Online furnace and home air filter shop

Homeowners, landlords, small property managers and car owners who want the right filter delivered to their door.

You earn the margin between wholesale and retail price. Optional reorder reminders or subscriptions (for example every 3 months) bring repeat orders.

• Careful with sizes and part numbers
• Basic online shop setup
• Customer service by email
• Organising stock and shipping

• Wrong-size returns are the main cost, so make fit information very clear
• Heavy, bulky boxes can make shipping expensive, so check courier rates before setting prices
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance, so ask a broker
• Registering for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and checking how provincial sales tax applies to online sales
• Quebec customers may expect French-language listings and packaging information, so check the rules
• Check your municipality for home-based business licence rules if you store stock at home

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on your initial stock, website setup and whether a supplier ships for you. Check courier rates before setting prices, as heavy, bulky boxes can make shipping expensive.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on your range, pricing and how many customers reorder. Wrong-size returns are the main cost, so make fit information very clear. Plan on about 8 hours a week.

Check when to register for GST/HST and how provincial sales tax applies to online sales. Also ask a broker about product liability insurance, check Quebec French-language expectations, and check home-based business licence rules if you store stock at home.