Online hydroponics supply store

Home growers growing herbs, salad greens and vegetables indoors, plus hobby growers and small commercial growers such as microgreen producers.

You buy at wholesale and sell at retail. Margin comes from each product sold, and from starter bundles and repeat orders of nutrients and consumables.

• Basic knowledge of hydroponics
• Online selling and product listings
• Customer service and advice
• Organising stock and shipping

• Check whether the nutrients and fertilizers you sell need registration or labelling under federal rules (ask the Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
• Check that electrical products, like lights and pumps, carry a recognized Canadian safety certification mark
• Cannabis-related marketing and growing rules differ by province, so check what applies before you promote products
• Liquid nutrients and bulky items are costly to ship, and some products can be damaged by freezing in winter
• Check GST/HST registration, commercial general liability and product liability insurance, and French-language rules if you sell in Quebec

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on whether you hold stock at home or have a wholesaler ship orders for you, and on your website setup. Treat this as an estimate for planning.

Check whether nutrients and fertilizers need registration or labelling under federal rules by asking the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Check that lights and pumps carry a recognized Canadian safety certification mark, and that cannabis-related marketing rules in your province are understood.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your range, marketing and customers, with about 10 hours a week at minimum. Liquid nutrients and bulky items are costly to ship, so check your margins.