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As the sports industry has invariably drawn public interest over the centuries, it is not surprising to
see its debut on the Internet. There are plenty of online sports stores, which deal with various kinds
of sports. Despite that, the Internet offers bright opportunities for those who intend to set up a sports
equipment business online. A strategic approach targeting the Internet sports community will help build
a large client base. The amount of revenue will be determined by the business model. There are several
ways to set up this business:

• Providing free classified advertising space for people interested in both used and new sports
• equipment sales
• Setting up an on-line storefront and holding an inventory of used, as well as new sports
• equipment
• Joining several affiliate programs related to sports stores and providing links and
• recommendations to their products

Business Potential

From the international perspective, the sports equipment business has a huge market, rendering a
promising potential. Sports activities are universal and only language poses some limitation.

Skills Required
The business operator should be capable of answering customers’ questions regarding the merchandise,
and hence it is necessary to be familiar with sports equipment to some extent. Website programming
knowledge would also be beneficial.

Challenges
If the business focuses on affiliate programs, a simple website design is sufficient, to accept orders
and requests through e-mails and online forms, such that the business operator contacts the client to
complete the services. The classified advertisement model requires more sophistication, to allow online
payments and the website should have a back-end for management of inventory and accounting, as
well as a front-end to interact with clients. In case the online sports store has a corresponding offline
presence, the website should have a higher level of sophistication with shopping cart and automated
delivery and payment. It is also possible to make it much more advanced to allow a high extent of
automation, with regard processing orders, payments, and managing inventory, accounting, customer
support and other tasks.

The competition in the sports industry is the main challenge. As the Internet has some of the major
sports goods stores, it is likely that they offer goods for relatively cheaper prices. Therefore, it is
recommended to focus on a particular market, so that the inventory costs are also appropriate.

Initial Employee Requirement

The employee requirement is determined by the business model and the size of the business. Further,
the automation level of the website forms a determining factor. If the classified advertising or the
affiliate program model is chosen, one employee can manage the venture, working part-time.  The e-
store model requires more employees to handle shipping and customer service.

Essentials

You obviously need to have a computer with good internet connection  , relevant software,scanner and printer. It is essential to have a website explaining your services.

Marketing

A thoughtful link plan can be applied to generate links from various sports websites, in order to reach
out to the target market.

Permission marketing is an efficient technique to notify interested visitors about updates and new
products.

Including a section for weekly or monthly specials, to allow discounts on big items, will be attractive.
Interested visitors can be notified about latest specials from time to time.

If the website focuses on a particular sport, opt-in mail lists that are accessible to the public, serve as a
good marketing tool. The mailing list must necessarily contain vital pieces of information regarding the
sport with some links for the website.

Sponsored listings campaign can be conducted with search engines, so that appropriate keyword
phrases can be bid upon.

Banner advertising campaign is also a useful technique to reach the right customers.

Dedicating a section of the website for sports memorabilia will make it more appealing, and also
generate more revenue. These objects are associated with sentimental value, owing to their use in the
past or the person who owned it. In fact they form a significant category of the sports industry.

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