| Recently, I wrote about how you need to put in a fair | | | | to buy packing materials from a local office supplies |
| amount of hard work before your online business | | | | company. Of course, there is no longer any need to do |
| becomes successful - there is no such thing as an | | | | this as for several years it has been possible to get all |
| 'overnight success'. | | | | of your packing materials (and in fact pretty much |
| Despite this, setting up and running an Internet business | | | | anything else) delivered to your door. In addition the |
| is a hundred times easier today than it was, say, five | | | | prices are cheaper than the local stores too! |
| years ago. There are just so many more services and | | | | Whilst taking my packages etc the Post Office, I also |
| products available to assist you and I got to wondering | | | | used to have to visit the bank to pay cheques/checks |
| how much easier things could really get? | | | | in and then wait for them to clear. Again, this hasn't |
| This week, the UK Post Office has announced a new | | | | been necessary for years with the growth of services |
| free service which allows people to buy their stamps | | | | such as Paypal and NoChex. Now all an online trader |
| online. You simply pay for the stamps you require with | | | | needs to do is check their email! |
| a credit/debit card and then print off a label to stick on | | | | With so much of the offline world gradually coming |
| your envelope. I haven't used the service yet but as | | | | online, it is already perfectly possible to run an Internet |
| far as I can tell, the label even includes the address to | | | | business without ever leaving your house. I used to |
| which the letter is going so you don't even need to | | | | joke that if the mood took me, that I could run my |
| write it out (or print off a second label)! | | | | businesses without ever getting out of bed. This was |
| A similar service has been in operation in the US for | | | | never completely true since there would always be |
| some time but this is fairly new technology in the UK. | | | | one or two tasks that I couldn't do from the comfort |
| Just think how much time this new service could | | | | of my home but these are getting fewer and fewer. |
| potentially save the average eBay seller.... | | | | So we are heading towards a situation whereby you |
| One of the main reasons I stopped selling on eBay | | | | can build and manage your own business without ever |
| was because I couldn't stand queuing up in the Post | | | | going outside, without ever talking to anyone and if you |
| Office to get stamps for my packages. Using the new | | | | wish, without ever getting out of bed! Not only that but |
| online service, I could just print off my stamps and then | | | | this business has the potential to earn you more |
| drop all of my letters/small packages straight into the | | | | money than you would ever earn by doing the exact |
| letterbox. There would be no need to even go into the | | | | opposite (ie. going out and working). Ok, staying in bed |
| Post Office. Admittedly this might not be the case for | | | | for the rest of your life may not be the best thing for |
| larger parcels but the PO/couriers will pick these up | | | | you and the lack of social interaction would probably |
| from your house for regular senders (how much | | | | drive you mad but is it just me that finds this possibility |
| easier can it get?!) | | | | an incredible thing? |
| The other thing I used to have to do was venture out | | | | I mean, how much easier can it get? |