Online second-hand CD seller

Music fans, collectors and people rebuilding a CD collection, usually buying through online marketplaces.

You sell each disc for more than you paid for it. Rarer and in-demand titles earn the most, while bulk common titles bring in smaller margins on volume.

• Knowing music genres and what collectors want
• Careful grading and describing of condition
• Photographing and listing items accurately
• Packing and posting reliably

• Register as a sole trader with HMRC once you are trading regularly, and check the trading allowance rules
• Counterfeit or bootleg discs: check before selling and do not list anything that looks like a copy
• Marketplace fees and postage costs can reduce margins, so price with them in mind
• Check your home insurance covers stock stored at home
• Check any landlord or mortgage conditions if you run the business from home

Startup costs are typically around £200 to £1,500, depending on how many collections you buy, your packaging and photography set-up, and any web shop costs. Marketplace fees and postage can reduce margins, so price with them in mind.

Check whether to register as a sole trader with HMRC once you trade regularly, and the trading allowance rules. Check discs are not counterfeit or bootleg, and that your home insurance and any landlord or mortgage conditions cover stock at home.

Monthly revenue is typically around £200 to £2,000, depending on the collections you find, how well you list them and your pricing. The estimate assumes at least about 6 hours a week. Marketplace fees and postage costs affect what you keep.