Online Australian foods and gifts store

Australian and New Zealand expats, Canadians who have travelled or lived in Australia, and people buying gifts or care packages.

You sell at a markup on the products you buy, plus gift boxes and bundles. Seasonal peaks, such as Australia Day and Christmas, can lift sales.

• Setting up and running an online shop
• Stock tracking and packing orders
• Social media and community marketing

• Importing food yourself may need a federal licence and import documents. Check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) before you order from overseas
• Food labelling rules, including bilingual labels, may apply to some products. Check what is required for each item
• Best-before dates and storage, especially for chocolate in summer heat
• Shipping costs can eat margins. Work out your delivery pricing before you launch
• Register for GST/HST when required, and check provincial sales tax rules
• Check whether you need a home-based business licence from your municipality

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much stock you buy, how you set up your online shop and what packing supplies you need. Shipping costs are worth working out before you launch.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your product range, marketing and delivery pricing. These are revenue estimates rather than profit, and shipping costs can eat into margins.

Importing food yourself may need a federal licence and import documents, so check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before ordering from overseas. Also check labelling rules, including bilingual labels, GST/HST registration and any home-based business licence from your municipality.