Online flooring supplier (no warehouse)

Homeowners doing renovations, small builders and flooring installers who want quick quotes and delivery to site.

You buy at trade price and sell at a markup per square metre, with extra margin on underlay, trims and skirting. Sample packs can be charged at cost or offered free with orders.

• Sales and customer service
• Measuring and quoting by square metre
• Building supplier relationships
• Basic website and online marketing

• Freight damage and wrong-batch deliveries, so agree who pays for returns and replacements with suppliers in writing
• Colour and batch variation, so make it clear to customers to order extra and keep the same batch
• Australian Consumer Law obligations on product descriptions, refunds and warranties
• Check that products meet Australian requirements, such as formaldehyde emission labelling and timber legality rules for imported wood
• Check whether your council needs approval for a home-based business, and register for GST once you reach the threshold
• Public liability and product liability insurance

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your website, samples and marketing. Because suppliers hold the stock and deliver direct, you avoid warehouse costs, but get your own quotes.

Check Australian Consumer Law obligations on descriptions, refunds and warranties. Check that products meet Australian requirements, such as formaldehyde emission labelling and timber legality rules, plus insurance, council rules for home businesses and GST registration.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your suppliers, pricing and how many installers and homeowners you reach. It can start from about 15 hours a week.