The first step in starting an eCommerce business is choosing which products you want to sell and who you want to sell them to. If you already have a specific industry or niche in mind, great. If not, that’s okay too. There’s no shortage of eCommerce business ideas to pursue
To help you out, here is a list of profitable eCommerce business ideas with high profit potential. Learn why each category is trending and draw inspiration from some real-world examples of companies that are doing it right.
Fashion products
The opportunity: Global market value for the online fashion business is expected to hit $1 trillion by 2025. That translates to an annual growth rate of 7.2%, according to data.
The possibilities: Fashion is a hyper-competitive industry but with so many niches and personal styles out there, there are still plenty of ways to start your own clothing line or start a t-shirt business. Alternatively, you could start an online boutique featuring handmade items and/or items curated from brands and designers that you love. A dropshipping or print-on-demand company can help you get started quickly. Under this model, you can outsource manufacturing and fulfillment to a trusted partner, and focus your energy on designing a diverse range of products. If you have a flair for creativity, an eye for fashion, or even just a geeky love for funny slogan t-shirts, a fashion business could be the way to go.
Sustainability focused products
The opportunity: The demand for sustainable eCommerce practices continues to rise. Nearly half (49%) of consumers paid a premium—an average of 59% or more—for sustainable goods, IBM research shows. Fashion resale in particular is expected to grow three times faster than the global apparel market overall.
The possibilities: Sustainability isn’t a product as much as it is a classification of business. It includes reusable, biodegradable, and sustainable products. Incorporating a sustainable ethos into your branding and operations can help consumers reduce their eco-footprint. If you’re looking to create an eco-friendly brand, consider selling garments sourced exclusively from fairtrade manufacturers or dipping your toe into fashion resale. You could sell vintage clothing online, sourcing clothes from thrift stores, wholesalers, flea markets, and elsewhere. Just like any other fashion boutique, your vintage store could appeal to a specific audience—bet it people who are searching for fits from a specific decade, occasion wear, or rentable designer clothes.
Car parts
The opportunity: The average car has roughly 30,000 parts including all the nuts and bolts that keep it in one piece. And across both B2C and B2B segments, finding car parts online is becoming increasingly popular. Having already risen 11% from 2020 to 2021, light-duty automotive aftermarket sales are predicted to jump another 8.5% in 2022.
The possibilities: To differentiate your business, consider selling car parts from specific categories, such as service parts, electrical parts, and interior or exterior parts. You could sell more complex components to mechanics, or sell hydraulic lift kits, neon light kits, and other accessories for DIY auto-enthusiasts.
Furniture and home decor
The opportunity: You don’t have to binge home shows on Discovery+ to cash in on the surging furniture market. Home decor sales are expected to grow by 2026.
The possibilities: Whether you’re a carpenter, interior designer, or reseller, turn your passion into a profitable business idea by learning how to sell furniture online. You could design, source, and manufacture your own products. Or, partner with a dropshipper to sell an array of ceramics, linens, and other home decor from around the world—without having to take care of storage of shipping yourself. Artists, photographers, and graphic designers can tap into this segment too. Partner with a print-on-demand company to reproduce your work into stylish home goods.
Shoes
The opportunity: The global footwear market is expected to grow more than 10% annually through 2025.
The possibilities: Shoes are a staple of everyone’s wardrobe, and while particular styles may rise or wane in popularity depending on trends or the time of year, footwear is always in demand. That’s why choosing to sell shoes online can be a lucrative endeavor. If you’re thinking about jumping into this industry, consider starting off by selling shoes geared towards a specific buyer segment, e.g., women’s shoes, men’s shoes, sneakerheads, or children’s shoes. Alternatively, you could offer specialty footwear designed for ballroom dancers, ballerinas, or construction workers.
Jewelry
The opportunity: The online jewelry industry makes up a solid portion of the market. Additionally reports that the global jewelry market is expected to reach $307 billion by 2026.
The possibilities: If you have the skills to create your own standout jewelry, or have a great eye for spotting trendy pieces, an eCommerce jewelry business may be right for you. There are plenty of niches to pursue when starting a jewelry business, whether you decide to target a high-value or low-value market. You could handcraft diamond engagement rings or striking costume pieces that help consumers refine their look. Or, source fashion jewelry that mimics what’s on the catwalk, and dropship pieces from international suppliers or wholesalers.
