Perfume boutique with scent advice

Shoppers looking for a signature scent, gift buyers, tourists and regulars who value personal advice.

Retail margin on bottles, plus gift sets, travel sizes and extras like candles or scented accessories.

• Knowing fragrances and describing them simply
• Retail selling and customer service
• Stock control and budgeting

• Rent and lease terms can be the biggest risk, so negotiate carefully and check the small print
• Commercial general liability and contents insurance
• Check municipal business licence and zoning rules, and signage permits
• Stock is expensive to hold and gift sales peak around the holidays, so plan your cash flow for slower months
• Register for GST/HST and check provincial sales tax rules
• WCB/WSIB coverage may be required once you hire staff, so check your province

Estimates suggest startup costs of typically around $20,000 to $90,000, depending on the unit, lease terms, fit-out and how much stock you hold. Stock is expensive to hold, so plan your budget carefully.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on location and range. Gift sales peak around the holidays, so plan cash flow for slower months.

Check municipal business licence, zoning and signage permit rules, and negotiate lease terms carefully. Also check commercial general liability and contents insurance, GST/HST and provincial sales tax rules, and WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire staff.