Used trade equipment reseller with local delivery

Tradespeople, small contractors, new businesses on a budget and farms or workshops needing kit at lower cost.

The margin between your purchase and sale price, plus delivery fees. Some sellers also offer short-term hire of a few popular items.

• Spotting good-value equipment and pricing it
• Basic repair and testing
• Online listings and photography
• Negotiating with buyers and sellers

• Check the seller owns the item and has no lien on it, your province may have a personal property registry for searches
• Record serial numbers and keep purchase receipts to avoid handling stolen goods
• Consumer and sale-of-goods rules on warranties and descriptions vary by province, check before promising guarantees
• Home-based business rules and storage limits, check with your municipality and your home insurer
• Commercial general liability insurance and proper insurance for a vehicle used for deliveries
• GST/HST registration once you pass the small supplier threshold

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how much equipment you buy and the repair supplies you need. Storage at home or in a small garage can keep costs down.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how well you source, price and sell. Revenue is not profit, as purchase and repair costs come out of it.

Check the seller owns each item and that no lien applies, and keep serial numbers and receipts. Also check provincial warranty rules, home-based business and insurance limits, vehicle insurance for deliveries, and GST/HST registration.