Online cured ham store

Food lovers, gift buyers, holiday shoppers and small companies sending client gifts.

Margin on each product plus gift boxes and bundles, with shipping charged or built into prices. Repeat customers and holiday orders help.

• Online selling and basic website setup
• Product knowledge and writing descriptions
• Organizing orders and shipping
• Customer service

• Rules on storing and reselling meat, which usually mean you cannot keep stock in a home kitchen, so check with your health department or state agriculture department
• Buy only from USDA or state inspected sources, and check labeling and import rules for foreign hams
• Shipping perishable food, including spoilage risk, carrier rules and costs, and rules for shipping to other states
• Sales tax registration and collection rules for online sales, which differ by state
• Business license, general liability and product liability insurance

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your website, opening stock, insulated packaging and gift box supplies. Shipping costs for perishable food are also worth budgeting for.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your product range, gift box offers and seasonal demand. Plan on roughly 10 hours a week at minimum.

Check rules on storing and reselling meat, which usually mean you cannot keep stock in a home kitchen. Also check USDA or state inspected sources, labeling and import rules, shipping perishable food across states, and sales tax and insurance requirements.