Online shoe store for a niche

Shoppers who struggle to find their size or style locally, such as people with wide or narrow feet, parents buying for growing kids, or workers who need specific footwear.

You buy at wholesale and sell at retail, keeping the margin on each pair. Some stores add shoe care products, insoles and socks to raise the order value.

• Knowing footwear and sizing
• Basic online store setup
• Customer service
• Organizing inventory and returns

• Check your state's rules on sales tax registration and collecting tax on online orders
• Returns are common with shoes, so build the cost into your prices and policy
• Brands may require minimum orders or approval before they sell to you
• Check whether you can run the business from home under your lease or HOA rules, and consider general liability insurance

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how much stock you buy, whether suppliers ship directly to customers, and how you set up your store and sizing tools.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $5,000, depending on your niche, order volume and pricing. That is revenue, not profit. Returns are common with shoes, so build their cost into your prices and policy.

Check your state's rules on sales tax registration and collecting tax on online orders. Also check whether brands require minimum orders or approval, whether your lease or HOA allows a home-based business, and consider general liability insurance.