Best starting point to create an online shop?

[trickobrien]

Seem to be going around in circles on this one.Keyword search volumes and competition isnt producing any clear solution.

Would prefer to stick to free traffic initially

Every idea seems saturated already.

 

[Alerner]

Take your 3 best options, stick up one page on each and test them with an Adwords campaign. You'll find which one is actually giving you some conversion after a week or so ... you'll find better articles written about doing this but that is the gist ...

 

[link8r]

Are you trying to find a niche or open market?

 

[php.allstar]

We had a discussion on adult stores a few weeks back. Not sure what the saturation level is but the margins can be huge.

 

[link8r]

You've some great contextual links there for some rather stiff margins

(apologies for lowering the tone)

 

[link8r]

Google bought a UK-based "compare the market" type company, BeatThatQuote, for £37 million a couple of months back (March '11)

Google buys BeatThatQuote | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Google doesn't seem to like affiliate / marketing type businesses - it wants people to go direct to suppliers / manufacturers / providers - doesn't like "no added value" middlemen. Don't shoot me - just making an observation.

I presume they'll add it to their "Shopping" search-widget. Pity, was of £36million to begin with (IMHO) for Google.http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/07/google-buys-beatthatquote

 

[mneylon]

Google US links to a lot of comparison shopping sites ..