Online yarn and knitting supply store

Hobby knitters and crocheters, gift buyers and crafters who live far from a local yarn shop.

Profit on each item sold, plus kits, bundles and subscription boxes that raise the average order.

• Knowledge of yarn types and knitting or crochet
• Product photography and simple website management
• Stock tracking and packing orders

• Check whether you need a GST/HST number once sales pass the small supplier threshold, and how provincial sales tax applies to online sales
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Tied-up cash in unsold stock, so start with a small range
• Shipping costs for heavy wool orders can eat into margins, and cross-border sales to the US bring customs questions
• Quebec customers may expect French-language product information, so check the rules if you sell there

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on the size of your starting range, website setup and packing supplies. Treat this as an estimate and start with a small range to limit tied-up cash.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on your range, pricing and how many crafters you reach. The estimate starts from about 8 hours a week, so it can start part-time.

Check whether you need a GST/HST number once sales pass the small supplier threshold, and how provincial sales tax applies online. Also check home-based business licence rules, heavy-parcel shipping costs, US customs questions and French-language expectations for Quebec customers.