For anyone contemplating starting an online business the question of the day is what to sell online. You not only need to know what to sell on the internet but you need to know what sells well.

There are many specific answers when it comes to this question but probably the best answer is people buy products online that they don't need to smell, touch or examine. They want products that they are fairly familiar with or products that don't carry an element of surprise upon receiving them. In other words, they have a pretty good idea of what it is they are getting.

For example, Amazon.com does very well because there's no more mystery to buying a book online than if they were in the book store purchasing the book. You can't feel or touch a book online but the internet might even be better because it offers reviews and ratings that you may not get in a bookstore. Also, shipping is generally fast and easy. This concept also holds true for music, videos and CD's. They all sell very well online.

Travel sells well online. Using the internet is easier than making a trip to the travel store and again, you know exactly what you are getting. The internet also makes it easy to comparison shop for the best ticket prices. Offering comparison shopping is a key factor to a successful business online and the internet has been a huge success in this area.

People often go to the internet to buy what is familiar. Electronics are hot categories for consumers but some don't do as well online because buyers like to feel them, turn them on for clarity and test all the features of the product. Unless someone has seen a particular item in person, tested it out and knows exactly the style and model it is that they want, they're not as likely to go shopping online and buy it over the internet.

Items that are hard to find sell well online. If you offer a unique product that can't be found in stores people are more likely to purchase online. This is especially true for the more rural areas of the country where it's harder to find certain products. Here people will turn to the internet to find what they need.

For all other products there is virtually very little that does not sell online nowadays. Of course some things sell better than others. For example, it makes sense that common products that you can buy at the local store don't sell well online, but if you can identify unique products and focus those products to their target markets you may have a winner.

Anyone can experience healthy sales for any product sold online by following some of the guidelines that make sales a success. Ease of shopping. You have to make it easy for the online shopper. Your site has to be set up so that the shopping experience and checkout aren't frustrating. If you've ever bought anything over the internet think about what it is you liked or didn't like about the experience. Certainly don't offer what you didn't like and make what you did like even better. Clear information and quality pictures or photos. Always provide as much information about your products as possible and always post a clear picture or photo. If the photo isn't of good quality then your viewer won't consider you a quality site. Get them as close to touching, feeling and smelling the product as possible.

Fast or free delivery. Provide shipping information to your viewers somewhere on your site. Don't force them to place the order to find out how much shipping is. Be upfront about the costs. If you offer free shipping, post that as an advantage on your front page. Recent reports show that free delivery is the third most important factor in attracting repeat customers. The first two were online security and price.

Always include an 'About' page. Your about page should have your business name, address and a phone number. What sometimes tips the scales in your favor is the ability for people to find out who you are and where your are. They need to feel they are dealing with someone honest and genuine. They want to know that they can contact you if necessary.

Provide security shopping Use secure servers for ordering and post your security measures plainly.

Offer competitive pricing. Do your research and offer pricing that will appeal to your buyers. If your price is higher than your competitors explain why and what features or quality measures justify your prices.