Online contact lens shop

Existing contact lens wearers who want convenient reorders, better prices or home delivery, including regular repeat buyers.

You earn the margin between your wholesale price from authorized suppliers and your retail price. Repeat orders every few months, subscriptions and shipping fees add to this.

• Careful with detail and records
• Customer service by email and chat
• Basic online shop management
• Stock and order organization

• Rules differ by province on who can dispense contact lenses and whether you must be a licensed professional or employ one, so confirm this with your provincial regulator before launching
• Contact lenses are regulated medical devices in Canada. Check with Health Canada whether you need a Medical Device Establishment Licence (MDEL): this usually depends on whether you import or distribute lenses, or only sell directly to the public using stock bought from a licensed Canadian supplier
• Always verify prescriptions and keep records, since selling without a valid one could cause harm and legal trouble
• Handling health information means privacy rules apply (PIPEDA or provincial law), so check your obligations
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance are worth checking
• Quebec has French-language requirements for websites and packaging, so check these if you sell there
• Collect GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and plan for returns, wrong prescriptions and shipping costs

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your stock, website and set-up. Also plan for returns, wrong prescriptions and shipping costs, which can affect your margins.

Check your provincial regulator on who can dispense contact lenses. Check with Health Canada whether you need a Medical Device Establishment Licence, which depends on whether you import or distribute. Always verify prescriptions, and check privacy rules.

Estimates put monthly revenue typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on customers and repeat orders. Collect GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and plan for returns and shipping costs.