International Business

Internet has become a lifeline for most of us. We communicate, shop, study and even date on internet, these days. It has connected people all over the world with each other. A person sitting in China can contact a complete stranger in Hawaii. This is some that couldn't have been possible in pre-internet era.

This is the main reason that millions of people around the world have made internet their source of income. Internet is being seen as a lucrative area to sell products and services worldwide. Entrepreneurs who are planning to expand their business are venturing into internet business world. But can internet really help every business to go international?

Many web designers and search engine consultants believe that internet has become an international market and anybody can find customers on it. They present internet as a golden opportunity that should not be missed.

They may be right but not entirely. Though, internet is helpful in a number of businesses, but you cannot take it for granted. A business can only work on the internet if it is run by a big company that has the capability of spending huge amounts on advertising. Internet has millions of websites selling tons of stuff. If you want to make your website popular then you will need to market it on large scale.

Plus, the product sold by the company must also have a global appeal. If the product is not useful for people around the world, then it can't be sold internationally. For example, if you are selling a technology or gadget that has been introduced in only few countries in the world, then you won't be able to make a huge mark on international basis. The same thing goes with jewellery and garments. Every country has its own style in garments and jewellery which is quite relative.

Another important factor in this is culture. There are many products which cannot be sold globally due to cultural and religious restrictions. For example, some conservative countries do not permit products like lingerie, revealing swim suits or other such products. Most Muslim countries don't buy pork or pork related products.

The same problem comes with the laws and restrictions in various countries. Different countries may have different laws about the same things. For example, countries like England and South Africa permit betting on sports but many countries consider it illegal.

Thus, the saying that internet business can sell everything worldwide is not completely true. But at the same time, some businesses may flourish on international basis. Some products and services have the international appeal to attract global buyers.

Entrepreneur must do extensive research about countries where he or she wants to sell his product. They should also choose the countries in which they want to market their products in. They must start from selling locally and slowly expand their horizons to other international markets.

Finally, we can say that the statement "internet is an international market" is not entirely a myth but we cannot even take it as the absolute truth.