Wholesale importer with a small unit

Shops, online sellers, hospitality businesses and other trade buyers who want a reliable domestic supplier.

You buy in bulk at a lower unit price and sell on at a wholesale margin. Repeat trade accounts and larger orders spread your shipping and handling costs.

• Supplier negotiation
• Stock and cash flow management
• Understanding shipping and customs paperwork
• Selling to trade buyers

• Check EORI registration, customs duty, import VAT and whether you need a customs agent or can handle declarations yourself
• Check product safety, marking and labelling requirements for your range, and who is responsible as the importer
• Bulk orders tie up cash, so plan for delays, damaged goods and customers who pay late
• Currency movements and shipping price changes can wipe out thin margins
• Check insurance for stock in transit and in storage, plus public liability and product liability cover
• Check unit lease terms and whether business use is allowed at the address

Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £75,000, depending on the stock you buy, the size of your shipments and your unit. These are estimates. Bulk orders tie up cash, so plan for delays, damaged goods and late-paying customers.

Check EORI registration, customs duty, import VAT and whether you need a customs agent or can handle declarations yourself. Also check product safety, marking and labelling requirements for your range, and who is responsible as the importer.

Monthly revenue is typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on your product range and trade customers. That is revenue, not profit. Currency movements and shipping price changes can wipe out thin margins, so check your numbers carefully.