Paper bag reseller from home

Cafés, bakeries, independent shops, market stallholders, caterers and event organizers who need bags but are too small for big packaging suppliers.

You buy in bulk at wholesale prices and sell in smaller packs at a markup. Custom printed orders usually carry a higher margin and are often paid partly up front.

• Selling and following up with business customers
• Comparing supplier prices and quotes
• Organized order and delivery tracking

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Register your business name with your province and check when you must register for GST/HST
• Bags that touch food may need to meet food-contact packaging rules, ask your supplier for documentation and check with Health Canada
• Custom printing means minimum orders and no returns, so get artwork approved in writing
• If you import, check duties, customs and shipping costs, and in Quebec check French-language requirements for printed products
• Commercial general liability insurance is worth checking

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $500 to $3,000, depending on whether you hold a small stock at home and how many samples you order. Custom printing involves minimum orders, so plan for that.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many business customers you win and the size of their orders. Revenue is not profit, as supplier costs come out of it.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence, and when to register for GST/HST. Also check food-contact packaging rules with Health Canada, import duties if you import, and French-language rules in Quebec.