Online children's furniture store

Parents setting up a nursery or updating a child's room, grandparents buying gifts, and small nurseries or childcare centres.

You earn the difference between your buying price and your selling price on each item, with extra from delivery fees, assembly add-ons and bundles like a bed plus mattress.

• Online selling and basic website skills
• Product research and supplier negotiation
• Customer service and handling returns

• Mandatory safety standards for cots and some other nursery products, check with the ACCC (Product Safety Australia) and make sure suppliers can prove compliance
• Product recalls, you may need a way to contact customers if an item is recalled
• Australian Consumer Law covers refunds, warranties and misleading claims, check what applies to you
• Freight costs on bulky items can wipe out margins, test shipping quotes before setting prices
• Check whether you need GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold, and consider product liability insurance

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $2,000 to $12,000, depending on whether you hold stock or have suppliers ship direct. Monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $8,000 as an estimate, depending on your range, pricing and website traffic.

Check mandatory safety standards for cots and some nursery products with the ACCC (Product Safety Australia), and make sure suppliers can prove compliance. Also check how Australian Consumer Law applies to refunds and warranties, recall arrangements, GST registration and insurance.

Useful skills include online selling and basic website skills, product research and supplier negotiation, and customer service including returns. As an estimate, plan on at least around 10 hours a week. Test freight quotes on bulky items before setting prices.