The Best products to sell online --

Jun 24, 2023

If you're considering selling online products. This is an exciting first step to entrepreneurship!

The most profitable business that sell online or through e-commerce invest their time looking into their marketplace and taking into consideration the many options that come with selling on the internet.

This guide's goal isn't just to list a bunch of products and areas that people claim to be the "hottest" merchandise that is available online in 2023.

We'll explore some of that and more, but we're going provide you with methods to conduct the research yourself so you can consistently stay ahead of developments and competition and create your own lucrative niche.

More importantly more important, the top products for you to sell on the internet are those that that you are able to sell successfully online. If you are able to make it work for your preferred product category, sub-categories, and even niches If you are able to succeed, then you'll be successful in building an online business.

analytics dashboards on various social media and data platforms

It is important to offer products that are in demand however, in a market that's not already saturated. You don't want to compete against huge stores, but you need an area that is profitable and has growth potential.

How can you begin?

To serve you best This guide was designed to assist you in learning how to determine the best merchandise to offer online to suit your requirements and interests, as well as your experience imagination, passions, and creativity.

Selling products on the internet is easy?

There's a better way for you to consider the issue:

What business-related skills and product development, marketing, and online selling do you already are proficient in? Selling products online comes in the form of what you've got, what you can learn, and how well you implement your expertise and knowledge.

The more information you have the more familiar you are, the easier it is to market your products online. No matter what your skills are selling on the internet requires the right idea, a system and platforms, such as marketing, and an audience.

Does that sound simple?

In general, it's much simpler to start an online business like most typical retail shops, since it has lower start-up costs, fewer risks as well as a lower overhead. the ability to change to change, pivot, and adjust depending on the need.

And the best news is that, even if do not have much experience, nothing but time is keeping you from learning. The article you read is a great place to start!

If you're looking to take on the challenge of selling online products Don't let a ignorance or lack of experience hinder you. Start now. Learn all you can about. Make daily progress to be successful.

woman working on her laptop in front of a bookshelf

How do I become an online product seller?

If you do not have any product ideas at the moment, finding an idea is the first step. What would you like to offer on your online store? Which industries or products are appealing to you most?

A niche gives you the ability to find the people that are searching for something specific, and isn't being served by the major retail stores. The niche product also allows you to be found online and even if you are a brand new small online business.

person holding a cat mug in their hand

As an example, will an online shop that is selling coffee mugs appear in the first page of a search on the internet for the term "coffee cups"? No. It's too broad and wide of a term.

But what about a new online store that sells funny and color-changing coffee cups for cat owners? It's very unique, and there is an market for it.

A niche product can give an opportunity to begin, and you can compete with the big online shops starting from the very beginning.

Have ideas for toys for toddlers? Drill down on your ideas and learn how to describe the toys. Are they silly toys? Puzzle toys? Brain-boosting toys? Toys for individuals, families or groups of children? Disposable or perishable toys? Environmentally-friendly toys?

This is only a starting point. More precisely you describe what sets the toys you sell in your shop apart from the typical "toy store" more customers that you'll attract.

two children playing with wooden toys at a table

So as you look at types of products to sell online, make sure you don't get caught up on big broad types of products.

Start by creating an inventory of the products and concepts that appeal to you. From there, begin exploring on the web using strategies we'll go over shortly, and look for an opening in a specific branch of a larger product category. Narrow it down to a narrower group of specialty products. That's the secret to finding products to sell on the internet.

What are the most sold items online?

If you search for the best selling products of 2023 or another year, every page you find will have a different list of products. What that means is, there is no way to count the actual best selling products by category.

Why? Because there are multiple methods to measure this. Do you think it is best to sell by volume -- number of items sold? Most profitable selling through profits? The best selling based on revenue prior to expenses? Most profitable sales compared to competitors? Best selling in your category or in your industry?

Your choice of what product you will sell on the internet doesn't only depend on the product itself. It also concerns how you'd like to sell it as well as who you wish to sell to -- the target market. Let's look at both.

Strategies to sell your products online

If you are looking to begin any kind of business online, there are a variety options for establishing your brand, getting started, managing inventory and so on. Some aren't specific to any one of them and are all factors you need to take into consideration.

