So, you want to start a mobile phone business. Seeing how nearly everyone has a cell phone these days, it seems like it would be the right industry to consider if you wanted to start your own business.
How to Start a Mobile Phone Business
There are many things that you will want to consider before you dive right in and start a mobile phone business. First, you will need to determine what kind of business you would like to run. We list a few possibilities for you to consider below and each kind of cell phone phone company is distinctly different.
Second, you will want to consult with a lawyer and an accountant about the legal and tax ramifications of your business. Do you need to get a license? Do you need to register or incorporate? The situation gets even more complicated when you start to think about employees, writing off expenses, and all the other administrative things that go along with running a successful business. We'll leave this part of the equation to the legal and tax experts.
For the purposes of this article, we'll just explore what types of services you can consider when you want to start a mobile phone business.
Sell Cell Phone Accessories
By now, you've surely noticed that there is a huge demand for cell phone accessories. Along with the mobile phone itself, people are interested in buying an assortment of cell phone cases, skins, headsets, and all sorts of other things that either dress up their phones or add a certain level of added functionality. There is good money to be made in selling things like Bluetooth headsets.
In order to specialize in selling cell phone accessories, you will need to establish a good relationship with a wholesaler who can offer you good quality products at an affordable price. There will usually be a substantial discount when you buy in bulk, but you may want to start with a smaller order -- after doing some research -- before you step up how many you buy from this wholesaler.
From there, you can choose to either sell the cell phone accessories online (eBay, online store, etc.) or with a brick-and-mortar location, possibly at your local shopping mall.
Authorized Dealer
Did you know that many of the kiosks that you find in malls are not actually operated by the mobile phone provider itself? Many of these kiosks are run by entrepreneurs like you, selling Nextel cell phones and Verizon Wireless plans. They are called "authorized dealers", because while they are independent, they are selling the product on behalf of the cell network operator.
By and large, these small stores operate on a commission. When they are able to sign a new customer to a new contract, the cellular operator (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) will pay them a commission. Typically, the larger the plan and the longer the contract, the larger the commission. Also bear in mind that different operators have different commission scales, so operating a Telus Mobility kiosk could prove to be more lucrative than running a Rogers Wireless kiosk, for example.
When you start a mobile phone business like this, you shouldn't feel limited to just selling cell phone plans. You should check with the parent company, but you are usually authorized to sell additional products and services as well, like more cell phone accessories.
Import Mobile Phones
There is a growing market for unique and unusual cell phones, handsets that are not offered through the local cellular providers. This process can be a little more complicated, but if you can import mobile phones from other regions -- like Europe and Hong Kong -- and sell them in the United States, it is possible to fetch a pretty penny. Again, you can choose to start a mobile phone business as an online venture only or you can open a physical store.
Ringtones, Unlocking and Other Services
There are a lot of different kinds of cell phone businesses for you to consider. In addition to the above mentioned three examples, you can also try to set up a service that sells ringtones, a cell phone unlocking service, and more. Use your imagination and carve out your own unique niche.
