Online health and beauty store

Online shoppers who want a specific niche, such as vegan skincare, travel-size products or gift boxes, and are happy to order by mail.

You buy wholesale and sell at a markup through your own site or a marketplace. Bundles, subscriptions and repeat orders help raise sales per customer.

• Online selling and basic product photos
• Order handling and shipping
• Social media or email marketing

• Sales tax rules differ by state, check where you need to collect and file
• Home occupation permit, HOA or lease rules if you store and pack stock at home
• FDA rules on cosmetic labeling and claims, and any marketplace restrictions on beauty items
• Product liability insurance, many suppliers and platforms ask for it
• Buying from unauthorized sellers can mean fakes or expired products, use authorized distributors
• Shipping costs and returns can eat into margins, price them in from the start

Startup costs are typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how much stock you buy, your website setup and whether you use a fulfillment service. These are estimates. Price in shipping and returns from the start.

Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on your niche, product range, marketing and pricing. These are estimates. Shipping costs and returns can eat into margins, so factor them into your prices.

Things to check: sales tax rules in your state, FDA rules on cosmetic labeling and claims, and any marketplace restrictions on beauty items. Also check home occupation permit, HOA or lease rules if you store stock at home, and product liability insurance.