Online garden statue shop

Homeowners, gift buyers, and small landscapers or garden designers who want a few pieces without visiting a showroom.

You buy at a trade price and sell at a retail mark-up. Delivery fees and bundled items such as plinths or planters can add to each order.

• Product photography and listing
• Customer service
• Organizing orders and suppliers

• Freight costs for heavy items can wipe out your margin, so work out shipping before you set prices
• Breakage in transit, so check packaging standards and insurance with your supplier and courier
• Check GST/HST registration and any provincial sales tax rules, including the small supplier threshold
• If you import, check customs duties and import rules with the Canada Border Services Agency
• Check that any replica designs you sell do not breach copyright or trademark
• Check whether your municipality requires a licence for a home-based business

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your website, any stock you hold and photography. Monthly revenue is estimated at about $600 to $3,000, depending on products, pricing and traffic.

Freight costs for heavy items can wipe out your margin, so work out shipping before you set prices. Breakage in transit is also a risk, so check packaging standards and insurance with your supplier and courier. Plan on about 8 hours a week at minimum.

Check GST/HST registration and any provincial sales tax rules, including the small supplier threshold. If you import, check customs duties with the Canada Border Services Agency. Also check that replica designs don't breach copyright or trademark, and whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence.