Online moving box and packing supply shop

People moving house or apartment, landlords, students, and small removal crews who want a reliable local supplier.

Margin on each order, with higher average orders from bundles by home size. Delivery fees and bulk deals for removal firms add extra income.

• Organizing stock and orders
• Basic online store setup
• Customer service
• Local route planning

• Check whether you need a home-based business licence from your municipality, and whether zoning allows stock storage at home
• Register for GST/HST (or QST in Quebec) once you pass the small supplier threshold; check with the Canada Revenue Agency
• Commercial general liability and stock insurance, and check your home insurance covers business stock
• Bulky stock takes space, and shipping boxes by courier can be costly, so keep to local delivery at first
• Quebec businesses may have French-language requirements for websites and labelling

Estimates put startup costs at typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on how much stock you buy, your online store set-up and where you store it. Local delivery first helps keep costs down.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,000, depending on your area, stock range and how many movers you reach. The estimate assumes at least 8 hours a week, and bulky stock and shipping costs can affect margins.

Check whether you need a municipal home-based business licence and whether zoning allows stock storage at home. Also check GST/HST (or QST in Quebec) registration, insurance for liability and stock, and French-language website and labelling rules if you operate in Quebec.