Online glass block shop with supplier delivery

Homeowners doing bathroom, basement or window projects, plus renovators, small contractors and installers who want a specialist source.

You earn the margin between wholesale and retail price on each block and accessory, plus a delivery charge. Larger project orders and repeat orders from installers add up.

• Product knowledge and clear explanations
• Online selling and customer service
• Organising orders and freight

• Breakage in transit: check packaging, freight terms and who covers damaged goods
• Shipping heavy items is costly and rural or northern delivery can be expensive, so get quotes before setting prices
• Check GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules for online sales across provinces
• If you import stock yourself, check duties and import paperwork
• Structural glass block panels may need to meet building code requirements, so avoid giving installation advice you are unsure about and point customers to their local building department
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence, and consider commercial general liability and product liability insurance

Estimates put startup costs at typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your website, any small starter stock and packaging supplies. Shipping orders direct from a wholesaler can keep the amount of stock you hold down.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around $600 to $3,000, depending on the products you list, your pricing, shipping costs and how many customers you reach. That is revenue rather than profit, so work out your costs too.

Check packaging, freight terms and who covers breakage, and get shipping quotes for heavy items. Look into GST/HST and provincial sales tax, import duties if relevant, home-based business licensing, insurance, and building code questions with your local building department.