Launching a tiny local online store

I have a small boring (Boring in a way that it's not an innovation or anything, but it's still exciting to me of course) idea.

So, what I want to do is to create a "Experience gifts shop".

So, we are going to sell Skydiving, Rafting, Heliskiing, Cooking classes, Biking lessons, etc. So, I'm struggling to understand on where do I start. I can go ahead and start creating an online store and all that stuff, but I really want to understand basic concepts here.

Idea Overview:

1. There are other similar shops in different states, but nothing for the state I live-in.
2. We need to find providers of the services. My Idea was to sign contracts with different providers on the following conditions. What it will give them:
   • better online presence (Most small companies have really bad websites or none)
     more customers
   • online ordering (Most small companies only accept payment over the phone)

- we are going to sell their services at the same price as they do, but they will pay us back % from each sale.

Questions:

1. How do I verify if people will want to use this?

2. How do I figure out a correct % to ask?

3. How do I propose? Should I first create a demo store and then show companies:

"look, you can be listed here"

I skipped legal, technical, and implementation questions in this topic, simply because I want to focus on how to start. I'd like to get relevant links, posts, or advice.

You'll definitely need providers for the services. In order to reach them, I recommend that you bring value, i.e. I'm not sure something like "better online presence" is, per se, enough to convince them. You should have something better to offer, such as more clients or building a community to which you will recommend their services, or build packages where you include distinct service providers in order to have a distinct/better client offer.

As for the questions:

1. Talk with people that are not your friends nor relatives. Oh, and if they're consumers of such products, ask them what they value and what bad things should be fixed in such a selling model.
2. I usually stop when I start getting the sames answers.
3. Get your story straight, i.e. make it clear what the service providers will win by working with you. You can add a certain "wow factor" if you materialize the added value in a cool demo site.

Most importantly, these "adventure businesses" will want to know how you can increase their revenue. As a new website with no prior traffic, that will be difficult to prove unless you have a high number of followers OR plan to advertise heavily OR have partners & supporters who will be promoting the site with a strong word of mouth process.

In regard to your questions,
1) Consider creating a survey or poll to obtain feedback.
2) Find a mentor who is a competitor (or a SCORE counselor) and ask.
3) Absolutely create a demo site so your prospects can visually see the site and the checkout process.