Online mattress store with local delivery

Households who prefer to browse and buy online, and local customers who want delivery and old mattress removal.

Margin on each sale, plus fees for local delivery, room-of-choice set-up and taking away old mattresses.

• Setting up an online shop
• Product knowledge and clear descriptions
• Customer service by phone and message
• Organising deliveries

• Check online selling rules, including cancellation rights, refunds and clear pricing information
• Check mattresses meet UK fire safety labelling rules and ask suppliers for evidence
• Public liability and goods in transit insurance, plus vehicle cover that allows delivery use
• Mattresses are bulky, so storage, lifting and damaged deliveries need a plan
• If you will take away old mattresses, you will probably need to register as a waste carrier with the environment regulator for your area (for example the Environment Agency in England), so check before offering this service; if you only deliver new items, this may not apply

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £10,000, depending on your website, any storage space, delivery vehicle and insurance. Treat this as an estimate and plan how you will store and handle bulky items.

If you plan to take away old mattresses, you will probably need to register as a waste carrier with your area's environment regulator, so check before offering it. Also check fire safety labelling and online selling rules, including cancellation rights.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £8,000, depending on your range, pricing and how far you deliver. The estimate assumes at least around 10 hours a week, and these figures are revenue rather than profit.