Online grill accessories and parts store

Home grillers and smokers looking for specific accessories or hard-to-find parts, and people buying gifts for barbecue lovers.

Margin on each product sold, higher-value bundles such as starter kits, and repeat orders for pellets, charcoal and rubs.

• Online selling and basic marketing
• Product research and writing clear listings
• Order handling and customer service

• Shipping costs and rules for heavy or bulky items, and restrictions on shipping fuel such as propane or lighter fluid. Check with your carrier
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance
• GST/HST and any provincial sales tax on online sales, and a home-based business licence if your municipality requires one
• Seasonal demand and the cost of holding stock through winter
• Product labelling and bilingual packaging rules if you sell into Quebec, so check requirements

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much stock you buy, your website setup and whether you also carry large grills. Your own figure will depend on the range you choose.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on your product range, marketing and the season. Demand is seasonal and holding stock through winter has a cost, so plan your cash flow.

Check shipping costs and carrier rules for heavy items, and restrictions on shipping fuel such as propane or lighter fluid. Also check product liability insurance, GST/HST and provincial sales tax, any home-based licence, and labelling and bilingual packaging rules if you sell into Quebec.