Online packaging bag shop for small businesses

Online sellers, market stalls, small shops, bakeries, craft makers and event caterers who want smaller quantities than a big wholesaler offers.

You sell packs at a margin above your trade price. Bundles, reorder discounts and delivery charges can lift the average order.

• Basic website or marketplace selling
• Product listings and photos
• Customer service by email

• Public liability and product liability insurance
• Accurate sizes, materials and food-contact claims in your listings
• Carrier bag charging rules vary across the UK nations, so check what applies to your customers
• Plastic packaging tax may apply to manufacturers and importers, so check with HMRC if you import directly
• Shipping bulky, light boxes can eat into margins, so test delivery costs first
• Consumer rules on returns apply differently to business buyers, so check your terms

Startup costs are typically around £600 to £4,000, depending on how much stock you hold and whether a wholesaler ships direct. These are estimates. Test your delivery costs first, as shipping bulky, light boxes can eat into margins.

Monthly revenue is typically around £600 to £3,000, depending on your range, pack sizes and how many business customers you reach. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit, and it usually needs at least about 8 hours a week.

Check public liability and product liability insurance, accurate sizes, materials and food-contact claims in your listings, and carrier bag charging rules in each UK nation. If you import directly, check with HMRC whether plastic packaging tax applies, and check your returns terms for business buyers.