Branded merchandise reseller (home-based)

Small businesses, trades, clubs, sports teams, non-profits, schools and organizers of local events and trade shows.

You buy at wholesale from suppliers and add a margin to each order, plus setup or artwork fees where suitable. Repeat orders from the same clients bring steady work.

• Selling and following up with business clients
• Organized with deadlines and order details
• Basic design sense and attention to detail

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Register your business name with your province and check when you need to register for GST/HST
• Check product safety and labelling rules for items like children's products and textiles
• Make sure you have the right to use any logos and artwork a client supplies
• Mistakes in printing are costly, so always get written proof approval before production
• Ask your insurer whether commercial general liability and product liability cover suits your business

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $300 to $3,000, depending on your setup and how you source products. You act as the middleman and hold no stock until an order is placed.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $5,000, depending on how many clients you win and how large their orders are. The estimate assumes at least about 8 hours of work a week.

Things to check: whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence, provincial business name registration, when to register for GST/HST, product safety and labelling rules for items like children's products and textiles, and your right to use client logos.