e-commerce website vs. starting a blog

[indieswal]

Hello guys,

I have been looking around at several ideas for starting an e-commerce website vs. starting a blog and running some type of advertisement on it. I know this is a very general question, but which one do you think will require more time commitment to get going? It seems to be a blog will require less time and money but that might mean the return will be less.

Any thoughts?
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[Ian J]

They are both very crowded marketplaces and you could do with finding a niche product(s) so that you can differentiate yourself from the thousands of others all trying to do the same thing

[bankbars]

Hi there,
It's a good idea to get start of with that.but through earning point of view your site needs to be well optimized , need to grow older as well as strategy has to be planed great contents need to be implemented. along with that you can perform online trading.
what do you think of online trading?

please feel free to revert.

Regards

[nodenet]

If you are going into retail then you have to know your product and your marketplace before you buy any stock, online or off. If you have something to say then blog away.

[l2pllc]

I started a website which helps business owners learn how to successfully market and promote a blog and/or website online. Software like Wordpress can help you start a blog, but is also very powerful for a simple ecommerce website. For advertising, a blog is easier to initially setup and get readers interested, and is a great tool for strategies like google adsense banner advertising, and affiliate programs. If you don't have a product specifically you're planning on selling, or a service to market, a blog is going to intially be easier to setup, and provide the same advertising income potential that a full ecommerce website would.

[easycheapweb]

Blogs are a dime a dozen. You either need a subject that 'everyone' would want to read (highly unlikely you can do that) or a niche that isn't covered well BUT expect few visitors because it will be minority interest.

[tkessex]

Dependency on a blog is merely saying that you think you've got something to say that everyone else wants to listen to. The fact is, in this day and age, that's highly unlikely. Finding an untouched subject is akin to discovering the holy grail and I would suggest that only the helplessly deluded, or severely arrogant, will think they can penetrate such an overcrowded area.

Your best bet is to run an e-commerce website, and a blog, side-by-side. Success in one respect usually leads to success in the other - why would someone not want to hear the musings of the owner of their favourite online biscuit supplier (or whatever it s you may be selling)?

But, as has been said, it will take a great deal of market research and all round planning to thrust yourself into heavily populated industries.

[proson]

both do need effort in my opinion. You do need to have a unique purpose to succeed. You know there are many people who just set up a blog or website than claim to have some experiences on what they are talking about.

Think about that way I suppose, why your customer or reader will buy/read your articles/products and not your competitors?

if you can list 5 points for your customers then you will have more chance to succeed.

hopes that helps