Internet innovation pushes the average person’s barrier of entry into the global marketplace lower each day.  To date it has never been easier to start a business from your computer, and technological advancements are making the process simpler by the minute.  It is now possible for anyone with an internet connection to start making money off of their hobbies and intellectual property.  Scroll on to take a look at a few of the online applications, services, and marketplaces that have have dramatically lowered and even nixed any barrier of entry you may have previously faced when inquiring about entering the market for your product or service.  You do not have to be a web developer and coding expert to build a successful online startup business.  The websites and case studies mentioned below give leave you with almost no excuse not to turn your hobbies, interests, and skills into a small side-business.

The tools mentioned below go beyond the scope of the more traditional ones like eBay, Craigslist, and Amazon.  While many entrepreneurs have had immense success it is always important to look beyond the scope of what is currently successful and perhaps speculate where commerce may be headed in the future.

Etsy. Etsy is the premier online marketplace for hand-crafted items and is utilized by artists, skilled craft-makers, and designers.  Etsy has become an excellent resource to the hobbyist looking to make a few extra dollars doing what they enjoy, as well as the skilled artisan seeking to make their craft a full-time profession.  Some businesses also use Etsy as a sort of marketing tool, allowing buyers to find them via the Etsy marketplace and then directing them to their own ecommerce storefront following the initial purchase.  Charging only 20cents per listing and an almost negligible 3.5% commission fee, Etsy provides one of the smartest and most reasonable entry strategies for hand-crafting hobbyists and those looking to make their craft a full time gig.

Foodzie. What Etsy is for hand-crafted goods, Foodzie is to edible creations.  If people are always raving about your baked goods, special meat rubs, spices, or other delights and telling you that you should sell them – Foodzie allows you to easily do it!  On Foodzie you can sell anything from gluten-free macadamia nut cookies to that dry herb mix perfect for dips and dressings.  Whether you are a darn good cook looking to make a small profit or a well trained food industry expert looking to get some business going, Foodzie leaves you with no excuse not to open your own online food shoppe.  Interested sellers must apply, and once accepted are subject to a 50cent set fee as well as 20% commission fee on items sold – a rather small price to pay for how easy Foodzie makes it to market and sell your gourmet treats.

Shopify. Getting into e-commerce is relatively easy.  All you need is a product and a store.  eBay, Amazon, and eCrater all provide a platform but all are a bit restricting in their own ways.  Shopify provides aspiring online sellers perhaps the simplest ever out-of-the-box ecommerce solution.  Through Shopify, store owners can set up a storefront on their own domain name without having to mess around with hosting or script installation.  Additionally, credit card processing and other sort of add-ons or plug-ins are simply integrated at the click of a button – leaving the seller to worry about selling and filling orders rather than worrying about website uptime or script bugs.  The (minimum) $24/month cost of Shopify may seem a bit steep for those just getting started, but the simplicity, ease of use, and worry-free nature of the software make it the no-brainer ecommerce solution.

NoteHall. Meticulous note-taking students take note: NoteHall is a relatively new service which will allow you to upload and sell your class notes and study guides to other students at your university.  Not a bad gig if taking great notes is something you take pride in and think you may deserve compensation for.  NoteHall commands a hefty 50% cut of your hard work and is only available at a hand full of schools, but are looking to expand more widely in the upcoming year.

Quirky. If you have ever had an idea for a killer new product but never pursued it because you either didn’t know how or lacked the capital for R&D, design, and production then Quirky should be your new best friend.  Quirky is a social product development community where people work in collaboration to bring ideas into tangible products each week.  $99 dollars gives a good idea a fighting chance at being produced and released to the world for sale.  Quirky passes on 30cents on every $1 to the original ideator and product influencers, making it a good deal for everyone involved.

There it is.  5 services that will eliminate at least 50 of your last excuses for not starting up your own business.  The tools for success exist – take advantage of them.