Virtual office for ebay antiques business?

Sue1953_2

Hi All,

I am planning to set up an on line business selling vintage textiles and antiques, on a part time basis. I have put my business plan together, and everything is in place.

As I will be selling on line to start, primarily ebay, I have been looking looking at using offices via Regus. This will enable me to use their address to register my company, and use their office facilities a few days each month. I am only going to sell a few items each week to start, and will not need to register for vat in year one.

I do not however, wish to use my home address and have it plastered all over my ebay page. The second option would be to rent a small studio / office, this of course will then incur more start up fees. I aim to start small and within in a year / 18 months then move the business to a studio, and sell at Portobello, and fairs in London.

Does anyone have any advice with regard to using a virtual office address, bearing in mind that I will be based there a few days each month and all of my mail will be sent there, but my stock will not be held there. Does e-bay have any restrictions about sellers using facilities such as Regus.

Many thanks.

StaffsSW

It may be worth checking with your local council to see if they have any development or enterprise units available. I've recently taken on a workshop/storage unit for £300per month on a rolling 28 day contract in a converted mill. It is 520sq ft, or about the size of 6 car parking spaces, a mezzanine office, fully alarmed with 24 hour security, a central reception, cafe and mail room. Electric and water are metered and paid quarterly, and I need a public liability insurance policy that is about £21 a month. All prices include VAT.

I only use it 2 -3 days a week to take deliveries, then transfer stock to my garage at home ready for dispatch. Works well for me, and another ebay seller is taking a unit in the same site next week.

ebay/trading legislation require a geographical address, so using a shared office space is not a problem unless they issue PO Box numbers.

Sue1953_2

Thanks for your reply Stevew8975!

It has been really helpfull, Regus would not be a PO Box address, it will be my Company name and then the address of the office in my town. Included in the package of £189 per month, they will answer any calls I may have in my Company name so my customers do have a contact number, and I will go there weekly to collect mail and to also work, the package includes 40 hours of office use per month, which will suit me just fine to start, as I do not want to work from home - too many distractions, & I really want my business to be professional and succeed.

I will definitely contact my local council on Monday to enquire about enterprise units, this is a great idea. The rolling 28 day contract that you mention is also great. The majority of the local business centers that I have visited offer competitive priced one desk offices from £55 per week inc. of rates etc., but they want to tie you into a 12 month contract, some wanting 3 months notice.

Thanks so much for the advice!:T

neha1986

A Virtual Office is almost to be taken literally, it has the address of an office, the telephone numbers of an office and even the meetings room of an office, except for one determining factor, you are not actually in the office.

TurkishDelight

Wow- possibly two spams in one thread.