Small online business idea

DesperateDan

Hi there,

I am a student with a part time job that has an idea for a small web based service providing business. I was looking into setting up the website on http://www.gettingbusinessonline.ie/ , or the other blacknight.com hosting solutions for €50 a year. The first site requires an RBO, CBN or Vat number in order to apply for a .ie domain, none of these I know the meaning of, and if/how to get one.

I would expect to take payments online, using paypal or some other secure service, and wouldn't have any employees etc., so could anyone tell me which of these numbers I need to get, and how to get one?

Pixelcraft

DesperateDan wrote: »

Hi there,

I am a student with a part time job that has an idea for a small web based service providing business. I was looking into setting up the website on http://www.gettingbusinessonline.ie/

If you're a web based business this is absolutely crazy! Set up a professional presence, not a free 'web builder' solution

DesperateDan wrote: »

or the other blacknight.com hosting solutions for €50 a year. The first site requires an RBO, CBN or Vat number in order to apply for a .ie domain, none of these I know the meaning of, and if/how to get one.

It basically requires you to be a business. To start you would be looking at becoming a sole trader, so go to CRO.ie and register a business name. This (generally!) is a requirement for the .ie domain name

DesperateDan

Thanks for the reply, the sole trader route made me unsure as I have seen it before described on citizens information:

Sole trader: It is relatively simple to set up as a sole trader but if your business fails, your personal assets could be used to pay your creditors. Your main legal obligation is that you must register as a self-employed person with the Revenue Commissioners (see ‘Tax and PRSI’below). If you wish to use a business name you must register your business name with the Companies Registration Office.

I don't want to be registering with the tax office as self employed as not only am I already employed part time, but I am a grant recieving student and it may complicate my chances of recieving the grant I. If this is the only option though I'll probably wait around until I have completed my studies.

MrStuffins

I think the idea with that offer there is to get EXISTING businesses online. Hence the need for VAT No. etc!

ronaneire

DesperateDan wrote: »

I don't want to be registering with the tax office as self employed as not only am I already employed part time, but I am a grant recieving student and it may complicate my chances of recieving the grant I. If this is the only option though I'll probably wait around until I have completed my studies.

If you have a legitimate business you have to pay tax.

onedmc

ronaneire wrote: »

If you have a legitimate business you have to pay tax.

Well if your business is not legitimate you are still liable for tax all beit income tax as opposed to corporation tax.

If you dont actually make money then you wouldn't have to pay income tax or corporation tax and if you dont employ anyone then you dont have to pay PRSI. And if you are under the VAT threshold then you wouldn't have to pay that either.

So make sure your business is small and you have enought expenses to nullify any income.

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

MrStuffins wrote: »

I think the idea with that offer there is to get EXISTING businesses online. Hence the need for VAT No. etc!

Nah the GIBO project is happy to get any business online. IE domains do have some level of protection hence the requirement to prove you are eligible for one. Registering a business name doesn't make you liable to do any tax returns. Once you start selling something and making money taxes are always going to exist.