working but want to go SE

Emkayoli

Hi,

I have been dreaming about running a business from home for a while now and a few ideas have always stuck in my mind. I currently work in a job I don't really like, but it keeps a roof over our heads and food in our bellies!

I would like to import and sell children's clothing and footwear. I know there are LOADS of people that do this on the internet and on facebook but there is not many in my area that I have found.

I was hoping to do things a little differently by trying to 'rent space' for samples in some of the local shops so people can actually see and feel even fit the clothes before buying/ordering them and I was toying with the idea of setting up 'shop' at school fete's and events etc... donating some of the profits back to the school/charity of choice. Eventually I would hopefully have a good enough reputation and profitable turnover to manage a market stall at the summer/autumn/winter markets in the local town(s)

I have children of my own and my friends and I always oogled over the fab looking clothes you could order from abroad but never have done because we couldn't be sure of the quality or the fit etc...

Anyway I am digressing!

I want to make sure that all the clothes meet the UK standards, which I am researching at the moment and trying to wrap my head around import duty etc... Researching competitor products and profit margins, speaking to local businesses about renting space for rails.

I am going to stay with a friend in Korea for 20 days in June/July and if I decide to go ahead with my plan I was wondering whether it would be best to try and pack very lightly and buy some samples over there and bring them home in my luggage, that way I get to see the products first hand. Although I wasn't sure of the legalities of that?

I can afford to go down in my hours from now but I won't I'd like to keep going full time and put as much away as possible into a start up fund and stuffing the emergency fund until I am ready to 'launch' when I can half my hours gradually tapering them down if I can afford to.

I am sure there isn't much more than a part time income in this model but I really want some work/life balance back!

InsideInsurance

I'm not sure what your actual question is?

Bringing back samples in your luggage from Korea, in theory you should declare it as there is no "personal allowance" for business supplies and thus pay the VAT and Duty (if there is any, shouldnt be VAT as kids clothes are 0% rated)

Your main issues are going to be complying with the required legislations on safety. Not my area of expertise but a quick google shows that there are a lot of them.