CBD products
The opportunity: Driven by expanding regulatory approvals, the CBD products market is expected to grow by 2026.
The possibilities: CBD has been making waves in the health and wellness industry over the past few years. CBD can be found in everything from skincare products to pet treats—and it’s not uncommon to find CBD products in grocery stores across the country. Popular CBD products today include teas, lotions, salves, and drops. If you want to sell CBD online, you’ll need to do plenty of research before you source, create, or dropship any products. You’ll need to comply with state, and local laws, and guidelines in the along with strict marketing and copywriting restrictions. Furthermore, you’ll need to identify a payment provider that works with CBD merchants.
Subscription boxes
The opportunity: Subscription ecommerce sales account for around 3% of the total market. Subscription sales in 2024 are expected to grow in line with general ecommerce sales projections.
The possibilities: If you have great products that are ideal for repeat purchases, then subscription boxes may be a good core offering or extension of your existing business.
Selling subscriptions is lucrative and unlimited. For example, you could start a subscription box for just about anything: clothes, socks, pet toys, chocolate, coffee, children’s educational toys, luxury goods, makeup, home decor, meals, produce, and even puzzles. The great thing about a subscription business is that it offers you regular recurring revenue.
A helpful hint: consider targeting younger generations. More than one-third of millennials (34%) and one-fifth of Gen Z shoppers (22%) are currently trying and are likely to continue to use subscription services.
Crafts and handmade products
The opportunity: Sales in arts and crafting sales are on track to reaching $9.9 billion by 2028.
The possibilities: Turn a personal hobby into a business by selling crafts online. There are many things to make and sell like custom art or handmade jewelry. Or sell custom metalwork, pottery, and hand-knitted mittens. You could even learn to start a candle business, which offers low startup costs and high profits. Whatever it may be, make sure you choose a craft that’s sustainable and scalable. There are multiple places where you can cash in on your crafts, including marketplaces like an online store, or niche alternatives. It’s recommended that you don’t solely rely on marketplaces where you lack control of the user experience and branding. Instead, create an online store that serves as the flagship destination for your brand, and expand to marketplaces for additional exposure.
Mental health and wellbeing products
The opportunity: With more people making self-care a priority post-pandemic, the
“wellness economy”
has a growth rate of between 5% to 10% in recent years.
The possibilities: Between weighted blankets, calming teas, and natural oil diffusers, there’s a large variety of products that you can consider selling in the wellness category. Products like acupressure mats, light therapy lamps, and meditation apps are growing in popularity as younger generations look to enhance their mental health and wellbeing. If you choose to enter this field, be sure to emphasize any credentials or professional endorsements that can build trust. Thoroughly explain how your products work and how they benefit the body in your product descriptions, and back up all claims with scientific evidence.
Wedding products and services
The opportunity: When brides-to-be and grooms-to-be brainstorm their perfect weddings, a growing number of them are jumping online for inspiration. According to analytics, the global wedding industry is expected to grow by 4.8% by 2030.
The possibilities: As more couples take their wedding registries online and search ideal locations for their destination weddings, the opportunity is ripe for eCommerce sellers.
Consider offering custom wedding signage or accessories, like centerpieces and guest books. Other product ideas: artificial flowers, handmade wedding gowns, bow ties, wedding guest favors, custom cake toppers, and more. If you’re a super-organized person who works well under pressure, you could even offer wedding planning services virtually, in addition to selling products. Some eCommerce businesses cater to the entire wedding journey, from engagement to the honeymoon, in an effort to tap into a wider market.
Pet foods and products
The opportunity: 70% of households own a pet. The global pet industry market is also expected to hit $261 billion by the end of 2022 and reach $350 billion by 2027.
The possibilities: Finding a pet care niche to break into and curating related products could bring you plenty of bacon. Some online pet care brands have practically become household names, showing how much people love pampering their pets with carefully selected treats, toys, and cushy beds. You might choose to take a practical path, sourcing durable toys for tough chewers, supportive beds, and joint supplements for dogs with hip dysplasia. Or, you might choose a more fun and playful route like beautiful pet kennels, decorative jackets, or training hoops. You could design and manufacture new products to meet pet owners’ pain points or exercise your culinary skills by making delicious pet treats. Think about what niche is underserved and target that.
