Footwear wholesaler with stock room

Independent shoe retailers, department-style shops, online stores, schools and uniform suppliers, and workwear shops.

Margin between your buying price and wholesale price, with volume discounts for larger orders. Fast restocking lets you win repeat business that buyers can't get from overseas suppliers.

• Buying and range planning
• Inventory management
• Sales and account management
• Basic bookkeeping and credit control

• Large upfront stock spend and slow-selling lines, review sizes and styles regularly
• Offering credit terms to shops, check customers before extending credit and chase late payments
• Lease terms, zoning and council approval for the unit, check with your local council
• Import duty, GST and customs rules if importing directly
• Public liability, product liability and stock insurance
• Workers compensation insurance and work health and safety duties once you hire staff, check your state scheme

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the size of your unit, your range and how much stock you hold. Large upfront stock spend is a risk, so these estimates are worth checking with quotes.

Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your range, customer base and credit terms. Slow-selling lines and late payments can affect results. These figures are estimates only.

Things to check: lease terms, zoning and council approval for the unit, plus import duty, GST and customs rules if importing directly. Also check insurance, and workers compensation and work health and safety duties once you hire staff under your state scheme.