Home-Based lampshade trade supplier

Independent lighting shops, home decor retailers, interior designers, stagers and small hotels or restaurants fitting out spaces.

You buy at wholesale or factory prices and sell at a trade price with a margin. Minimum order sizes and repeat orders from regular shops keep it steady.

• Sourcing and negotiating with suppliers
• Selling to business customers
• Organised order and stock tracking
• Eye for style and quality

• Registering your business with your province and getting a Business Number for GST/HST when needed
• Whether you need a resale or vendor permit to buy stock without paying sales tax, as this varies by province
• Home-based business licence rules in your municipality
• Damage in shipping, since shades crush easily, so check packaging and return terms with suppliers
• Product safety and labelling rules for anything with fittings or bulbs, and French-language labelling if you sell in Quebec
• Commercial general liability insurance

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how much stock you hold and whether orders ship straight from suppliers. Insurance and packaging also affect the total.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many shops and designers you sell to and the size of their orders. The estimate assumes at least about 10 hours a week.

Check provincial business registration and a Business Number for GST/HST, plus whether you need a resale or vendor permit, which varies by province. Also check home-based business licence rules, product safety and labelling (including French in Quebec), and liability insurance.