Today you can buy almost anything on the Internet. Most retailers now have an Internet business website that complements their physical storefronts. E-commerce sites that sell strictly on the Web are proliferating. And for budding entrepreneurs, or simply folks who want to sell off their treasures, there are sites such as eBay’s well-know auction site. If you are ready to start a company based on your online, eBay, or Internet business idea read on.

We’ve grouped the following resources together as a starting point for your research into what it would take to start your own Internet business, eBay business or online business. In addition to the free content (such as sample business plans that you can read in full online), you will also find links for additional tools and products to help you move from the “where do I begin?” research step to the “how do I get started?” step — when you’re ready.

Online Store, eBay, and Internet Business Sample Plans

Looking for inspiration? Check out our Retail and Online Store sample business plans. See how others like you got started and turned their Internet business idea into a reality. These plans can be read fully online. All of these plans are available in LivePlan.

Clothing E-commerce Site Business Plan
In this sample business plan, Liquid Culture will drop-ship the latest fashions to customers around the country via its online store.

Maternity Clothing Online Business Plan
ExpectingU.com is an example of an innovative Internet business plan, finding profits where maternity clothing and college sports connect.

Print Shop Website Business Plan
PrintingSolutions.com is being designed as a global Internet printing services/print shop who is focused on reducing the overall printing price structure, in addition to enabling business-to-business transactions for printing presses and the graphic art design industry.

Children’s Website Business Plan
InteliChild.com offers bright children an entertaining place to interact with each other, the Web, educators, and the world in general. The site will market and sell selected toys, books, and software products.

ISP Business Plan
Web Solutions, Inc. (Web Solutions) is an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Web Solutions is a company driven to provide customers with a complete solution to their entire current and future Internet and private network needs. The company’s customer base includes all consumers and all small- to medium-sized businesses, including start-ups.

E-commerce Retailer Marketing Plan

Once you’ve decided on the type of business you want to start, you must also plan how you will reach your potential customer market and how you will convince them they want to do business with you. That’s what marketing is all about. See how Nature’s Candy targeted its ideal online customer base.

Start a Business Resource Kit

Looking for more resources to help you start your eBay business? This free online business planning toolkit includes a presentation by business planning guru Tim Berry, a set of business calculators, sample business plans and more. Launch the toolkit

Articles on Running an Online, eBay or Internet Business

EBay has made running an online business even easier than before, but you still need to understand your customers and have a solid business strategy. These articles offer hands-on advice from experienced e-business entrepreneurs.

Online Marketing Without Spam
Your Internet Website in the Mind of Your Customers
Steps to Starting an Online Internet Business
Tax on Internet Sales
And more…

Additional Sample Business Plans in BPP

These, and dozens of other sample business plans who sell online, as well as the fully viewable plans listed above, are available in LivePlan.

E-commerce Retailer Business Plan
Executive summary (excerpt only)
Nature’s Candy sells naturopathic and homeopathic supplements with a business plan that targets the intersection of an aging population and growing Internet use.

Ecommerce Fabric Store Business Plan
Executive summary (excerpt only)
Read how Gaian Adventure Fabric and Notions plans to sell outdoor fabrics online.

Home, Garden Gifts Online Business Plan
Executive summary (excerpt only)
This sample plans explains how the owners of Grapevine Country Gifts will use the equity in their house to fund expansion of their click-and-mortar business.

Online, eBay, Internet Business Start-up Kit

This informative business binder provides the essential knowledge you need to plan and start an eBay business. It covers such basics of the online retailer business as Web store considerations, facility requirements, legal requirements, finance, marketing, operations, and more. Also included in this start-up kit is a copy of LivePlan software, the world’s best-selling business plan software.

Direct Selling Industry Research

Get valuable financial intelligence and industry trends for online retailers and related Internet businesses in a direct selling establishments industry research report. We provide detailed reports with five years of financials, business ratios, and more. Better yet, our direct selling establishments industry reports are available at the U.S. national, state, and even county level, so you can really understand the local competitive environment. Start your market research the easy way.

Browse industry research reports such as SIC Code 5963, Direct Selling Establishments.