Open a home cinema showroom in Canada

Households upgrading a living room, building a basement cinema or replacing old gear, plus some small businesses and condo owners.

Margin on equipment sales, higher margins on cables, mounts and accessories, and paid delivery, setup and calibration services.

• Good product knowledge of TVs and audio
• Friendly, honest sales advice
• Stock and cash flow management

• Big-box stores and online sellers compete hard on price, so check how you will stand out
• Dealer agreements may set minimum orders or advertised price rules, so read them carefully
• Check provincial electronics recycling or eco fee rules for products you sell
• Commercial general liability and property insurance, and GST/HST or PST registration, need checking for your province
• Stock ties up a lot of cash, and returns and warranty claims can be costly
• In Quebec, check French-language rules for signage and customer service

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on location, shop size and how much demo and opening stock you carry. Stock ties up a lot of cash, and returns and warranty claims can be costly.

Things to check include dealer agreements that may set minimum orders or advertised price rules, provincial electronics recycling or eco fee rules, commercial general liability and property insurance, GST/HST or PST registration, and French-language rules for signage in Quebec.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on location, brands and the setup services you offer. Plan for about 35 hours a week at minimum, and check how you will stand out from big-box and online sellers on price.