Online Quilting Fabric Shop

Quilters and sewing hobbyists, gift buyers, and people who live too far from a physical quilt shop.

You buy from wholesalers at trade prices and sell at retail. Extra income comes from pre-cut bundles, kits and shipping fees.

• Good eye for colour and fabric
• Basic online shop setup
• Careful stock and order tracking
• Friendly customer service

• Check whether you need to register for GST/HST, and for provincial sales tax where you live or sell
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Shipping costs and parcel weight can eat margins, so test your rates before launch
• Don't copy or resell designers' patterns without permission, and check licensing rules for printed fabric lines
• If you sell in Quebec, check French-language requirements for your website and packaging
• Unsold stock ties up cash, so start with a small range

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much fabric and how many notions you stock, and how you build your website. Monthly revenue is estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your range and customer base.

Check whether you need to register for GST/HST, and for provincial sales tax where you live or sell. Also check for a home-based business licence, permission and licensing for designers' patterns and printed fabric lines, and French-language requirements if you sell in Quebec.

Estimates start at about 10 hours a week for cutting, packing and customer service. Shipping costs and parcel weight can eat margins, so test your rates before launch. Unsold stock ties up cash, so start with a small range.