Handmade crafts wholesaler (home-based)

Gift shops, boutiques, galleries, museum shops, cafes with retail corners and local tourist stores.

You buy at a wholesale price and sell at a markup, often with a minimum order size. Repeat orders from shops that reorder each season matter most.

• Spotting quality and trends
• Negotiating with makers and shops
• Inventory and record keeping
• Sales and relationship building

• Check your state's rules on a seller's permit or resale certificate, so you can buy for resale without paying sales tax
• Home storage may be limited by HOA or lease rules, and check if you need a home occupation permit
• Products like candles, cosmetics or children's items may have safety or labeling rules, check before stocking them
• Cash tied up in unsold stock, so start with small orders
• Get general liability and product liability insurance

Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how much opening stock you buy, plus packaging and insurance. These are estimates, and starting with small orders can keep cash from being tied up in unsold stock.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many shops you supply and the makers you stock. The estimate assumes at least about 8 hours a week, and it is revenue before your costs.

Check your state's rules on a seller's permit or resale certificate so you can buy for resale without paying sales tax. Check HOA or lease limits on home storage, any home occupation permit, and safety or labeling rules for items like candles, cosmetics or children's goods.