Sports card shop with trading space

Local collectors, parents and children, gift buyers and people bringing in old collections to sell.

Margin on cards and sealed products, accessories like sleeves and binders, buying collections at a discount, and small event or table fees.

• Strong card and pricing knowledge
• Customer service and building a community
• Stock control and basic shop accounts

• Rent, rates and utilities are fixed costs, so work out how many sales you need each month before signing a lease
• Stock value can drop and sealed products can be hard to source, so avoid over-buying
• Public liability and stock or contents insurance, and employer's liability if you hire staff
• Check planning use class for the premises with your council, and any lease restrictions
• Buying cards from the public carries a risk of stolen goods, so keep records of what you buy and from whom

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £8,000 to £30,000, depending on the premises, fit-out and opening stock. Rent, rates and utilities are fixed costs, so work out how many sales you need each month before signing a lease.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on location, stock and how many regulars you build. Revenue is before rent, rates, utilities and stock costs, so check what you need to break even.

Check the planning use class for your premises with your council, and any lease restrictions. Also check insurance, including public liability and stock cover, and keep records of what you buy and from whom, as buying from the public carries a risk of stolen goods.