If you are trying to balance your children with your work, or if you just like the idea of working at home, it couldn't be easier these days to earn with an online store. There are several ways of doing this and you don't need to know a thing about shops or selling! You can learn as you go. There is a wealth of useful information online.

First of all, there is eBay, which nearly everyone has heard of. eBay is the world's largest online store and it is possible to have your own store there. There is an extensive help section on eBay, so you can learn everything about eBay stores before deciding to open one. The choice of what to sell on eBay is vast and the best way to decide is to pick something you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Do you love jewelry? Open a jewelry store. Are you a keen golfer? Sell golfing supplies. It is important to stick to one area (unless you want a bargain basement 'everything for a dollar' type store). Would you rather buy a beauty product from a store specializing in beauty products or a store selling beauty products, computer supplies, board games and goldfish tanks? Exactly. Stick to what you know best.

Another way to earn with an online store is to set up a website and use affiliate links. You need to get a domain name (this is cheap - from $25 a year) because yourshopname.com looks more professional than yourshopname.freesite.com and will be trusted more. Next, you need to decide what to sell and make your website look good. You can either do this yourself, using a template or by experimenting, or pay someone to do it. There are many affiliate sites online. Have a look at webgains.com, i-to-i.com or cj.com for inspiration. When you join an affiliate program, you need to place links for that product on your website. When somebody buys from you, you get the commission. You can have a large range or a small one and using affiliate links should be free.

If you don't want to use eBay or affiliate links, you can make or source your own products to sell online. You could make beauty products, children's toys or knitwear. You could import stock and sell that. Obviously, that would take some research and cash upfront but everyone has to begin somewhere. Just bear in mind that there is fierce competition with online stores, so if you plan to do this as a living rather than a hobby, you will need to devote time to learning about the internet and selling online.

Crucial to whether you will be successful or not is advertising. There is no point in spending time and money cultivating a professional-looking store if nobody can find it! There are many ways to advertise, both online and offline. You can advertise for free using link exchanges. You could make leaflets for friends and family. You could even advertise in your local newspaper.

Be creative, stick to products you understand and are interested in and you have a good chance to make a lot of money with your online store!