Start an online lorry and van accessories shop

Owner-drivers, small haulage firms, van tradespeople and private owners of trucks and campervans.

You buy at trade prices and sell at a markup. Fitting kits, bundles and repeat orders from small fleets add to the order value.

• Knowing trucks, vans and what fits them
• Online selling and basic product photography
• Order handling and customer service

• Lights, bars and mirrors may need to meet vehicle legal requirements, check what is road legal before you list them
• Consumer rules on returns and refunds for online sales
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC or set up a company, and check when VAT registration applies
• Heavy or bulky items can have high delivery costs, so work out shipping before setting prices
• Check product liability insurance, as faulty parts could cause problems

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £8,000, depending on whether you hold stock yourself or have suppliers send orders direct. These are estimates, so start with a focused range of accessories.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £5,000, depending on your range, pricing and how many customers you reach. This is revenue before stock, delivery, platform fees and other costs.

Check that lights, bars and mirrors meet vehicle legal requirements before listing them, consumer rules on returns and refunds, whether VAT registration applies, product liability insurance, and delivery costs for heavy or bulky items before setting prices.