Online cleaning supplies shop for small businesses

Small cleaning firms, offices, clinics, gyms, restaurants and landlords who want easy reordering and delivery.

Margin on each product sold, plus subscription-style repeat orders and bulk discounts for bigger buyers. Shipping charges can help cover costs.

• Online marketing and search basics
• Product knowledge
• Customer service
• Organising orders and shipping

• Shipping rules for chemicals: some cleaning products are classed as dangerous goods, so check Transport Canada and courier restrictions
• Label and safety data sheet requirements for chemical products sold in Canada, including bilingual labelling rules
• Product liability insurance and commercial general liability cover
• Collecting the correct GST/HST or provincial sales tax depending on where your customers are
• Heavy and bulky items make shipping costly, so check margins before listing them
• Check provincial and municipal rules if you store stock at home

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on whether you hold stock at home or have a wholesaler ship directly, and how much you spend on your website and marketing. Treat it as an estimate for your own planning.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your product range, search and marketing efforts and how many businesses reorder. Heavy, bulky items make shipping costly, so check margins before listing products.

Check Transport Canada and courier restrictions, since some cleaning products are classed as dangerous goods. Also check label and safety data sheet requirements, including bilingual labelling, insurance, and the correct GST/HST or provincial sales tax for your customers' locations.