Some of the mot popular internet home business opportunities offer you the ability to start an affiliate, direct sales or network marketing business online. This provides you with a turnkey home business that you can start right away.

There are benefits and drawbacks to these kinds of businesses, but they also can provide you with a good start and the potential for income if you choose a reputable company to work with, and if you educate yourself beforehand about the realities of what is required to succeed in these kinds of businesses.

You'll find millions of ads promising you easy riches for no work. Beware! Many internet home business opportunities look too good to be true ... and it's because they are! Don't be fooled by exaggerated income claims and lots of dollar signs, and don't let yourself be pressured into making any hasty decisions.

Don't jump into any kind of internet home business opportunity without first doing research about the company. It's very important to make sure you choose a reputable company, because your good name and your reputation are at stake. If you represent a company that you later discover is not a legitimate business, you will unfortunately be associated with them!

Here are a few questions to ask when you investigate internet home business opportunities.

How long has the company been in business? Younger companies, less than 2 years old are at higher risk for running into problems and not surviving for the long term. Check with ICop.com, the Better Business Bureau, and the FTC to see if a lot of complaints have been lodged against them.

Are their products or services of excellent quality? Without excellent products you won't have repeat customers or referrals. The better your product the more referrals you'll get!

Would you want to use the products? I always recommend buying the company products to see how good they are, and to see what kind of customer service they provide. Do they have a money back guarantee? Do they ship products on time and provide good customer service?

Are the products or services in demand? If people don't want what you're selling, your business will not thrive.

Can the products be ordered securely online and delivered promptly?

Do they pay their associates on time? Talk to other associates to find out what their experience is. Check out message boards where network marketers or affiliates post and ask their opinion. If you find a lot of unhappy folks, beware!

Call the company, talk to various employees and learn how they respond to inquiries and requests for information. A good company will treat you with respect and answer your questions promptly.

What do average associates earn? If no one is earning a good income, the company is not doing a good job supporting their associates or their products or services are not of good quality.

What kind of marketing support does the company provide to their representatives? Check carefully to see what tools they provide for you. Affiliate programs should provide you with statistics so you can see the results of your marketing efforts. Online network marketing or direct sales businesses should provide online enrollment, training, product fulfillment and downline management.

Can you earn a good commission from sales or do you need to recruit others into the business in order to earn any profit? If a company doesn't provide you a way to profit from the sale of products, this could be an illegal pyramid scheme.

How much does it cost to get started in the business? Beware of business opportunities with huge start up costs, unless you're considering a franchise. Beware also of companies with inflated training costs. Training should be free or reasonably priced.

Most affiliate programs are free to join. Most legitimate network marketing companies have a start up cost between $10 and $1000 depending on the company and your level of involvement.

Are their monthly sales quotas or purchase requirements? Some affiliate programs will drop you from their program if you don't make sales. Some network marketing companies have sales quotas. If you don't meet them, you won't get paid.

Most network marketing programs have some kind of regular purchase requirement (products you purchase for re-sale or personal use) without which you will not be paid. Usually this is between $50 and $250. Make sure you really like the company's products and will use them personally as well as sell them every month!

In summary, thoroughly investigate internet home business opportunities before getting involved. A solid and reputable company to affiliate with can provide you with a good income for years, so it is worth your time to make the right choice!