Online loose-leaf tea shop

Home tea drinkers, gift buyers and people looking for specialty or organic blends they can't easily find locally.

Margin on each tea and accessory sold, with extra from gift sets, subscriptions and repeat orders.

• Knowing teas and flavours
• Basic online shop setup
• Product photos and descriptions
• Packing and posting orders accurately

• Food labelling rules (ingredients, allergens, country of origin), check with Food Standards Australia New Zealand
• Whether your council requires food business registration, especially if you repackage tea at home
• Council approval for running a home-based business
• Product liability insurance
• Postage costs, which can eat into margins on small orders

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your stock range, website setup and packaging. Postage can eat into margins on small orders, so factor it into your pricing.

Check food labelling rules such as ingredients, allergens and country of origin with Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Also check whether your council requires food business registration if you repackage tea at home, council approval for a home-based business, and product liability insurance.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,500, depending on your range, pricing and how many customers you reach. Estimated time starts at about 8 hours a week, and results vary.