Women’s health products
The opportunity: Increasing interest in healthy living is driving growth in the global health and beauty supplements market.
The possibilities: New women’s brands are popping up in every conceivable category, including vitamins and supplements, hair care tools, hair accessories, and size- and color-exclusive shapewear. Electronic gadgets for facial skincare are also among the top-trending women’s products. Think, what could be your USP? What pain point do you want to solve and how can you do it better than the products already out there? If you’re new to the women’s health space, note how women’s products have always had a
“pink tax”
associated with them, but quality hasn’t always measured up to the price. So, your brand could benefit from focusing on quality, as well as products made from eco-friendly, nontoxic materials.
Educational materials and courses
The opportunity: The global e-learning market is forecast to hit $325 billion by 2025, nearly doubling in a decade.
The possibilities: Whether you’re targeting parents looking for homeschooling aids or educators looking for schooling resources in science, math, and literacy, there are many sectors to tap into.
It pays to get creative and think outside the box, too. Kits teaching kids about cooking, astronomy, or a foreign language can take off just as quickly as a classic math kit. Note that digital education isn’t limited to kids. Since the pandemic, adults across the world have had added time to take up new languages, hobbies, and interests. Digital products and courses are top-or-the-class in this market. Users want the freedom to learn through any device, whenever—and wherever—it suits.
Baby products
The opportunity: Oh, baby. The market for infant toys, baby gear, and baby apparel alone is expected to grow by 2026.
The possibilities: Many parents will spend a pretty penny on their little ones, which is why selling children’s toys, clothing, or accessories can be a profitable venture. Some ways that you can differentiate your business: offer lower-cost products that cater to budget-minded parents. Or, sell sustainably made or heirloom-quality products that appeal to parents who are willing to pay extra for higher-end items. In this market, word of mouth is powerful, so sharing customer reviews and providing social proof across your digital channels will help you grow your business. Wix stores that add third-party review apps see an average 10% increase in both overall sales and average order value within the first 60 days.
How to choose an eCommerce business idea
With so many options for your business, how do you select which niche is best for you? Start by asking yourself these questions.
What am I interested in and what do I know? If you love fine jewelry but don’t know how to tell a diamond apart from a CZ, you’ll face a steeper learning curve and will need to recruit an expert before getting started. However, if you know everything there is to know about animation, then you can consider making money as an animator. So, think about what you’re passionate about, what you already know, and see where you have an upper hand.
What do I have the startup funds for? Print-on-demand businesses carry smaller startup costs when compared to eCommerce businesses that choose to manufacture their own prices. While you can always bootstrap your business, think about how you can start on solid financial ground.
What problems can my products help solve? For example, do you personally struggle to find pet-safe, weed-killing products for landscaping? There’s likely other people who do too. Explore if this is something you can find a solution for and can effectively market to people who face a similar problem.
What’s trending in my market? Is there an abundance of competition in the industry that you’re considering? Is someone already doing what you want to do? Competition is an important factor when deciding on the right line of business. Heavy competition may mean it will take your business longer to reap profits but if you have a great eCommerce business idea, you can make it stand out with outstanding marketing, customer service, and a beautiful website.
eCommerce business ideas FAQ
What's the most profitable ecommerce business idea?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the most profitable online stores vary depending on the products they sell and the market they target. However, some of the most profitable online stores sell:
Handmade goods: Handmade goods often have high profit margins because they are unique and can be sold at a premium.
High-ticket items: High-ticket items, such as electronics or furniture, can also be very profitable because they sell for a lot of money.
Niche products: Niche products, such as those that target a specific audience or interest, can also be very profitable because they don't have a lot of competition.
Which type of ecommerce business is best to start?
There are many different types of ecommerce businesses, so it's important to choose one that's right for you. Some popular options include:
Dropshipping: This is a business model where you don't need to hold inventory. When a customer makes a purchase, you simply order the product from a supplier and have it shipped directly to the customer. This is a great option for beginners because it's relatively low-risk.
Wholesale: This is a business model where you purchase products in bulk from a supplier and then sell them at a profit. This can be a profitable business model, but it requires more upfront investment than dropshipping.
Retail: This is a business model where you sell products directly to consumers from your own website or store. This can be a very profitable business model, but it requires a significant investment in time and money.
Adapted from: Wix
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