I just wanted to throw this out there, as an owner of several online and offline businesses (an e-commerce business w/ a retail presence and 4000 sq. ft. warehouse, web design business, offline newspaper business, etc.)

Is there a difference between business online and off? In my 6+ years in business I haven't found much of a difference myself. The principles of business, marketing, bookkeeping, etc... they all apply in both places.

What are your opinions? What are the differences, if any, between running an eBusiness and a traditional business?

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Brandon Eley
EleyTech - eBusiness Consulting Services
E-Commerce Resources | E-Commerce Web Hosting
Large Shoes for Men | My Blog and Personal Website

I've been readin up on marketing and promoting a business lately and I agree that there is no difference. Every business is different and must be approached as such. Being an ebusiness is just one factor to be considered just like you would consider who is your target audience and how do you reach them.

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John Conde
Marketing Clueless...but trying

Many of the now defunct ebusinesses thought that there was a difference and thats why they failed!!! An online business has the same issues as a offline business.

I think the only real difference is that you have to be more technically proficient in an online business than in a typical retail or wholesale business.

I look at the online business as just another distribution channel for your business.

I agree with TXA an online business is an extension of your marketing department. As was mentioned in an earlier posting, the problem that most companies got themselves in during the dotcom era was that they treated it as a separate business and they ended up competing with each other.

I agree with some of the other comments that it is basically the same but there are some key differences:

-need to be more proficient technically
-need to have some graphics experience
-have to enjoy being in front of your pc all day
-have a wider market to think about