Here are some of the possibilities you have to choose from, and combine to create your perfect business plan:

Godin Guitars homepage design

Sell your products through your own online store

If you set up your own store online using a platform like , you can sell products directly to businesses, consumers or wholesalers. You can also run the whole business by establishing your own site.

Amazon merchant homepage

Sell your products through an existing marketplace on the internet

shelves full of jeans in different shades

Sell and manage your own inventory

If you have the space -whether whether it's rented or in a space you possess, you may stockpile and sell the items you own on your website. In this case, you'll have to set up systems to make sure that the items you sell are available as well as ensuring that you don't hold too as many products in your inventory that you risk getting stuck with un-sold stock.

wooden shelves stocked with products

Sell your products through dropshipping

Each product that sells is delivered directly from the manufacturer, or wholesaler to the client.

Certain products are compatible when combined with this system, whereas others don't.

mugs with fun sayings stacked on a table

Create a print-on-demand company

This is a variation of dropshipping that allows you to produce a product when a customer places an order for it. But in this case it is your turn to manufacture them yourself, on demand or directly working with a manufacturer.

items stacked in a warehouse

Create your own products

If you have the capability to create your own products that you can sell on the internet, then it is possible to do this in order to keep the quality intact and cut out intermediaries so you can keep your costs low while earning an income. It is a lot simpler with certain products over other ones.

men's clothing laid out on a table

Sell pre-existing products

It is also possible to sell items manufactured elsewhere. You have become the intermediary, selling what you get from vendors and distributing the product to your customers. You can also vary the method and develop your own private label based upon a trending or pre-existing items.

warehouse full of shoeboxes

Wholesale sales

Which is better- selling on Amazon as well as your personal store?

In general, you'll be happier selling from your own store online instead of Amazon or other marketplaces online, and here are the most important reasons for this:

  • It's not competing with other items in the same category in front of yours
  • There's less worry regarding the cost of competition
  • You'll benefit from more freedom in the marketplace. Amazon may change its conditions, remove you from their list and increase the cost of their services without warning
  • It's easier to build customer loyalty, and an increased chance of building brand recognition
  • The possibilities to expand without limit
  • You'll be the sole owner of all your client details (not any third-party website) This is a important asset as it grows

While it may be easier to get started selling on the internet using a website such as Amazon due to the already-established infrastructure and increased traffic however, once you've figured it out the advantages mentioned above of running your own store online outweigh any benefits Amazon can offer, especially in the future expansion.

Who do you want to market to?

Your offerings, for the most part, determine who your audience is. But you have a few extra aspects to take into consideration. You can choose to sell items to customers based on various aspects including:

  • Populations such as age, gender
  • Work
  • Life circumstances -- People with kids, retirees Singles, retirees
  • Socio-economic status
  • Ethnicity
  • Place -- Countries Provinces, states, regions, cities

There is the option selling to business by using B2Bthat is, Business to business. This is where wholesale fits however, any store may sell its products to different businesses, depending on what they sell.

The market you want to target will arise from whichever products you decide to offer, and this will change and evolve in time. If you're just beginning to get established selling online, make the decision on whom your ideal customers would be. Then, build your business from that.

Which product is the one with the greatest margin?

The most profitable online items aren't physical items. Information products, such as memberships, online courses, online coaching organizations ebooks, even memberships require the use of no inventory, manufacturing, and no production. Once the product has been made, you are able to sell similar items to as many individuals who will purchase it.

Software products could also be included in this group, even though the development process tends to involve a lot more individuals than those previously mentioned, which drives higher the cost of production and lowers the margins, at in the beginning. But if your software takes off and gets popular, it also has very high margins.

warehouse stacked high with boxes

What kinds of products can I offer at the comfort of my home?

In the past, we've mentioned that you can begin selling products from home more easily through dropshipping because there is no need to store and manage the inventory.

Dropshipping businesses have many advantages, like inexpensive startup costs, not having cost of shipping or warehouse expenses more risk-free, as well as fewer staffing requirements. But, it is difficult to establish a presence on the market, and it is also less influence over your product.

There is also the option of visiting actual dropshipping providers and check out the way they operate and what they can offer.

Two of the biggest dropshipping provider sources are AliExpress as well as Spocket.

