Home-Based ink refill and office delivery

Small offices, home businesses, community groups and households who want regular supplies without a trip to the shops.

Margin on refills and cartridge sales, with repeat orders from regular office customers and a small delivery fee or minimum order.

• Careful hands-on work with ink and toner
• Basic online ordering and bookkeeping
• Reliable customer service
• Local deliveries

• Council approval for running a business from home, and whether storing stock is allowed, check with your local council
• Public liability insurance and home insurance coverage for business stock
• Safe storage and disposal of ink, toner and empty cartridges, check state environment rules
• Australian Consumer Law on describing refilled or compatible products and handling faulty items
• Some cartridges are chipped or patented, check you are not infringing intellectual property
• Ink spills in your home, plan a safe workspace

Startup costs are typically around $500 to $2,500, depending on the refill equipment, starting stock and supplies you buy. These are estimates, so price your equipment and insurance before you decide how much to spend.

Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many regular office and household customers you win and how often they reorder. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed income.

Check with your local council about running a business from home and whether storing stock is allowed. Check state environment rules for storing and disposing of ink, toner and cartridges, plus Australian Consumer Law and intellectual property on chipped or patented cartridges.