A dinner table is reserved for Wilfred Voss and guest! We’re also giving away a FREE laptop computer! FREE MP3 Player for everyone! FREE meal for you and your guest!

Wilfred, discover how entrepreneurs and small business owners are creating incomes using the Internet. Also, learn how people are making money using Google, Yahoo, eBay, and MSN.

And I say: Welcome to the biggest dog and pony show in America!

It happens about once a year that I am invited to an Internet Income Training Conference in the local neighborhood. I attended once before, just for the kicks of it, and it was what I call a dog and pony show. It is surprising to see so many people gullible enough to fall for their scam.

They will tell you stories about the regular guy who started his online business, and these days he sits at the swimming pool of his five-million-dollar villa in Florida, sipping his vodka-martini, shaken not stirred. He checks into his online system once a day just to check the sales. The money just flows 24 hours a day, 365 days a year right into your checking account. They won’t mention customer service, product shipment, merchandise return management, accounts payable, tax preparation, liability insurance, etc. Heck, when you make ten million dollars a year, you’ll have people to take care of that…

In this last case, C. Kevin Oliver – VP Conference Relations (the title alone cries out bull…), promises heaven and offers a bunch of free gifts just to attend the conference. My thinking is, that somebody has to pay for these gifts. If they rent a 100+ capacity conference room and have gifts (including a FREE computer drawing – I’m not kidding) for everybody, we are talking about major marketing expenses, and somehow they must be looking for a return of investment!

Don’t be fooled, their service will cost you an arm and a leg! Go to reputable websites like Daddy.com, eBay.com, etc. and create your own online store with minimal costs involved!

The conductor of the training, storesonline.com (they don’t provide a real company name), will do everything to talk you into signing a contract with them.

But be warned: Starting and running an e-commerce website is easy, and you can find out how by simply buying a book (See list below), rather than signing a contract with storesonline.com.

And yes, you can create income through the Internet, provided you have a product to sell. But this is where the problem starts. The question is, do you have a product? If yes, you’re in good shape, but I doubt the majority of the conference attendees have the glimmer of an idea.

And yes, you can create income through Google, Yahoo, eBay, MSN, and others. If you’re really good you will make about $120 per month, and this may happen after a year or two of major blood, sweat, and tears. See also my post Does The Google Adsense Get-Rich-System Work?

The scam starts when businesses provide you information (they never promise success) on how to start your own e-commerce business. In addition they have the solution for you, like a website and online store service, all this for a big fee (setup fee, monthly fee for the website, monthly fee for the e-commerce system). You will easily end up with an initial investment of 1,000+ Dollars and monthly fees around $100 per month.

For a comparison: I pay roughly $150 a year to maintain several websites including e-commerce capability. You get there by educating yourself.

Last, but not least, if you received one of their invitation: By all means, do attend! Get a free meal, and get your free gifts. Just don’t sign a contract. You will find that my information is correct.

Literature on running your own online business

As I mentioned before, educate yourself simply by reading literature on the topic. Here is a short list of recommended works, and they are all available through Amazon.com. Please feel free to browse for more books at your local Barnes & Noble, Borders, or online bookstores.

This comprehensive, market-leading text emphasizes the three major driving forces behind e-commerce—technology change, business development, and social issues—to provide a coherent conceptual framework for understanding the field. 

The Revolution is Just Beginning; E-commerce Business Models and Concepts; The Internet and World Wide Web: E-commerce Infrastructure; Building an E-commerce Website; Online Security and Payment Systems; E-commerce Marketing Concepts; E-commerce Marketing Communications; Ethical, Social, and Political Issues in E-commerce; Online Retailing and Services; Online Content and Media; Social Networks, Auctions, and Portals; B2B E-commerce: Supply Chain Management and Collaborative Commerce.

The internet has changed how business is done. It has created a whole new world of search engines, web hosts, venture capital funding, business-to-business e-commerce and tech-savvy customers. At the same time, it has leveled the playing field, making it possible for small businesses to compete against established companies and strike it big. The reality byte is that e-business entrepreneurs can make more profit than ever before—if they have the right knowledge.

Start Your Own e-Business provides that knowledge, enabling you to compete on a whole new level. Armed with a comprehensive understanding of the web and the technical skills necessary to excel, you’ll learn how to skillfully navigate your way through this virtual university of opportunity.

Let this guide lead the way, as it:

· Reveals secrets for growing bigger, faster by finding a niche, getting funding, building partnerships and tapping international markets · Highlights pointers, pitfalls and words of wisdom from successful pioneers, CEOs of name-brand sites and small dotcom builders · Offers a complete course on website building, from getting started on a shoestring budget to using advanced techniques sure to attract attention

Equip yourself with the tools and knowledge needed to survive and thrive on the web. Join the thousands of entrepreneurs who have harnessed the power of the internet to reach millions of people worldwide, compete with the big guys and grow a successful business. This guide and a solid business idea are all you need to succeed.

‘The Complete E-Commerce Book offers a wealth of information on how to design, build and maintain a successful web-based business…. Many of the chapters are filled with advice and information on how to incorporate current e-business principles o

Make your e-commerce vision a success with this comprehensive, step-by-step handbook. Whether your company is a startup or well-established, you’ll learn how to plan, implement and operate a successful e-commerce site — from selecting the right software and Internet service provider through effectively marketing your online business.