Online hospitality supplies reseller

Independent B&Bs, small hotels, short-term rental hosts, cottage and resort operators, cafés and restaurants.

You buy wholesale and sell at a markup, often on repeat orders. Bundles such as a room refresh kit, plus a regular re-order schedule, help build steady monthly sales.

• Selling to businesses
• Organising orders and stock
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Basic online shop skills

• Check Health Canada rules and bilingual labelling requirements for toiletries and other cosmetic-type products you sell
• Check with your municipality whether you need a home-based business licence
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance
• Stock ties up cash, and big wholesalers can undercut you, so avoid buying more than you have orders for

Estimates are typically around $2,000 to $10,000 to start, depending on your website, stock and whether suppliers ship direct. Stock ties up cash, so avoid buying more than you have orders for.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your range, number of business customers and order sizes. Estimates start at about 12 hours a week. Big wholesalers can undercut you on price.

Things to check: Health Canada rules and bilingual labelling for toiletries and cosmetic-type products; whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence; GST/HST and provincial sales tax; and commercial general liability and product liability insurance.