Online Business with Franchising

If you’re looking to launch an online franchise, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Here, we take a look at a few of the most popular online franchised businesses and explain why they’re so successful.

Common features

Online franchises come in many different shapes and sizes, but they also share many common features. For instance, online businesses utilising the franchise model often have lower franchise fees and start-up costs than traditional companies. In part, this is due to the lower overheads associated with online franchises. There's usually no lease to cover, and it's unlikely that you'll have many employees to pay.

Online franchises are also defined by their flexibility. Franchisees can often work full-time or part-time and from home or in an office. Franchisees are more able to organise their own work schedule and fit it in around their personal life. For many, this is one of the most attractive attributes of an online business.

Read more: Buy a Business with Franchising

Online business ideas

As we’ve already mentioned, there is enormous variety in the online franchise sector. Whether you’re launching an online consultancy business or developing a business as a web-based estate agent, the internet has proven an extremely versatile business tool. While retailing is still the most popular way of making money online, there is a growing demand for web-based services and technical business solutions.

That being said, starting an online franchise business is by no means easy or assured of success. Thousands of online startups fail each year and many struggle on, barely making a profit. The internet is an enormous market, in which it's easy to get lost and disappear among countless other similar businesses. Differentiating yourself from the competition can be incredibly challenging. Consequently, it's vital that investors opt for a franchise with excellent brand recognition. Below, we take a look at five of the most interesting online investments available.

Activ Net Marketing

Activ Net Marketing is a digital marketing franchise with over a decade of experience in the industry. Both part-time and full-time positions are available, and franchisees will devote their efforts to providing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with website development. This market is still surprisingly large, with 37% of all SMEs yet to develop a web presence.

To become a franchisee, it’s necessary to raise a minimum investment of £9,995. The franchise operates a tiered pricing structure in which franchisees can invest more or less depending on the range of services they want to access. Activ Net marketing does not require franchisees to have any technical IT skills, as everything is taught on the introductory training course.

Platinum Business Partners

Platinum advertises itself as the UK's number one e-commerce franchise and is possibly the most sought-after online business franchise in the country. Platinum franchisees are trained to sell a carefully selected range of products on online platforms, such as Amazon. This means that every aspect of the business can be handled from the comfort of your own home and that you won't require any staff or a business premises.

To become a franchisee, an initial investment of at least £30,000 is required. This provides you with access to the Platinum business model, as well as 600 hours of online training, one-on-one mentoring, and regular workshops and boot camps. The business model itself is easy to replicate and requires little to no experience in online e-commerce. The franchise emerged as a by-product of the highly profitable Platinum Property Partners and utilises much of the same franchise expertise to ensure its success.

Etyres

Etyres is one of the first automotive industry businesses to take their services online. It differs from the rest of the franchises on this list due to the way that some of its services, such as fitting, are carried out physically. However, a large portion of its business is run online, and it does consider itself an e-commerce organisation.

If you’re looking to open an Etyres franchise, you’ll need to invest at least £24,000. Up to 70% of this amount can be financed by one of the major lenders, as long as your credit history checks out and you’re a suitable candidate in all other respects. In return for your investment, you’ll be enrolled on a comprehensive training programme that covers sales strategy, product expertise, marketing, and your IT systems. You’ll also receive a great deal of on-going support and help to grow your business.

GoCruise

GoCruise is one of the country's leading cruise agencies and an extremely popular travel agent. With a network of over 60 franchisees across the UK, the franchise works hard to provide holidaymakers with a cruise that's tailored to their precise specifications. As a fast-growing travel sector, the cruise industry has enormous potential and is an excellent opportunity for those looking to make a splash in the online business world.

To join the franchise, you'll need to invest a minimum of £13,000. For this amount, you'll be granted an exclusive territory consisting of approximately 250,000 potential customers and receive on-going training. With the backing of a large brand and the support of the franchisor team, you'll soon find that selling cruise holidays is a highly profitable line of work.

Families Magazine

Finally, Families Magazine produces a free magazine for parents in different areas. Currently, 4 million copies are published and distributed annually, ensuring the magazine reaches a wide audience and receives healthy sums for its advertising space.

A Families Magazine franchise costs at least £12,500, of which a major lender can finance around 60%. In return for this investment, franchisees will receive training in magazine production and sales techniques. On-going support and training are provided, and franchisees benefit from the experience and expertise of a long-standing and well-respected publisher.

Online franchises can be an excellent investment, as long as you opt for a franchisor with a good reputation and a strong support system. One of the significant advantages of the franchise model is the way new businesses can utilise existing brand recognition, and this is particularly important in the online sector.