Online model kit shop

Hobbyists and collectors, plus parents buying starter kits and gifts.

You buy stock from distributors or manufacturers and sell at a mark-up, with extra margin on paints, tools and bundles.

• Knowledge of scale modelling
• Stock control and packing orders
• Basic online selling and photography
• Customer service

• Register as a sole trader with HMRC, and check when VAT registration becomes compulsory
• Distributors may set minimum order values or want proof of a trading business
• Check product safety and labelling rules, especially for toys, paints and glues
• Postal rules for sending paints and solvents, check with your courier
• Online buyers have return rights, so plan for them in your pricing
• Stock tied up in slow sellers can drain cash

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £8,000, depending on how much opening stock you buy, how you build your website or marketplace presence, and the range you choose. Treat this as an estimate and plan your own budget.

Check registering as a sole trader with HMRC and when VAT registration becomes compulsory. Also check product safety and labelling rules for toys, paints and glues, postal rules for sending solvents with your courier, and online buyers' return rights.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £4,000, depending on your niche, range, pricing and how many orders you ship. These are estimates, and stock tied up in slow sellers can drain cash, so watch your stock levels.