Online antique furniture dealer

Private buyers furnishing a home, interior designers and stylists, and collectors looking for particular periods or makers.

You earn the margin between what you pay for a piece and what you sell it for, after costs such as cleaning, minor repairs, delivery and platform fees.

• Eye for age, quality and style
• Negotiating and valuing pieces
• Photography and writing good listings
• Basic cleaning and light repair

• Check whether you need council approval to run a home-based business or store stock at home
• Fakes, reproductions and hidden damage, so learn to authenticate and only buy what you can judge
• Check state rules on second-hand dealers, which may include licensing or record keeping
• Furniture is bulky and heavy, so plan storage, lifting and transport carefully
• Check rules on materials such as ivory, protected timbers and old finishes containing lead
• Public liability and stock insurance, and GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold

Estimated startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the stock you buy, storage and insurance. Furniture is bulky and heavy, so plan for storage, lifting and transport as well.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many pieces you sell and what they sell for. Buyers include private buyers, interior designers, stylists and collectors.

Check whether you need council approval to run a home-based business or store stock at home. Also check your state's second-hand dealer rules, which may include licensing or record keeping, rules on ivory, protected timbers and lead finishes, plus insurance and GST.