Surplus stock seller online and at markets

Bargain hunters, campers, hikers, festival-goers, bushcraft fans, re-enactors and people after hard-wearing workwear.

You buy stock cheaply from wholesalers, auctions or liquidators and sell at a mark-up. Profit comes from choosing items that sell quickly and keeping stock costs low.

• Spotting good-value stock
• Photographing and describing items clearly
• Basic bookkeeping and stock tracking
• Chatting with customers at a stall

• Register as a sole trader with HMRC once you start trading regularly
• Check whether you need a street trading licence or market operator permission for your pitch
• Check rules on selling items like knives, replica weapons or restricted gear, as some have age and sales limits
• Check product safety and labelling rules for clothing and equipment, and get advice if items are used or have no labels
• Public liability insurance is usually required by market organisers
• Storage at home may need permission from your landlord or mortgage lender

Startup costs are estimates, typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on how much stock you buy and whether you take a market pitch or build a simple website. Starting small lets you see what sells.

Monthly revenue is typically around £400 to £2,500, depending on your stock, prices and how often you trade online or at markets. This is revenue rather than profit, so allow for stock and pitch costs.

Register as a sole trader with HMRC once you trade regularly. Check whether you need a street trading licence or market permission, rules on knives and replica weapons, product safety and labelling, and market insurance requirements.