Online theatre supply store

Community theatres, school drama departments, dance studios, amateur groups and small event organizers.

You earn the margin between wholesale and retail prices. Extra income can come from show-season bundles, repeat orders from schools and shipping fees.

• Knowing what theatre groups need
• Online selling and basic product photography
• Organizing stock and orders
• Responding promptly to customers

• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check whether your province also charges PST on goods
• Electrical products such as lighting should carry recognized Canadian safety certification, so check with the supplier and your provincial regulator
• Items like fog fluid or flame-retardant sprays may have shipping or labelling rules, so check before you list them
• Sales are seasonal around school terms and production schedules, so plan your cash flow
• If you sell to Quebec customers, check the French-language requirements for your website and labelling
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and whether your home insurance covers stock

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000 CAD, depending on how much stock you hold, your website setup and what suppliers ship directly. Treat this as an estimate and plan your own budget.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $1,000 to $8,000 CAD, depending on your range, pricing and how many groups and schools you reach. These are estimates only, and sales are seasonal around school terms and productions.

Check GST/HST registration and whether your province charges PST on goods. Also check that electrical products carry recognized Canadian safety certification, shipping or labelling rules for items like fog fluid, French-language requirements for Quebec customers, and home-based business licensing.