Online furniture fittings and handles shop

DIY customers refreshing furniture and kitchens, small joiners and kitchen fitters, upcyclers and interior designers.

You buy in trade and sell at a mark-up, often in multi-packs. Extra income comes from matching sets, bulk-buy discounts for tradespeople and add-on items like screws and fixings.

• Product knowledge of fittings and sizes
• Basic online shop and photo skills
• Stock and order organisation
• Customer service

• Check distance selling and returns rules for online sales, including consumer cancellation rights
• Check product safety and labelling duties for items you import or sell, such as furniture legs and fixings
• Public liability and product liability insurance are worth checking
• Tied-up cash in stock, so start with a small range
• Check whether you need to register for VAT as sales grow

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £5,000, depending on how much stock you buy and how you build your shop. Starting with a small range helps keep cash from being tied up.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on your range, pricing and traffic. This is an estimate, so work out your margins after wholesale and postage costs.

Check distance selling and returns rules, including consumer cancellation rights, and product safety and labelling duties for imported items. Also check insurance such as public and product liability, and whether you need to register for VAT as sales grow.