Start an online flooring shop with samples

Homeowners planning a renovation, self-employed floor fitters and small builders who want a simple way to order.

You buy at trade price and sell at a margin per pack or per square metre. Extras like underlay, beading and delivery add to each order.

• Product knowledge of flooring types
• Customer service and clear advice
• Basic website and listing skills
• Careful measuring and order checking

• Public liability and product liability insurance, check what cover suits you
• Distance selling and returns rules for online sales, including what applies to cut-to-size or made-to-order items
• Timber legality and due diligence rules for wood products, check what applies to your suppliers
• Damaged or wrong deliveries, agree with suppliers how these are handled before you sell
• Working from home may need permission from a landlord or mortgage lender

Startup costs are typically estimated at around £500 to £4,000, depending on your website, samples and how much you set up before launch. Because suppliers deliver direct, you may hold little or no stock.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £1,000 to £8,000, depending on your range, marketing and whether you win repeat orders from fitters and small builders. You could expect to spend at least around 10 hours a week on it.

Check what insurance suits you, including public liability and product liability. Also check distance selling and returns rules, including what applies to cut-to-size or made-to-order items, and timber legality and due diligence rules for your suppliers. Agree with suppliers how damaged or wrong deliveries are handled.