Home-Based plastic bag reseller

Small retailers, restaurants and takeout shops, florists, laundromats, market vendors and small online sellers who need packaging at lower prices than retail.

You earn the margin between your bulk purchase price and your wholesale price, usually per case or pallet. Repeat monthly orders from a handful of regular customers are the core of the income.

• Comfortable negotiating with suppliers
• Organized with orders and invoices
• Basic selling and follow-up by phone or email

• Many states and cities restrict or ban single-use plastic bags, so check local rules before choosing which products to sell
• Food-contact bags may need to meet FDA material requirements, so ask suppliers for documentation
• Check your state's sales tax registration and resale certificate rules
• Check HOA, lease or zoning rules if you store stock at home
• Margins can be thin, so confirm shipping and minimum order costs before quoting
• General liability and product liability insurance are worth checking with a broker

Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how much stock you keep at home, your minimum order sizes and shipping costs. These are estimates, so your own costs will vary with the products you choose.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your customers, order sizes and the products you sell. Margins can be thin, so treat these as estimates and confirm shipping and minimum order costs before quoting.

Many states and cities restrict or ban single-use plastic bags, so check local rules first. Food-contact bags may need to meet FDA material requirements, so ask suppliers for documentation. Also check sales tax registration, resale certificates and HOA or lease rules for home storage.