Online wholesale beauty supplier for salons

Salons, spas, small boutiques and independent retailers who want to reorder easily without visiting a cash-and-carry.

You earn the difference between wholesale cost and trade price. Minimum order values and free-shipping thresholds help keep orders profitable.

• Online selling and basic website management
• Supplier negotiation
• Inventory and shipping organization
• Business-to-business marketing

• Health Canada cosmetic regulations, including labelling, so check what applies to what you sell and import
• Imported goods may involve customs duties and import rules, so check with the Canada Border Services Agency
• Check that suppliers allow online resale, since some brands restrict it
• GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules on business-to-business sales, including resale exemptions
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance
• Shipping costs for liquids and heavy items, and winter delays, can cut into margins
• Quebec has French-language requirements for websites and labelling, so check them if you sell there

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your stock levels, your website, and whether you use a third-party warehouse or rent a unit. Treat it as a starting range for your own budget.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many salons and retailers reorder and how large their orders are. The idea needs about 15 hours a week at minimum, and revenue is before costs.

Check Health Canada cosmetic regulations including labelling, and customs duties and import rules with the Canada Border Services Agency. Also confirm suppliers allow online resale, and check GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules on business-to-business sales, insurance, and Quebec French-language requirements.