Local measuring instruments trade supplier

Manufacturers, engineering workshops, laboratories, college workshops, maintenance teams and tradespeople.

Margin on products sold over the counter, by phone and by email, plus regular account customers who reorder. Specialist advice and quick availability help you charge more than online-only sellers.

• Technical product knowledge
• Building relationships with business buyers
• Stock control and purchasing
• Quoting and invoicing

• Rent, rates and stock tie up a lot of money before sales build, so check your break-even figures carefully
• Public liability and stock or contents insurance, plus employer's liability if you hire staff
• Check which product safety and marking rules apply to the instruments you sell
• Customers may ask for traceable calibration certificates, so check what you can supply and from whom
• Offering credit to business customers brings late-payment risk, so check customers before giving account terms
• Check planning and lease terms for the unit, including permitted use

Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £50,000, depending on your premises and stock levels. Rent, rates and stock tie up a lot of money before sales build, so check your break-even figures carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically around £8,000 to £35,000, depending on your customer base and range. These are estimates, not guarantees. Offering credit to business customers brings late-payment risk, so check customers before giving account terms.

Check planning and lease terms for the unit, including permitted use, and which product safety and marking rules apply to the instruments you sell. Also check what traceable calibration certificates you can supply and from whom, and which insurance you need.