not pay any money to anyone under any head.

Though the Internet-based money making opportunities are immense, yet broadly they can be categorised as under:

1)Professional activities

2)Non-professional activities

Under the professional activities, the employer offers a job on contractual basis and pays according to the terms set out initially. Here, in this case, you are supposed to have the necessary professional expertise to deliver the required services or get it done from others. Thus, if you are a professionally-equipped architect, chartered accountant, doctor, journalist, consultant, software professional or a Web designer, there are thousands of opportunities waiting for you on the Internet.

But these are for a select few, who qualify a certain professional criteria.

For all other persons, there are non-professional activities, using which they can make their fortunes on the Internet.

The non-professional activities can be further classified into three major categories:

1) Online opportunities

2) Multi-level marketing (MLM).

3) Home-based business opportunities

Online opportunities are those where you can actually work for any site and earn commissions and incentives. For example, there are earning opportunities available on the biggest Internet bookstore www.amazon.com. It has over 4,00,000 titles, and pays 15 per cent on the sale price of books and 5 per cent on over 1.1 million additional in-print titles, CDs and other products.

If you have a passion for books and know a few book lovers, you can earn a handsome amount by arranging books for them. It is one of the most popular and a genuine site. You can start with a small circle of friends and you never know where you may land up eventually.

Similarly, you can also make money by helping www.beyond.com in selling their large software selection. You can expect to earn 5 per cent to 10 per cent commission from each sale. This site was earlier known as www.software.net.

There are more opportunities available on BigStar, if you have a Web site. You can host their products on your site and help them sell their videos to earn 8 per cent commission or more, on purchases made by the visitors from the site. This site has a huge database of over 1,00,000 titles in more than 400 categories, carrying VHS, DVD and LaserDisc formats.

Similarly, on CDNow.com also, you can make big bucks and earn up to 15 per cent on purchases made through your links and sources. The commission accrued to you will be sent once you have accumulated $100 in sales.

If you have some exposure to the computer, then this could be a good opportunity. You can work with the team of professionals that helped create the Dell success story at www.handtech.com to offer Internet services, computer hardware and software, online training, and much more, all with your own Web site and earn profits.

Another great site, which is immensely popular, is www.etoys.com. It also offers opportunity to work for the largest Internet toy store. You can offer a link to this site through your Web site and can earn up to 25 per cent commission on all sales originating from your site.

Some good opportunities are also available on www.travelerShop.com. It offers great gifts and accessories designed for persons on the move. Free selective Internet-affiliate program pays an excellent commission of 15 per cent.

Though all sites mentioned herein are reputed, yet you are advised to safeguard your interest and if you work for them, insist on your payments first.

In MLM, the profits are high but at the same time there are many things which should be given due consideration before venturing into any activity. The first consideration should be what are your liabilities and stake. The second consideration should be —is this business legal? In some countries some MLM-based business opportunities are considered illegal. Therefore, by keeping your liability low and making sure that the business you are doing is legal, you can take a plunge in these activities. There are several opportunities available on the Net: you can become a distributor of the Avon mail-order beauty and fashion products by filling out the form at their site. Similarly Big Planet also offers MLM-based business opportunities to persons as sales representatives. Nu Skin Enterprises, which is one of the largest network marketing organisations in the world, is also involved in the distribution and sale of premium quality personal care and nutrition products created specifically for person-to-person distribution. Though the Internet is full of the MLM opportunities most persons are not comfortable with them due to the possibility of fraud in it.

Moreover, in majority of cases, some start- up capital is also required. However, all opportunities need not be seen with suspicion as some of these are attractive and if you think that the company and the product suits you, then it is worth taking a plunge, with due caution by keeping your liability low.

Another way of making money on the Internet is, by working on home-based business opportunities. This is a broad concept and includes virtually everything present on the Internet. Earning money from home had never been so easy as it is now by working through the Internet.

If you have a product, you can even start your mall on the Internet. If you are a teacher then the virtual world could be your ideal classroom, where students can log in to seek counselling and pay you for visiting the site. You can start a classroom with existing students, and expand with the growing demand for your services. Similarly, if you are a consultant, then the Web could be your office for offering consultancies to the world at large.

For others, the home-based business opportunity exists in telemarketing. You can even offer services from home to executives, who want to have a secretary, but cannot afford one. Here, the Internet plays a key role as all documentation work can be done at home and could be transmitted to anyone anywhere in the world. Recently, there has been a good growth in the home-based mass mailing business.

You can get in touch with the companies for the job of mass mailing both, in the postal form and via the Internet and can keep informing their clients on the latest activities, products and services. Here is a word of caution — sending unsolicited e-mail is an offence in some countries. So you should be cautious in picking up these opportunities. For genuine mails, this is a very good home-based business opportunity.

This cannot be called the end of opportunities. Rather, it can be referred to as the beginning for making money on the Internet, as these are only a few opportunities available on the Internet. Go ahead, surf the Net to make a fortune….