My friend is buying an existing online pet accessory supply business. He is asking for a few friends to invest in his business so he can expand the current income levels. He is only asking for $2,500 and can repay it with a great rate of return in one to two years. The rate of return sounds good and his offer to allow me large discounts on merchandise purchases sounds very enticing. I am wondering about the viability of this business sector. In today’s economy, do people still spend a lot of money on supplies for their pets? Is this a viable investment opportunity?

I doubt that the sector being viable is exactly the issue. It’s whether the business that your friend is buying is a viable business and what sort of guarantees you are getting on the money. I would never do this because it’s just a good way of losing friends.