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Shop ideas

Check a shop idea before you buy stock

A small shop, in a street or online, lives on one thing: the gap between what you pay for a product and what you sell it for. Here is how to check a shop idea before you put your savings into stock.

Updated 13 October 2026

What to check first

  1. 1

    Your margin on each item

    Write down what one item costs you to buy, ship and pack, plus payment fees. Then what you will sell it for. The gap is your margin. Small margins mean you need many sales.

  2. 2

    Stock ties up money

    Money spent on stock is gone until the items sell. Start with small amounts and re-order what sells.

  3. 3

    Street shop or online?

    A street shop pays rent every month but gets people walking past. An online shop has low rent but must pay to be found: ads, social media or marketplaces.

  4. 4

    Why buy from you?

    If the same item is cheaper on a big website, people need a reason: a choice nobody else has, local and fast, expert advice, or a feeling they like.

The shop sum

Example with made-up numbers

  • Monthly costs (rent or website, marketing, insurance): €3,000
  • Average sale: €40. The items cost you €22, and payment fees are €1.
  • You keep €17 per sale.
  • €3,000 ÷ €17 = about 177 sales a month.
  • That is about 7 sales every day you are open, just to cover costs.

Then ask: where do 7 buyers a day come from? People walking past, Instagram, a marketplace, ads?

Check your shop idea for free

Tell us what you want to sell and where. You get the margin sum, competitors, rules and risks in plain words, plus a cheap test for this week.

Check my shop idea

Free checks every month. No account needed.

How to set your prices

Many new shop owners price too low. They copy the cheapest seller and forget their own costs. Start from your costs instead, then check what people near you pay.

  • Add up everything one item costs you: the item, shipping to you, packing, shipping to the customer and payment fees.
  • Add a share of your monthly costs. The shop sum above shows how much each sale must cover.
  • Look at what similar shops charge. If you are much cheaper, ask why, and whether you can keep it up.
  • Plan for some unsold stock and some returns. Not every item will sell at full price.
  • Try a higher price first. It is easier to run a sale later than to raise prices.

Rules to check

  • Register the business and check when you must start charging VAT. The limit depends on your country.
  • Selling online in the EU: customers usually have 14 days to change their mind and return an item. Plan for returns in your sum.
  • Product safety and labelling rules, especially for toys, cosmetics, food and electrical items.
  • Rules for customer data, cookies and email lists.

These are things to check, not legal advice. Ask your local business advice service or an accountant.

Cheap ways to test a shop idea

  • Sell 20 items before you order 200: at a market stall, a pop-up or a weekend sale.
  • Take pre-orders with photos before you buy the stock.
  • List a few items on an existing marketplace and see what sells, and at what price.
  • Ask 10 people in your target group where they buy this now, and what annoys them about it.

Questions people ask

Should I start a physical shop or an online shop?

Many people start online or at markets, because it costs less and shows what sells. Open a street shop later, when you know your best products and customers.

How much stock should I buy at the start?

As little as you can while still looking like a real shop. Re-order what sells. Unsold stock is the most common way small shops lose money.

How do I compete with big online stores?

Not on price. Compete on something they can’t do: a careful selection, local delivery, advice, a community or a story people like.

Check your shop idea for free

Tell us what you want to sell and where. You get the margin sum, competitors, rules and risks in plain words, plus a cheap test for this week.

Check my shop idea

Free checks every month. No account needed.

More guides

This guide gives general information in plain words. It is not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules differ between countries and change over time, so check with your local authority or an accountant.