Online handmade gifts and homeware shop

Gift buyers, people decorating their homes and shoppers who prefer one-off or small-batch items to mass-produced ones.

You earn the difference between what you pay makers (or the cost of making the item) and your selling price, plus any delivery charge. Busy gift seasons often bring the most sales.

• Good eye for products and styling
• Product photography and writing listings
• Packing and customer service
• Building relationships with makers

• Product safety rules for items like candles, toys, cosmetics or children's goods, check what applies to each product
• Consumer rights for online sales, including returns and refunds, check current guidance
• Register as a sole trader or limited company and keep records for tax
• Make sure makers own the designs they sell, to avoid copyright problems
• Breakages and lost parcels in the post, consider packaging and delivery insurance

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £2,500, depending on your stock, website or marketplace fees, photography and packaging. Consider packaging and delivery insurance too, as breakages and lost parcels can happen.

Check product safety rules for items like candles, toys, cosmetics or children's goods, and current guidance on consumer rights, returns and refunds. Also check that makers own the designs they sell, and register as a sole trader or limited company.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £1,800, depending on your range, how well your listings and photos are done, and how many makers you stock. Plan for at least around 8 hours a week.