Value furniture shop beside a supermarket

Local households, first-time renters and buyers, students, and people furnishing a home on a budget who are already shopping nearby.

You sell furniture at a mark-up on the supplier price. Delivery and assembly charges can add extra income, as can finance offers through a third-party provider.

• Selling and friendly customer service
• Stock buying and keeping track of orders
• Basic bookkeeping
• Comfortable with lifting and arranging heavy items

• Lease terms, deposits and business rates, so check these carefully before signing
• Fire safety rules for upholstered furniture and labelling, so check what Trading Standards expects
• Consumer rights on faulty goods, returns and delivery, plus rules on selling to customers by phone or online
• Public liability insurance, stock and contents cover, and employer's liability insurance if you hire
• Slow-selling stock tying up your cash, so start with a small range
• Manual handling risks when moving heavy items, and a van or delivery partner

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the unit, deposits, range of stock and delivery arrangements. Slow-selling stock can tie up cash, so starting with a small range may help.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £8,000 to £35,000, depending on location, pricing, range and footfall. This is revenue rather than profit, so stock, rent, rates and delivery costs come out of it.

Check lease terms, deposits and business rates carefully. Check fire safety rules and labelling for upholstered furniture with Trading Standards, plus consumer rights on faulty goods, returns, delivery and phone or online sales. Also check insurance, including employer's liability if you hire.