Online health food shop

Online shoppers who cannot easily find specialist products locally, and repeat customers who like subscription or bulk orders.

You sell products at a mark-up on your own website or marketplaces. Bundles, subscriptions and bulk orders raise the average order, and you pay postage and platform fees.

• Website and online marketplace basics
• Product knowledge in a niche
• Order packing and stock control
• Social media or email marketing

• Register as a food business with your local council if you store and handle food, and check if your home can be used
• Check the rules on food labelling, allergens and health claims for supplements
• Check the rules on distance selling, including customer returns and cancellation rights
• Check any rules from your landlord or mortgage lender if you store stock at home
• Postage costs, damaged parcels and short shelf-life stock can eat into margins

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £6,000, depending on your stock, website and packaging. These are estimates, so price your own niche range before buying stock.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £5,000, depending on your niche, range and repeat orders. Estimates start from about 8 hours a week, and postage costs and short shelf-life stock can reduce margins.

Check whether you need to register as a food business with your local council if you store and handle food, and whether your home can be used. Also check food labelling, allergen, health claim and distance selling rules.