Local paper and office supplies delivery

Small offices, schools, clubs, charities, local printers and small resellers who want reliable delivery and a named contact.

You buy at trade prices and sell at a margin, usually per box or pallet. Repeat orders and standing monthly deliveries give steadier income than one-off sales.

• Selling and following up leads
• Organising orders, stock and delivery routes
• Reliable customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• Margins on paper can be thin, so check your prices cover fuel, van costs and your time
• Insurance for goods in transit and your vehicle, check your policy covers carrying goods for customers
• Heavy lifting, plan for manual handling and safe storage of stock
• Storing stock at home may need permission from your landlord or mortgage lender, and paper needs a dry space
• If you offer credit terms, check new customers first and agree payment dates clearly
• Check any claims about recycled or FSC paper match your supplier's certification

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on your vehicle, initial stock and insurance. Paper margins can be thin, so check your prices cover fuel, van costs and your time.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many customers you win and the size of their orders. Margins on paper can be thin, so check prices cover fuel, van costs and your time.

Check that your insurance covers goods in transit and your vehicle, and plan for manual handling and safe storage. Storing stock at home may need permission from your landlord or mortgage lender, and paper needs a dry space.