Online air tools shop for garages and trades

Garages, body shops, workshops, joiners and keen DIYers who need replacements and accessories regularly.

You buy at trade prices and sell at a margin. Consumables like fittings and hoses bring repeat orders, and bundles or kits raise the order value.

• Product knowledge of air tools and compressors
• Online selling and basic website skills
• Clear customer service and returns handling

• Check that tools carry the right safety marks (UKCA or CE) and that your supplier can provide the paperwork
• Check the rules on distance selling, returns and consumer rights for online sales
• Margins can be thin against big online sellers, so focus on a niche and good advice
• Check whether you need product liability cover as well as public liability insurance
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC or set up a limited company, and check when VAT registration applies to you

Startup costs are typically estimated at around £1,000 to £6,000, depending on how much stock you hold, your website set-up and whether the supplier sends orders direct. Dropshipping from a supplier can keep initial costs lower.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £800 to £4,000, depending on your range, your niche and how well you market to garages and workshops. Margins can be thin against big online sellers, so check your own costs.

Check that tools carry the right safety marks (UKCA or CE) and that your supplier can provide the paperwork. Also check the rules on distance selling, returns and consumer rights, product liability cover, and when VAT registration applies to you.