Online christmas shop

Shoppers buying decorations and gifts for themselves, family and friends, plus some small businesses dressing offices or venues.

You sell items at a markup over wholesale cost. Most sales come between autumn and Christmas, so extra income can come from personalisation, gift sets and a small January sale.

• Choosing products that sell
• Online selling and basic photography
• Stock and order organisation

• Registering as a sole trader or company and keeping records for tax
• Consumer rules on returns, refunds and distance selling, check GOV.UK guidance
• Product safety rules, especially for electrical items like fairy lights and anything for children
• Unsold stock in January, so buy cautiously and plan how to store or sell leftovers
• Delivery cut-off dates and courier delays in December

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £4,000, depending on how much stock you buy and how you set up your shop. These are estimates. Buy cautiously, as unsold stock in January is a risk to plan for.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on your products, your style and how well you market them. That is revenue, not profit, and these figures are estimates. You could start with around 6 hours a week.

Check how to register as a sole trader or company and keep tax records, consumer rules on returns, refunds and distance selling on GOV.UK, and product safety rules, especially for electrical items like fairy lights and anything for children.