Online office furniture store

Small businesses, start-ups, home-based workers and co-working spaces that want good furniture without visiting a showroom.

You earn the margin between the wholesale price and your retail price, plus delivery fees and optional assembly add-ons. Bulk quotes for businesses bring larger orders.

• Online selling and basic website setup
• Customer service and quoting
• Organising suppliers and deliveries

• Freight costs and damage in transit on bulky items, check who is responsible
• Australian Consumer Law obligations on refunds, warranties and product descriptions
• GST registration once your turnover reaches the threshold, check with the ATO
• Supplier stock running out or prices changing after you list a product
• Product safety and standards for chairs, check what applies to what you sell

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your website setup, the size of your range and whether you hold any stock. The idea assumes suppliers ship direct, which can keep stock costs lower.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your range, pricing and how well you reach small businesses and home workers. That is revenue before costs, with at least about 10 hours a week estimated.

Check Australian Consumer Law obligations on refunds, warranties and product descriptions, and GST registration with the ATO once turnover reaches the threshold. Also check product safety standards for chairs, who is responsible for freight damage, and supplier stock or price changes.