Online ceramics wholesaler working from home

Independent gift shops, homeware boutiques, cafés, florists and small online stores that want unique ceramics but can't buy directly from factories.

You buy at factory or supplier prices and sell at a wholesale price, usually with minimum order values. Your margin is the difference, after shipping, duties and breakage.

• Finding and negotiating with suppliers
• Organising stock and orders
• Sales and email follow-up
• Basic bookkeeping

• Import duties, GST/HST and customs brokerage, check with the Canada Border Services Agency and a customs broker
• Food-contact rules for tableware, check Health Canada requirements on lead and cadmium release for ceramics
• Breakage in transit, so check packaging and insurance cover
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and whether you can store stock at home
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance
• Cash tied up in stock and long supplier lead times

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much stock you buy and your website setup. Monthly revenue is estimated at about $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many retailers you win.

Check import duties, GST/HST and customs brokerage with the Canada Border Services Agency and a customs broker. Check Health Canada requirements on lead and cadmium release for ceramic tableware, and whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence.

Breakage in transit is a risk, so check packaging and insurance cover. Cash can be tied up in stock, and supplier lead times may be long. Plan on at least about 10 hours a week as an estimate.