Starting a Business Online
Assignment One
BUS 107
April 19, 2012
Professor
1. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of taking your small business online by performing a SWOT analysis 2-4 items in each category. The online business I am going to start is Earl’s Flowers Togo. We sell flowers arrangements and candies online and we have a brick and mortar store. One of our strengths is that we sell affordable high quality flower arrangements with name brand candy. We have a website that is very internet friendly and you are able to click and drag your flowers to build your own flower arrangement with a price quote. Another one of our strengths is that we have 2 to 4 hour delivery from the time your place your order. Our weakness in the company is that we cannot deliver overseas also we are limited to what the costumer can buy online for instants if a costumer wanted a very special arrangement for someone they would need to come into the store. The opportunities for the company are great we have a niche for the market even if we can’t ship overseas we can take orders for form overseas. We have expanded our business to military bases overseas so that the Armed Forces and dependents can send flowers to love ones from where ever they are. Also with the new technologies we have Pop Ups on the websites that will catch the consumer’s eye. The possible threats my company faces are that competitors may try to sell arrangements for less or hack into our database. Another threat to the company is the change in weather if the weather is bad and causes damages to the flower chops it will drive up the price in which we can sell.
2. Because the internet connects computers all over the world, any business that engages in e-Commerce instantly becomes an international business. The key issues that any company faces when it conducts international commerce include trust, culture, language, government, and infrastructure. Explain how you would address each of these issues. According to
BUS 107
April 19, 2012
Professor
1. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of taking your small business online by performing a SWOT analysis 2-4 items in each category. The online business I am going to start is Earl’s Flowers Togo. We sell flowers arrangements and candies online and we have a brick and mortar store. One of our strengths is that we sell affordable high quality flower arrangements with name brand candy. We have a website that is very internet friendly and you are able to click and drag your flowers to build your own flower arrangement with a price quote. Another one of our strengths is that we have 2 to 4 hour delivery from the time your place your order. Our weakness in the company is that we cannot deliver overseas also we are limited to what the costumer can buy online for instants if a costumer wanted a very special arrangement for someone they would need to come into the store. The opportunities for the company are great we have a niche for the market even if we can’t ship overseas we can take orders for form overseas. We have expanded our business to military bases overseas so that the Armed Forces and dependents can send flowers to love ones from where ever they are. Also with the new technologies we have Pop Ups on the websites that will catch the consumer’s eye. The possible threats my company faces are that competitors may try to sell arrangements for less or hack into our database. Another threat to the company is the change in weather if the weather is bad and causes damages to the flower chops it will drive up the price in which we can sell.
2. Because the internet connects computers all over the world, any business that engages in e-Commerce instantly becomes an international business. The key issues that any company faces when it conducts international commerce include trust, culture, language, government, and infrastructure. Explain how you would address each of these issues. According to