Launching your own business instead of droning away for someone else can sound appealing, especially given the potentially low start-up costs of e-commerce. But if you've run into the low-traffic trap (no visitors, no sales), keeping your new business afloat can be an exercise in sheer frustration. So what do you do? Invest in banner ads? Join cooperative advertising ventures? Launch a direct email promotion? Spend a fortune on offline advertising?

An increasing number of Internet businesses are touting franchise opportunities as the answer to a business owner's woes. But this so-called solution isn't for everyone, and it isn't devoid of pitfalls.

Your Business Health Survey

If your business is doing well, you probably don't need to consider franchise opportunities. But business health can change quickly in response to market forces. Also, the plans that you thought would work may not prove as successful as you hoped. If you're concerned about your long-term profitability, take the following quiz:

If you answered yes to any of the quiz questions, you need to take some drastic measures to boost your sales and traffic. An increasingly wide variety of affordable promotional options are available to you, but unless your business is fundamentally sound, even that may not solve your problem. If your business is suffering from inexperienced management or if you're finding yourself butting heads with competitors who have a much larger marketing budget, converting your business to a franchise in the same or a similar industry may be just the step you need to take.

The Benefits

The main reason for going with a franchise as opposed to remaining independent is based on simple math: an independent business has a 20% chance of success while a franchise has an 80% chance of success. Even if you have been operating your own Internet business, you will garner certain advantages as a franchise owner. You will gain the benefit of expert guidance through start-up and operation, you'll get marketing support on national, regional, and local levels, and you'll gain the benefit of a branded identity and more cost-effective advertising. Face it, you -- as well as your customers -- are buying a proven concept. As a franchisee, you and your franchiser (chain "parent") enter into a contract whereby you essentially run a branch of the parent's company. It’s true that you'll operate under their name, policies, and operational guidelines; but if your own aren't working as well as you had hoped, this might not be a bad idea. And in many cases, when you sign the contract and make a fixed investment, you get operating equipment, training, expert support, and additional personnel to help you start off properly. After all, the franchiser doesn't want you to fail.

The Drawbacks

Not everything in the world of franchise ownership is perfect. While some franchise investments start as low as a couple thousand dollars, others can cost $100,000 or more just in franchise fees. You may be required to purchase additional equipment, or to maintain your facilities to specific standards. And, of course, you will have to fork over a percentage of your sales each year. Many businesses start as franchises and then find ways to do it better on their own, but a franchise agreement can potentially prohibit you from going back to your original business when you've learned the ropes and feel ready to stand on your own two feet.

A Possible Solution

If you've decided that a franchise may be the way for you to go, there is a huge variety to choose from, both on the Internet and in the physical realm. In making a selection,  it pays to read the fine print and to do your homework. (Having a great attorney and a good accountant doesn't hurt either.)

Check the following aspects of all the franchises that you're considering: