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Many people dream of firing the boss and starting their own internet business, working online from home. Is it really such a good idea? Absolutely, and I should know, because I have been working online from home for the past four years.

Here are seven reasons why starting your own internet business is an excellent idea.

1. Low Start Up Costs

Starting up an online business is inexpensive compared to starting up a traditional business. You don't need to rent office space. You don't need office furniture for half a dozen people. In fact, you don't need those half a dozen people either. There'll be no salaries to pay, no labor insurance to worry about.

With many online businesses you can get started with just a computer and an internet connection.

2. Good Profit Margins

Most online businesses have high profit margins due to the low direct cost of sales.

For example, take an internet business selling ebooks. The cost of stocking and delivering the ebooks is almost zero. Web hosting and a good mailing list management solution will cost around twenty to thirty dollars every month. And then you must pay a fairly small percentage of sales revenue for payment processing fees.

An ebook selling business can usually make a profit of 50-75% on each ebook if selling or referring other author's ebooks and as high as 90% profit selling your own ebooks or other information products that you write. Other online businesses experience similar profit margins.

3. Simplified Customer Service

If you've ever had to face angry customers across the counter of a retail store, then you'll appreciate the advantage of dealing with customers through the Internet.

Many potential problems can be avoided by simply providing clear and detailed information and a good frequently asked questions section. Any remaining issues can be dealt with via web forms and email.

So the few angry customers you might, and probably will, eventually encounter will not be right in your face. You will have time to gather your thoughts and check into the situation before you respond. And in the event you need to arrange any refunds on information products, you're not really out of pocket for anything except perhaps a little of your time.

4. Global Market

An online business is also a great idea because of the size of the marketplace. It's world-wide. Your internet business can easily target customers in almost every country if you choose to. With more and more people around the world getting 'online' that's an enormous market for your business.

5. Work from home

Do you hate having to commute to the office every day? Then you'll love working online. Instead of spending a good portion of your life stuck in rush hour traffic, imagine rising in the morning, reading the newspaper while enjoying your morning coffee, then simply wandering across the room and turning on your computer to start work.

One of the nicest things about working at home is you get to choose your own working environment. After all, your workspace is where you'll be spending a lot of your time, so shouldn't it be a workspace designed especially with you in mind? The desk of your dreams. A comfortable chair that your former office colleagues would kill for. Your favorite music at the flick off a switch.

6. Flexible Hours

When you are working online, you can choose to work whatever hours you like. Do you prefer to sleep late and then work through into the evening, or would you rather start at six o'clock in the morning and have all your work finished by two or three o'clock in the afternoon? It's up to you when you work and how many hours you work. But don't be fooled. Running your own business takes a lot of hours and the people making fortunes online usually work long hours, at least during their first two to three years while they are still building up the business.

Working flexible hours can really improve your quality of life because you will be able to spend more time with your family and friends. Never again will you have to miss an important family event.

7. Quick to Start

The seventh reason why working online with an internet business is a great idea is that you can start up very quickly. For some simple online business models such as article marketing and affiliate marketing you can actually be up and running and earning your first online payments within a couple of days.

Admittedly, some larger online business ventures will take months of planning and preparation, but most people getting started in online business will start out with one of the simpler, more proven, internet business strategies mentioned above.

That's seven great reasons to start your own internet business. There are certainly many more good reasons, but perhaps these seven will inspire you to start an online business of your own.