The Big Idea - Entrepreneurship 101: crushing the myth
You don't need to have the "big idea" for business success; you do need to have the big vision, the big drive and the wherewithal to pursue it. Innovation is rare.

Most of us spend our time dreaming, scheming and planning with no real focus, drive or action. "Someday, I'll think up a great idea for a business." we tell ourselves. But this is today and tomorrow doesn't really count. Where will you be in five years? You'll either be doing what you started to do today, for the fifth year, or still be thinking about what you might do in the future, but be five years older.

The point is, do you have something of value to pursue now. Do you see value in the tangible and the intangible? Do you see what others might value and how you can deliver it to and for customers and consumers? Do you have any Web Assets? Remember, value is not a reflection of what you want or need, it is a reflection of what a "market" wants and needs. What you "like" doesn't really matter much in business. If you never have done so, take a Marketing course.

In this lesson we are focusing on  identifying the "values" you can bring to the business venture and determining how to present them so that consumers see, perceive and receive the values presented by your Website. If your business venture fails to "add value" to the customers purchase  and/or consumer experience, then you will fail as a business.

Website Shopping Values - Let's look first at what Web site shopping provides for the customer.

Marketing Channel/Distributor Role Values - The role you play in getting products where they are wanted, when they are wanted is another way of adding value for  customers and consumers .

What Users Are Buying - The two charts below contain data compiled by Anders ('98) and GVU Center (10th WWW User Survey, '98). They reflect what online shoppers are currently buying. This is a function, in part, of what is offered as much as it is a reflection of what is wanted. However, it does indicate something about what online shoppers feel comfortable and confident to purchase via Web shopping.

Online Sales By Category in $ millions U.S.

Items Purchased Online

Web Assets - The things you have that can be presented online for sale; any tangible or intangible value presented for sale to customers online; products, services and information offered for sale; anything of physical, functional or psychological value as measured by the willingness of consumers to exchange their money; perceived satisfaction of wants and needs.

Truly, value is in the eye (perception) of the beholder. Otherwise, there is no explaining, Beanie Babies, the stock market, .com IPOs, MacDonald's food or Gucci handbags. The following list is designed to stimulate your thinking regarding what you might have that can be presented online such that shoppers will perceive potential value in buying from you as opposed to doing without or buying in some other manner.