New business in France - household decorative items, cosmetic jewellery, brand leather goods?

Just to let you know that, thanks to your help in setting up my Auto-entrepreneur business in 2015, I am now happy with the work I do as Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). I am building up quite a number of hours per week that keep me going. I feel like I am giving back something to the society I live amongst! So thank you again.

I felt it is important to renew my membership to your Forum as a good source of information on business in France. Another reason is that my wife wants to start business in France, and you are the best person to advise us along this path.

Type of work:

• Buying then selling household decorative ornaments and accessories (from tinted glass, fine ceramics, fine porcelain).
• Cosmetic jewellery (pearls and semi-precious stones) including creating them (as an artisan) and selling.
• Selling brand leather bags and gloves, and accessories (scarves) bought directly from factories or outlets in the EU.

Can you please advise on the best course of action on creating the business:

1. Is Auto-entrepreneur possible for the new business?
2. I am already an Auto-entrepreneur. Does this mean no need to start another Auto-entrepreneur business registration as I can expand the scope of my current registration with INSEE to cover the new business line?
3. If there is need to register the new business separately, can it be registered under joint name of husband and wife team?
4. If it has to be registered under a single person’s name, say my wife’s, will she be registered as “Artisanal Commercant” (if this the correct label) and with which organisation? Does she have to have a licence to trade, or to do any training?
5. Would my wife has to move her social security file from RSI Liberale – Paris (now with my dossier) to another RSI?
6. How can we protect personal assets (house, car, etc) in case new business suffers financial losses?
7. We are looking for a shop to rent, so that the new business will have a base (i.e. not working from home). What sort of rent should we aim for 3 years, 6 Years?
8. I read that if you want to rent, there is “Fond de Commerce” or “Droit de Bail”? What are these? If we rent an empty shop, do we have to pay anything other than the monthly rent?
9. If business doesn’t pick up, can we sub-let?
10. What are pitfalls of starting this commercial business?