Online sheet music shop

Music students and their parents, private teachers, school music departments, choirs and hobby musicians.

Retail margin on each item sold, plus postage charged to the customer. Bulk orders from teachers and schools can lift average order size.

• Knowing music and what teachers and students look for
• Basic online shop setup
• Stock tracking and organisation
• Friendly customer service

• Copyright: only sell legitimately sourced music, never photocopies or unlicensed prints
• Selling digital downloads or printing on demand usually needs publisher permission, check the licensing terms
• You need an ABN, and GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold, check with the ATO
• Stock tied up in slow-selling titles, start small and reorder
• Check council rules if you store stock at home, and consider public liability and stock insurance

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how much opening stock you buy and how you set up your web shop. Monthly revenue is estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your niche and customer base.

Only sell legitimately sourced music, never photocopies or unlicensed prints. Selling digital downloads or printing on demand usually needs publisher permission, so check the licensing terms. You'll also need an ABN, and GST registration once turnover reaches the threshold.

Estimates suggest at least around 8 hours a week. Useful skills include knowing what teachers and students look for, basic online shop setup, stock tracking and friendly customer service. Starting small and reordering helps avoid stock tied up in slow-selling titles.