Looking to start a business? If you want something with big potential that doesn’t take much startup capital, consider an online service of some type. A major shift toward purchasing both consumer and business-to-business services online has created a slew of opportunities for would-be entrepreneurs.
For one thing, Internet usage continues to soar. Going online is now a reflex action rather than a conscious decision. Some people spend most of their day online, switching between their PC, mobile device, tablet and TV. Connection speeds have increased sharply and businesses as well as consumers are doing more and more things online.
Online Retail & Services Soar
According to a new study by the research firm IBIS World, the biggest money making opportunities are in the retail and service sectors. And here’s more good news: Many of the things once done only by the most tech savvy big businesses are now within range of small operators with little or no tech expertise. Basically, you can tap into whatever tech or expertise you need by using third-party vendors to develop websites, provide e-commerce capabilities and much more.
And the cost of Internet storage has never been cheaper. These factors and others have combined to make starting an online business easier, quicker and less costly than ever.
Here are eight types of high-potential businesses that are easy to get into and are experiencing major changes of the kind that spell big opportunities.
1. TV and Home Theater Installation
Few industries are as fragmented as this, or as easy to enter with little capital. Some 94% of U.S. households have a TV; 84% have a DVD player and about 25% now have a home theater. It’s now a $12 billion industry, although you’ll definitely need to keep up with fast changing technology.
2. Virtual Data Rooms
The VDR industry is growing quickly at about 16% annually since 2008, with revenue expected to reach $728 million in 2013. The proliferation of online document sharing services has helped the industry flourish. With low barriers to entry, IBIS World expects this industry to expand at an annualized rate of 17% over the next five years.
3. IT Security Consulting
This industry has benefited from increasing adoption of e-commerce, growth in mobile Internet access and some high-profile data breaches. Over the last five years, revenue increased at an annual rate of 9.8% to $5.3 billion. As businesses buy more and more computers and software, the need for IT security advice grows.
4. Travel Agencies
Outdated storefront travel agencies are giving way to online services, which offer a relatively high-profit, low-cost way to handle transactions. This segment of the industry has grown significantly and will likely continue to display strong growth during the next five years.
5. Online Shoe Sales
Consumers love buying things online – especially shoes, accessories and the like. Industry revenue has been growing at a robust 16% annual rate. Every year, more than 100 million Americans purchase goods online, one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have an opportunity to enter the online realm and recapture sales taken by retailers that operate exclusively online.
6. Digital Forensic Services
This industry has also benefited from growth in mobile web connections and a rise in the percentage of households with at least one computer. The amount of information stored electronically is skyrocketing. Digital forensics helps find and analyze digital information for various legal purposes. While there are few prohibitive licensing or regulatory barriers, this business does require more capital than others.
7. Translation Services
Globalization and an increasing number of non-native English speakers in the U.S. have helped fuel growth here. The Internet has also fostered demand for translators because businesses expanding into new countries must adapt websites and marketing materials to the new region. Technology has helped automate some of the process, improving the speed and accuracy of translators.
8. Social Network Game Development
This industry has grown an astounding 184% per year during the past five years, driven by surging Internet and social network use. As smartphones and tablets proliferate, people can now access social networks anywhere, any time. Indeed, according to a report from research firm Nielsen, consumers spend 20% of their total time online using social networks on personal computers and 30% of their time online visiting social networks on mobile devices.
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