Should I purchase the StoresOnline product or is it a scam?

Question submitted by Lola: I’ve recently spent 100 dollars to attend the StoresOnline workshop, but am worried that it’s a scam. There is a lot of negative info on them on the web. Would you mind taking a few moments and telling me a bit about your experience with them?

Answer: I am so glad that you are doing your research on StoresOnline. I can understand your concern as there is a lot of negative feedback about this company.

As a customer since November 2004, I can assure you that it is far from a scam. However, it is not a get rich quick scheme or a magic potion that guarantees success. You will have to work at it. It will require many hours of your time.

First and foremost, understand that you are not being introduced to a business. You are being introduced to a tool. The tool is guaranteed to help you build a website and be an aid for running your business, but it is not guarantee of business success. Your business success depends on you, whether you purchase the tool or not. I believe that the majority of people who are claiming to be scammed didn't grasp this concept.

With all that being said, I can say, in my professional opinion (I have a BS in Computer Science and a MS in Software Engineering), the StoresOnline tool is one of the best. There are cheaper tools and more expensive tools on the market. The compilation of features that are included is well worth the price. Having the technical experience that I have, I didn't require a lot of support from StoresOnline to build my sites. Your level of technical expertise may differ. I will say that if you are willing to commit to rearing the wealth of knowledge that is provided in the help pages and watching the video tutorials, you will quickly become an expert using the tool.

Building a website is only the first step. One of the keys to a successful online business is marketing. The tool has many features that are integrated and plenty of educational material so that you can learn how to use them correctly. However, marketing is an ever changing topic and you have to be committed to continually educating yourself even with information found elsewhere. There is a plethora of FREE information on the internet on Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You just have to be willing to read it.

As you might not know, running your own business takes a lot of effort, more effort than just working for someone else. You need to be willing to make sacrifices with your time and budget until you start to see returns. It will be a lot of work at first, but as time goes on, you can choose to slow your pace.

This is not for everyone. The tool is easy to use, once you learn it. The marketing techniques are easy to do but require a lot of repetition, which is time consuming, to make them successful. Running a business in general is time consuming and costly.

Lastly, my feedback on whether you should buy the StoresOnline tool versus another tool is "it's up to you." You need to decide what it is that you need to manage your e-commerce website and business. Compare features from StoresOnline to the other products. You may not require all that StoresOnline has to offer and will be okay with a cheaper solution. Just remember that you get what you pay for. If you are just getting introduced to e-commerce, I suggest you do some research and educate yourself on the industry. Would you open a fine dining restaurant without knowing the first thing about running a restaurant or even working in one? Even though this is a virtual business, the same principles apply.

See Also: StoresOnline Did not Scam Me!