The factors that influence sale and profit

How do you narrow down your ideas for what products you'd like begin selling on the internet? There are some things to consider that affect how well the product is sold and profits potential margins

Margins

Your margin on each product is the amount is required to produce or store the product and what you charge for the product. Offering a product at $200 that costs the equivalent of $180 for production might not be as appealing a commercial idea as a product that retails at $50, and is made for $25.

assorted cookies in a cardboard box

Shelf life -- perishability

This applies to food This is true for food, naturally. However, it is also applicable to items like construction materials, specific cosmetic and skin care products, and various other products. The longer-lasting products are more attractive to customers, but this also means that you won't be able to sell to them as frequently. Again -- there isn't an 'right' or "wrong approach to take here. The idea is to consider as you explore product ideas.

Selling perishable items also increases the chance of inventory that isn't sold. If you're unable to dispose of things before they become rotten, you've lost the entire worth of the product in its raw form.

Size and weight

Heavyer, larger-sized products tend to increase storage and cost of managing inventory.

man and woman packing boxes for shipping

Consumable or not

Again, this doesn't just mean food. Any product that people run out of has good potential to generate sales over the long term since your clients must continue to purchase more. In contrast, items most people buy only a couple of times over their life.

The life of a wrench is often long before it gets worn out. Art is a harder market because it is difficult to have so much art available in their houses. However, that doesn't mean they aren't viable niches. This is simply an idea to be incorporated into your planning process as you plan your strategy for selling products on the internet.

What do you need to think of when coming up with a product and make it available for sale?

The answer to this depends partly on what kind of business model is appealing to you.

A dropshipper doesn't need to manage inventory or develop an item. You're selling pre-existing products. There is a possibility of developing the brand, and you must definitely develop the marketing and the online store. But you don't have to think of the actual products.

workers standing in a warehouse

The same is true in the case of wholesaling too. If you're looking to partner with wholesalers, you might turn into a bridge in the chain for businesses who require these products. So, there might exist a large wholesaler in another country that owns a massive warehouse of the product.

You can buy their product in large quantities then mark it up then become a wholesaler local for your state, city, province, or region.

Again, you wouldn't need to design a product with this strategy.

Print on demand businesses isn't creating the 'canvas' to showcase their merchandise, however they will be creating the customization that makes people or businesses desire to purchase from them. So in this case it is essential to possess the creativity to develop your own unique style, design and technical skills, or whatever type of customization you're offering.

blank white t-shirts for customization

And you need to know the best ways to connect with suppliers who will provide 'canvases to showcase your items such as shirts notebooks, cups, pens and water bottles and anything else you'd like to sell in your online store.

If you manufacture your own items, the answer to this gets more difficult. If food, where will you get the ingredients, in the event that you've developed recipes already? If some other product will be required, you'll need to locate the raw materials as well as create a manufacturing process.

If the product you are selling is software, or a digital product of information, you must code the product, then write it down and create it.

However, before you create a brand new product -- particularly one that has higher initial costs -- you might think about conducting some market research and see if there's demand for your idea. We'll talk about market research.

What else is selling big right now? What's in demand?

What can you do to find out which products are popular on other stores? Below are the top four methods to discover the most popular products

Google Trends is a useful tool to get into the mind of customers. If you have a list of potential products in mind, It allows you to search for specific keywords to see the amount of interest there is in those types of items.

It is also fascinating to see how it is possible to draw insights and conclusions from the way the searches of consumers vary generally. For example, Google's own analysis of the 2022 trends shows some clear conclusion:

 People are traveling

The number of searches related to travel is increasing as people continue to make up lost time lost during the epidemic. For example, searches on the "best travel pillow" were up 145 percent, "airline reviews" 70%, as well as "best credit cards for traveling" 30%. If your product can be utilized in conjunction with exploring and travel or the way you make it appear so, you can benefit from the increase in curiosity.

 People are feeling the impact of the economic uncertainties

However, consumers are also increasing searches related to saving money as well as stress management. The future of the economy is still uncertain and many are making plans accordingly. "Cheap alternatives to" experienced an increase of 30% over the past year and "how to cut costs" was a 50% jump. Similar trends were observed for stress management-related searches, and the symptoms of burnout saw an increase by 85%.

If you're starting your first online store, or planning to expand your existing presence in the years to come, be sure to read Google's analysis of what the future holds for retail. The report outlines the ways that consumers seek out products through multiple channels and ditching the brand loyalty to focus on individualization.

