iMark Interactive

Comparison shopping is a big industry with a few large companies at the helm.  The biggest sites are the likes of Shopping.com, Shopzilla, Nextag, and others.  People are starting to price compare before they purchase and they go to these type sites in order to get it done.  Have you thought of starting your own price comparison engine to make some money online?

While you can create one from scratch if you have a coder, it will be very costly and time consuming.  You will never have a change to catch up with the large players in this game.  The best solution is to get a pre-made solution that you can tweak and market yourself.  We are going to provide you with two easy ways to start your own comparison shopping engine.

DataFeedScripts.net – This company has created an out-0f-the-box solution for both the Shopping.com and Shopzilla API.  Now, you might ask, why would you try to compete with them if you are going to use their API.  We say that if you can take the time to properly market your site, you can be large like some other companies that use their API’s.  You are not going to try and beat them, but just provide yourself with an opportunity to make money online.  This script works on both API’s, but you have to choose either Shopping.com or Shopzilla as they are two different scripts.  Both cost $250 for the license, but there is no monthly fee.  You need to sign up for the Shopping.com Partner Program or the Shopzilla Partner Program first before paying for this script.  They will need to approve you into the program and if you don’t get approved, then you would have wasted $250.

Once you get in the program, you can download this script and enter your API information.  You need a web host that can handle ASP.net, which is usually a windows machine.  It would be wise to place this script on it own domain if you had the opportunity to do so.  You can change the colors and many different aspects of this script except for the API calls.  This comparison shopping script is for all the categories on both Shoppping.com and Shopzilla.  This will provide you with a general comparison shopping engine.  You can get it customized, but it will cost you.  You get paid by having someone click on the products within the script, so you are paid per click up to 80% of what Shopping and Shopzilla charge their merchants.  You can also place Google Adsense into the script as well to earn a little extra.  This is a good script that can help you earn a lot online if you are good at marketing and SEO.

DataFeedFile.com – This is a 3rd party aggregator that takes the products from merchant affiliate programs and creates a comparison shopping script for affiliates.  This is a free script and provides a basic comparison shopping script.  You will have to sign up for each individual affiliate program that you want to publish on your site.  This script is best if you plan on doing a niche comparison shopping site, like electronics or automotive.  This can be placed on a subdomain of a site you might already own or it can be used as a standalone site as well.  You can customized things to make them look good and add any advertising that you wish.  This is a good starting script to see if you can make it in the comparison shopping world and you don’t have to pay anything for it.  You do need to sign up at Datafeedfile.com as an affiliate in order to get access to this script.

While these two options might not work for everyone, they are a great starting point to see if you have what it takes to customize and market a comparison shopping engine.  These type of sites do extremely well around the holidays and if you run it properly, then you can make a good amount of money online without having to create a complex website with a lot of features.  These out of the box solutions are great for anyone and can help you earn the chance for financial freedom online.

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We bring up this topic because it is asked and talked about quite frequently, especially since the job market is floundering and slowly starting to rebound.  We want to clear up the main myth that most people do not hear or choose not to hear because it might sting a little:  Not everyone can make money online!

That’s right, we said it.  Not everyone out there can make money online.  Actually, very few people in the grand scheme of things actually make a decent living online.  The main reason for this is mainly dedication and misinformation.  There are many places out there that tell you that you can make money online with a few simple steps and they show you if you give them money for their e-book or pamphlet.  We take it from us, it is not that easy and no one will make money overnight online unless you do it illegally, which we do not condone or endorse by any means.  We want to clear up a few things for anyone looking to make money online as a full time or part time endeavor.

The main thing you need is a good idea.  There are so many websites out there and good ideas are hard to come by, but if you can put your idea to life online, then you might have a chance.  Once you get your idea, you will need to dedicate time to making it a reality.  Most people that are new to the online marketing world don’t realize that just because you make a website, people will come to it.  You need to dedicate time to marketing and SEO’ing your site properly in order to get traffic.  This can take months to a few years depending on your knowledge and dedication.  Most people we talk to have great ideas and start websites or blogs, but do not stick with them a few months down the road.  You will never have a chance to realize the potential of your website if you do not stick with it for at least 6 months to a year.  This can give you a little chance of seeing some income.

Most stories that you see online of people making 40k a month by blogging or 200k a month by using advertising programs might be true, but these people have worked hard to get where they are.  They understand that you have to dedicate your time and money wisely in order to succeed, and they know their web marketing as well.  Most of these people did not start a blog and start making money instantly.  It does not work like online, so if you are starting something with this notion, please turn back now so you are not disappointed when you do not succeed.  Dedication is the main ingredient in succeeding online and knowing how to get traffic to your site that will convert to whichever goal you wish, whether it be sales, signups, clicks out to other websites, or affiliate sales.  Once you understand this, you may have a chance to make money online, whether it be a small amount to subsidize your income or enough to live off of.  You hold your future for making money online in your own hands, so take the reins and dedicate your time to making it a reality.

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