This is the BIG list of hardware, software and services that I use to run my online businesses.
You DON'T need every item on the list if you're just starting out, so I've marked those that I consider essential tools and services with *** and there's a good possibility that you already have most of the items in the "Hardware" category. Where possible, in both the Software and Services categories, I've attempted to include freeware versions or those that offer free trials.
Click on the links to learn about either the specific brand of product that I use, or a description of its function. For example, here's the shortened version of the entry for Keyword & Niche Market Research:
Which keyword phrase is more popular? "Dog training collar" or the more generic "dog obedience training"? Don't know? Knowing which keyword phrase gets the most searches is very important if you want to reach the largest possible audience and hence, increase your sales. I use and recommend a service called Wordtracker (FREE trial available), which lets you optimize your website content by finding the most popular keywords...
And just for fun, check out the video in which I show you each on of those 25 Things in My Home Office.