Online tattoo supplies store

Professional tattoo artists, small studios and apprentices. Some shops also sell aftercare products to the public.

You buy from wholesalers or manufacturers and sell at a mark-up. Repeat orders for consumables are the steady earner, with larger kit sales adding to it.

• Sales and customer service
• Stock control and organising orders
• Knowing the products, or willingness to learn from artists
• Basic website and social media skills

• Tattoo inks are subject to UK chemical safety rules (for example UK REACH restrictions on certain substances). Check that every ink you sell meets current requirements and ask suppliers for proof
• There is no single national licence for tattooists in the UK, but councils usually require tattooists and their premises to be registered under local rules. Check your local council's and trade bodies' guidance, and consider how you will confirm that buyers are working professionally
• Some cleaning and sterilising chemicals have special postage rules. Check with your couriers before listing them
• Check product liability and public liability insurance with a broker
• Stock tied up in products with expiry dates, so start small
• Working from home may need permission from your landlord or mortgage lender if you store stock there

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,500, depending on how much stock you buy and how you build your website. Starting small helps, because some products have expiry dates and tie up cash until they sell.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on your niche, stock range and how many artists and studios you reach. These are estimates of sales rather than profit, and you would need roughly 10 hours a week or more.

Check that every ink meets UK chemical safety rules, such as UK REACH restrictions, and ask suppliers for proof. Also check local council and trade body guidance on tattooist registration, courier rules for some chemicals, and insurance with a broker.