E-commerce · Budget: £0 to £500 · Minimum age: 18+

Shopify direct-to-consumer brand

A Shopify direct-to-consumer brand sells products to customers through its own online shop. You’ll need to choose products, manage fulfilment and customer service, and keep a close eye on costs and margins.

Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →

In plain words

You sell products through your own online shop.
Choose a product and test whether people want it.
Set a price that covers all your costs.
Pack and send orders, or arrange fulfilment.
Answer customer questions and handle returns.
Keep records and check the rules where you sell.

Who it suits

Suits someone with a product idea who is ready to test demand, handle customer questions and organise packing or fulfilment. It is a better fit if you can build an audience or reach customers without relying entirely on paid advertising.

Customers may value a product they can buy directly from the person or brand that makes or selects it. A clear product offer, helpful service and reliable delivery can encourage people to buy, but sales and profit are never guaranteed.

Step by step

Choose a customer and a small product range. Describe who might buy the product and what need it meets. Start with a small test rather than ordering lots of stock before you know what customers want. About 1-2 days.
Work out the full cost of each order. List product, packaging, shipping, payment processing, returns and marketing costs. Direct selling brings costs such as customer acquisition, fulfilment and customer support, and higher revenue per item does not guarantee profit. Shopify About 1-2 hours.
Test interest before buying stock. Show potential customers a simple description or sample. Ask what would make them buy, note their answers and use them to improve the offer before committing to inventory. About 1-3 days.
Choose a Shopify plan that fits your sales method. Compare a full storefront with social and link selling, and check the ongoing plan price and payment rates before starting. Shopify’s UK pricing page lists a three-day trial followed by £1 per month for the first three months; check that the offer and ongoing price still apply. Shopify About 30-60 minutes.
Build a simple, clear storefront. Add accurate product details, clear photographs, delivery information and a way for customers to contact you. Keep the design simple while you test the offer. About 1-3 days.
Set a price after estimating your costs. Include product and operating costs when deciding what to charge. Compare the payment fees for your plan and payment method; Shopify lists Basic standard online card processing at 2% plus 25p. Check current rates for your location. Shopify About 1-2 hours.
Plan packing, delivery and customer support. Decide who will pack and send each order, answer messages and handle delivery problems and returns. Try packing a sample parcel so you can check the process and materials. About 2-4 hours.
Tell people about your shop consistently. Choose channels you can keep using, such as an email list or social posts. If you use affiliate or influencer posts in the UK, label advertising clearly, for example with “Ad”. ASA About 1-2 hours to plan.
Review sales, costs, feedback and stock. Keep records from the start and review them regularly. If the numbers or customer feedback do not make sense, consider changing the product, price or marketing. About 30-60 minutes each week.

Your first 15 minutes

Write a one-page product and customer outline, then ask five people in your intended audience what would make them consider buying it.

The money

Estimate the product, packaging, delivery, payment processing, returns, marketing and shop costs for each order. Then choose a price that covers those costs and leaves an amount you consider worthwhile; compare current plan and payment fees before you commit. Shopify lists Basic standard online card processing at 2% plus 25p, but check current rates and availability for your location. <a href="https://www.shopify.com/uk/pricing?sh_rd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shopify</a>

Example only: UK month — 10 orders at £20 each = £200 sales. Suppose product and packaging cost £70, postage £30, Shopify Basic card fees are £6.50 (2% of £200 plus 25p for each of 10 orders), and the monthly plan is £25: £200 − £70 − £30 − £6.50 − £25 = £68.50 before tax, returns and marketing. <a href="https://www.shopify.com/uk/pricing?sh_rd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shopify</a> Ireland month — 10 orders at €20 each = €200 sales. If product and packaging cost €70, postage €30, and you set aside a hypothetical €25 for payment and shop costs, €200 − €70 − €30 − €25 = €75 before tax, returns and marketing. These are examples, not expected earnings.

The rules

You can sell through your own online shop in the UK and Ireland. You must follow the tax, consumer and product-safety rules for your business and products. The rules depend on where you sell and what you sell. If you’re unsure, check with HMRC, Revenue or the relevant consumer or product-safety authority.

