Internet franchises are those that pioneering a way to break the online and off line business barrier by offering Internet-based and -related opportunities.
What are Internet franchises?
Internet franchises are those that offer opportunities in Internet industry, including but not limited to Internet service providers, Internet marketing services, Internet consultancies, Internet cafe, web design, Internet marketing and many more.
Due to the nature of the Internet, Internet franchises are closely related to home-based and computer franchise opportunities, as many – if not most – Internet franchises can be home-based.
How lucrative are Internet franchise opportunities?
Take WSI – Internet services franchise, for example. Despite some negative voices by ex-franchisees I read in forums, it is the best franchise in Tech Services (Internet Services) and #12 in home-based category in 2009 according to Entrepreneur.com’s Franchise 500. WSI is also onto global expansion – In 2009, there are 699 US, 83 Canadian and 686 global WSI franchises.
For new franchises in the category, there are a wide array of niches to choose from, indicating that Internet franchises are thriving and growing well. A couple of examples: Auction It Today (eBay store setup franchise) and myDestinationInfo.com (online travel guide franchise.)
Internet Franchises Caveats
I’ve been involving with webpreneurship for a couple of years (not as Internet Marketer but as web property investor,) and all I can say about Internet-based businesses is that most of them have short business life cycle – One of the fact is the ‘historical event’ of the dot com bubble burst, where Internet companies were collapsing.
Some make money online campaigns and online business startups I’ve been involved with were ‘booming’ and ‘becoming obsolete’ within 1 year. With the search engines, such as Google and Yahoo! are evolving on their own too, Internet business has became high(er) risk and high(er) gain business.
In my humble opinion, unless a franchise can cope with the rapid changes, buying an Internet franchise can be a bit of gamble, regardless the track record.
You should consult with franchise consultants and experts who have involved with Internet business for quite a long time to see whether an Internet franchise opportunity can withstand the test of time – To ensure that you have just enough time to recoup your investment and profit from the Internet franchise you buy.
What’s your opinion on Internet franchises – Are they as lucrative as advertised?
Ivan Widjaya
Internet franchises
