Online hygiene supplies shop for businesses

Small businesses, property managers, clinics, schools and cleaning companies that prefer to order online and get regular shipments.

Margin on each bulk order, plus subscription-style repeat orders. Free shipping thresholds can encourage larger baskets.

• Basic website or online store setup
• Online marketing and search visibility
• Supplier negotiation
• Customer service by email and phone

• Shipping costs on bulky, light products can eat the margin, so test your pricing
• GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules for online sales, check with the CRA and your province
• Product labelling and Health Canada rules for sanitizers and disinfectants, and bilingual labelling rules in Quebec
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance
• Price competition from big online suppliers
• Reliance on a single supplier for stock and delivery times

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $1,000 to $6,000, depending on your website, marketing and any starting stock. Shipping costs on bulky, light products can eat the margin, so test your pricing before launching.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $5,000, depending on how many business customers you win and their order sizes. Expect price competition from big online suppliers, and note that relying on one supplier affects delivery times.

Check GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules for online sales with the CRA and your province. Also check Health Canada rules and labelling for sanitizers and disinfectants, bilingual labelling rules in Quebec, and commercial general liability and product liability insurance.