Start an online sports nutrition store

Regular gym-goers, runners, home trainers and people following a fitness plan who want to buy online and have it delivered.

You buy at trade prices and sell at a mark-up. Subscriptions, bundles and loyalty offers encourage repeat orders. Margins are often tight on big brands, so many sellers add own-label or niche products.

• Knowing the products and what they are for
• Basic website and social media skills
• Organised stock and order handling

• Food supplement labelling and ingredient rules, check the requirements with Trading Standards or the Food Standards Agency
• Avoid health or performance claims you cannot back up
• Register with your local council as a food business if you store and sell food products, check with them
• Distance selling rules including a 14-day returns right for most online orders
• Buy from reputable suppliers to avoid fake or banned ingredients
• Storing stock at home may need permission from a landlord or mortgage lender, and check your insurance covers stock

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £6,000, depending on how much stock you hold and how you build your website. These are estimates, so check supplier prices and your own plans before committing any money.

Check food supplement labelling and ingredient rules with Trading Standards or the Food Standards Agency, and avoid health or performance claims you cannot back up. Also check with your local council whether you need to register as a food business if you store food products.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £3,500, depending on your range, pricing and how well you reach customers. Revenue is not profit, and this estimate assumes at least about 8 hours a week of work.