Starting My Online Sweet Shop

[ChrissyAcNh]

Hi everyone!

I am planning to open an online sweet shop where I will be re-packaging sweets to sell. I will be working from home to start with, so I don’t have any plans to rent premises yet. I will also be delivering the orders instead of my customers picking them up from me.

I have passed the food safety and hygiene essentials, food safety and hygiene level 2 and I am working to finish off my allergy awareness course this week. I have also contacted the local food team and now waiting for their reply.

I am just stuck with the insurance, I need to secure product liability insurance and couldn’t find a company for this. Can someone recommend one, please?

I am registered as a sole trader because I also have a part-time buy and sell business, do I need to contact HMRC regarding my sweet shop plan?

Also, if there is anything that I miss, can you point it out to me, please. I wanted to cover as much as I can to finally open my shop safely and start trading.

Stay safe, keep well!

Maria

 

[WaveJumper]

Good afternoon surprised you can't find any leads-in google for insurance there's plenty out there but I would perhaps have a chat first with our forum member @Frank the Insurance guy he will defiantly be able to give you a good steer on what you need.

If you're already registered with HMRC as a sole trader basically thats all they need to know. Not long now and you're be good to go. Have you got a marketing plan, how are you going to promote yourself.

 

[Mr D]

Set yourself a limit on delivering orders. A certain distance.
We clocked up 20 odd miles a day delivering in a 3 mile radius and I was driving around 3 hours a day.

 

[Dillon Lawrence Ltd]

Hi Maria

Welcome to the forum. How are you selling online? Via your own site or via a delivery platform such as Uber Eats?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Have you any idea how many customers you are likely to have in that small area and what is your minimum spend, with fuel prices at a all time high, how many sales do you need to cover your delivery costs.

You will be competing with a lot f established players who sell online but all send out orders by post or courier

 

[Heather Coupland]

I may be able to lead you in the right direction and provide advice on the insurance element. Let me know if you want to have a quick chat.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi everyone!

I am planning to open an online sweet shop where I will be re-packaging sweets to sell. I will be working from home to start with, so I don’t have any plans to rent premises yet. I will also be delivering the orders instead of my customers picking them up from me.

I have passed the food safety and hygiene essentials, food safety and hygiene level 2 and I am working to finish off my allergy awareness course this week. I have also contacted the local food team and now waiting for their reply.

I am just stuck with the insurance, I need to secure product liability insurance and couldn’t find a company for this. Can someone recommend one, please?

I am registered as a sole trader because I also have a part-time buy and sell business, do I need to contact HMRC regarding my sweet shop plan?

Also, if there is anything that I miss, can you point it out to me, please. I wanted to cover as much as I can to finally open my shop safely and start trading.

Stay safe, keep well!

Maria

You could try Simply Business insurance here

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Good afternoon surprised you can't find any leads-in google for insurance there's plenty out there but I would perhaps have a chat first with our forum member @Frank the Insurance guy he will defiantly be able to give you a good steer on what you need.

If you're already registered with HMRC as a sole trader basically thats all they need to know. Not long now and you're be good to go. Have you got a marketing plan, how are you going to promote yourself.

I found a few but wasn't sure if it is any good or not. A recommendation would be perfect! I will be selling via Facebook, Instagram mainly but I live near a primary school and has few mum friends so I'll start with them.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Set yourself a limit on delivering orders. A certain distance.
We clocked up 20 odd miles a day delivering in a 3 mile radius and I was driving around 3 hours a day.

Thank you for the tip! I will only be delivering orders in our village and villages nearby but other orders can be sent via courier like royal mail.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Hi Maria

Welcome to the forum. How are you selling online? Via your own site or via a delivery platform such as Uber Eats?

I will be selling mainly on facebook and Instagram but delivery platforms are ideal too! thank you for pointing that out to me.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Have you any idea how many customers you are likely to have in that small area and what is your minimum spend, with fuel prices at a all time high, how many sales do you need to cover your delivery costs.

You will be competing with a lot f established players who sell online but all send out orders by post or courier

I live on the same road as our primary school and our village is expanding (new houses being built like an estate), I also have mum friends from school and I am planning to start with them. In regards to fuel, I will only be delivering orders in our village on foot, will drive only to deliver on nearby villages and any other orders will be sent via courier.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

I may be able to lead you in the right direction and provide advice on the insurance element. Let me know if you want to have a quick chat.

Thank you! I will try Nicola's link first but feel free to send me a link online.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

You could try Simply Business insurance

Thank you so much! I will check this out. Have a lovely weekend ahead.

 

[Socio South West]

....... I will be selling via Facebook, Instagram mainly but I live near a primary school and has few mum friends so I'll start with them.

Do you have marketing plans beyond this? Your spend per customer is not likely to be high through social media marketing: If your business is to grow with your time doing deliveries taken into account you need to work towards bigger orders as soon as possible.
Think of your mum friends and local contacts as oiling the wheels for bigger and better things.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Do you have marketing plans beyond this? Your spend per customer is not likely to be high through social media marketing: If your business is to grow with your time doing deliveries taken into account you need to work towards bigger orders as soon as possible.
Think of your mum friends and local contacts as oiling the wheels for bigger and better things.

Once my business has been established, aside from social media marketing, word of mouth from friends and family and selling my goods locally, I will also join pop-up markets or fairs and hoping to use delivery platforms like Dillon Lawrence kindly suggested.

 

[WaveJumper]

Chrissy when my son was running his pick & mix business, he used to make up plastic boxes, storage type box’s and filled up all the compartments with different types of sweets, use large and small box’s. People then bought them to pass on as gifts, Good for birthday parties etc. hope that makes sense.

I was trying t think of a word to describe it .......... presentation box's two words I know

 

[paulears]

Don’t forget the wedding industry. Sweeties are mega popular at weddings. My friend’s business took off big time. Three local vans, two shops, and staff galore to process web orders mail order.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Chrissy when my son was running his pick & mix business, he used to make up plastic boxes, storage type box’s and filled up all the compartments with different types of sweets, use large and small box’s. People then bought them to pass on as gifts, Good for birthday parties etc. hope that makes sense.

I was trying t think of a word to describe it .......... presentation box's two words I know

They are called sweet gift boxes. Some of them are just a box full of sweets and some have dividers. They can be tailored to suit the customer's request like if it's for a birthday, a teacher's gift etc. That is on my menu, too.

 

[ChrissyAcNh]

Don’t forget the wedding industry. Sweeties are mega popular at weddings. My friend’s business took off big time. Three local vans, two shops, and staff galore to process web orders mail order.

Thank you! I took note of that. I hope I will be as successful as your mate. Hopefully one day!