UK and Northern Ireland

Tax and records. The first £1,000 a year of trading income is covered by the trading allowance. If your income is above that, tell HMRC. The allowance is based on your gross income before expenses. If you need to register for Self Assessment, do so by 5 October after the end of the tax year. GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK
VAT. You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover is over £90,000. If you’re close to the threshold, or unsure how it applies to your sales, check with HMRC. Business.gov.uk
Online sales and returns. Before someone buys, give them the required information about your business and product, the total cost and their cancellation rights. Make a cancellation form available where cancellation rights apply. Consumers generally have 14 days to cancel an online goods purchase. The 14 days start the day after they receive the goods. Exceptions apply. Tell customers before they buy if they must pay return costs. They should send returned goods within 14 days of cancelling. Refund them within 14 days of receiving the goods or proof of return. The refund must include standard delivery, but does not have to include the extra cost of a more expensive delivery option. Unless you agree otherwise, deliver the goods without undue delay and within 30 days. UK Government guidance Liverpool City Council
Product safety. Product-safety rules depend on where you sell and what you sell. In Northern Ireland, EU General Product Safety Regulation rules apply to relevant consumer products. You may only place or make safe products available on the market. For products placed on the NI or EU market, make sure there is a responsible economic operator based in Northern Ireland or the EU. Show its details on the product, packaging, parcel or a document that comes with it. The responsible operator must keep technical documentation for 10 years. In Great Britain, the UK General Product Safety Regulations apply instead. Check the rules for your product and which duties apply to your role. Northern Ireland guidance UK guidance
Reviews and advertising. Do not write or pay for fake reviews. Do not hide that a review was incentivised. Do not publish reviews or information about reviews in a misleading way. Take reasonable and proportionate steps to stop and remove prohibited review material. Clearly label UK advertising, for example with “Ad”. CMA ASA
Customer data. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you must pay a data protection fee. This depends on how you process data. If you only keep customer details for your own accounts and transaction records, you’re likely to be exempt. Check your circumstances. ICO

Ireland

Income tax. If you’re a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those thresholds, declare the income on Form 12 through myAccount. If you’re self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Preliminary tax is due by 31 October. Check your circumstances with Revenue or a tax adviser. Revenue Citizens Information
VAT and business name. The VAT registration threshold for goods is €85,000. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. Online registration costs €20. Revenue CRO
Online sales and returns. Before someone buys, give them the required business contact details, product information, total price and cancellation information. Explain how to cancel and provide a cancellation form. For online goods purchases, consumers generally have 14 days from receiving the goods to tell you they are cancelling. They then have a further 14 days to return the goods. Refund them within 14 days of being told about the cancellation, once you have received the returned items. Use the same payment method unless the consumer agrees otherwise. Exceptions apply. These include certain personalised or made-to-order goods and goods that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons. If you don’t tell the consumer about the cancellation right, it can be extended to 12 months beyond when it would otherwise expire. CCPC CCPC
Product safety. For consumer products covered by the general product-safety rules, you must supply safe and compliant products. This includes relevant products you offer online to EU consumers. Products placed on the EU market must have a responsible person in the EU. Show that person’s details on the product, packaging, parcel or a document that comes with it. Give people the information they need to use the product safely. Have systems to identify risks and monitor complaints or incidents. If a safety issue arises, take corrective action and notify the CCPC without delay. If an unsafe product is on the market, tell the manufacturer and CCPC. Also tell consumers who have bought it. Check whether other product-specific rules apply. CCPC CCPC
Advertising. Clearly label commercial influencer content, for example with “#Ad”. CCPC

Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.

Common mistakes

Buying too much stock before testing whether people want the product.
Setting prices without including packaging, postage, fees, returns and marketing.
Assuming sales or high revenue mean the business is profitable.
Launching before planning who will pack orders, answer messages and handle returns.
Using unclear advertising, product information or review practices.

AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.

Free community guide for Cookstown, Mid Ulster and anyone in the UK or Ireland. Nothing is for sale. About this site, AI, sources and privacy.