Trade appliance supplier (home-based, low stock)

Builders, kitchen and laundry installers, property developers, strata and rental managers, and small independent appliance retailers.

You buy at trade price and sell at a margin, often on package quotes for a whole kitchen or apartment block. Repeat customers and larger project orders make up most of the income.

• Sales and quoting
• Building supplier relationships
• Organised with orders and delivery tracking
• Product knowledge of appliances

• Public liability and product liability insurance, check what cover your suppliers expect
• Supplier terms: some brands restrict who can resell their products, so check before promising prices
• Cash flow: you may pay suppliers before customers pay you, so check payment terms and deposits
• Australian Consumer Law warranty and returns obligations, and who handles faults, you or the manufacturer
• GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold, check with the ATO

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your insurance, systems and any supplier account requirements. These are estimates, so check what cover and terms your suppliers expect.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on how many trade customers you win and the size of their orders. That is revenue, not profit, so allow for supplier costs.

Check public liability and product liability cover, and whether suppliers restrict who can resell their brands. Also look into payment terms and cash flow, Australian Consumer Law warranty and returns duties, and GST registration with the ATO.