Small online business - business rates??

[cauley246]

I'm thinking of starting a small online business from my home in my spare time, to raise some extra income. Nothing big, just on the family PC. I plan on selling electrical accessories (batteries, blank cds, ipod accessories etc). I have some suppliers already lined up, and I'm effectively ready to go. Website, payment method etc all waiting to go. Sole trader application ready and waiting to be sent. The one thing thats putting me off at the moment though is business rates.

I didn't think about this when I thought about starting up. Would I have to pay? As I said, I already have a full time job, and this is just a way of gaining some extra income. Based out of our dining room, so its not going to be a big business, unless it takes off, which I dont think it will. I mean how much would the rates be if I did have to pay? Theres obviously no reason in starting up, and finding your turnover is not even enough to cover these rates, never mind making any profit.

Also what would happen if I started, without contacting the valuation office. I take it they would eventually catch up with me, and I'd have to pay any backdaed amounts due?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[fisicx]

Using your home for business purposes is a good starting point.

Have you checked the competition? You are entering a very competitive market and one in which you are going to really struggle to get noticed. There are so many website already selling these sorts of products the chances of you even appearing on the search engine index is almost zero.

Unless you are cheaper than the local Supermarket / PCworld / market stall / boot sale you are going to have to find an astounding USP.

Sorry to be so negative but I have seen so many enthusiastic start-ups fail simply because they didn't appreciate how difficult it is to survive.