To use Google Trends, after you arrive at the main site start by selecting the Explore tab. Then type in a product category or other search term that is relevant to your product idea.

Google Trends dashboard

For example, when you search for "yogurt" in Google Trends, it shows the interest for yogurt according to the location. It allows you to filter your search from states to large metro areas to cities and discover which places have shown the highest interest in yogurt. This sort of information might be useful in the event that you wish to focus on specific areas first. Find the areas where there is the greatest demand.

related queries from Google Trends

It will then highlight related searches that have an enormous amount of searches. For yogurt, Google Trends listed things such as 'greek yogurt' or  frozen yogurt. These are the most popular search terms related to the food category.

rising related queries from Google Trends

You can also select "rising" search volume and see which terms get the most interest in recent times. For yogurt, the top searches that were rising included 'coconut cult yogurt, 'yogurt bark,' and several other terms.

They represent what's considered to be the cutting edge of the industry of yogurt. And you won't likely find those at the supermarket. So the 'rising' terms give you emerging items that are beginning to be noticed.

They could be great product ideas to start selling online so you can take advantage of the trend when the product gets more popular. It could be a risk however, in the event that the trend fizzles too fast.

related topics from Google Trends

Next, next, Google Trends will show you similar issues. So these are terms that do not include yogurt but that are related to it in a way, such as 'protein -the nutrient.'

Here, you're looking at possibilities for ideas to expand your products, or for new market segments that could be interested in items from your ecommerce company.

The Greek dairy boom in the past 10 years is probably due in part to the demand for alternative protein sources with high nutritional value. So this appeals to a specific type of customer. What else could be interesting to them other than the yogurt?

2. Utilize Amazon

You can use Amazon for selling your product without Amazon. A lot of their information is accessible to all to view and make use of it to research popular and trending products and groups.

Here's how to find products to sell using Amazon sale data:

movers and shakers category on Amazon

Shakers and Movers

Begin by going to Amazon's Movers and Shakers section. These are the items which have generated the highest increase in sales in a particular time period. It's similar to 'rising' queries in Google Trends, except now we're looking at actual products, not search terms.

The list of movers and shakers for just one day isn't probably that useful, since they will be changing constantly. However, if you stayed in touch each day for the next few months focusing on just a couple product categories that interest you and you be able to spot patterns and trends.

Do any products or brands always show up? What factors like holidays and seasons affect what products show up here? What about news events?

Amazon movers and shakers

Subcategories

Another option from the same webpage you can click on one of the categories for the primary product type, such as 'baby.' A New set of headers will pop up with subcategories of "babies," like strollers, nursery items, clothes, and toys. If you click on those, the categories break down further.

You can use this for a narrowing down of specific descriptions of products and categories similar to what we were discussing earlier when we discussed color-changing coffee cups for cat owners.

What can you do?

Find out what's on sale. Study their packaging and brands. Review product and marketing descriptions. Review reviews and find out what buyers like about these products, and what they're lacking.

If you could identify areas these products do not meet the needs of customers, and missed opportunities -- you may be able to develop products to sell online that can meet these requirements that are not met.

Best seller ratings -BSR BSR

Amazon uses a metric named the BSR to help customers and sellers alike get an idea of the quality and quantity these products are selling.

This can give you an idea of how much you may be able to sell -at Amazon at the very least. And of course, you have to be cautious with information like this, because it's dependent upon a variety of variables like pricing and class. This kind of sales will not just "happen," because you picked the right type of product.

You do however get some idea of demand for these products from their BSRs.

The categories of general merchandise which are always in high demands on Amazon are home and kitchen, health and personal health, outdoor and sports, and beauty.

3. Tap into TikTok

TikTok is now so influential to customers that people openly embrace their finds through the highly-popular trending hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt which now has over 50 billion users. The site is full of ideas that are fresh and is a fantastic place to start your research process.

TikTok also has some amazing sources for businesses. You can browse the top-selling merchandise and search results upon location, category of product or categories, among other things. Or use the search function to locate more precise results.

TikTok offers a updated insight portal that details behaviors by production, geography, industry as well as other factors.

It syncs the inventory of your store with TikTok for you to help automatically create ads without the requirement of a skilled designer or a video crew. An advanced tracking pixel can assist you in maximizing your profit on ad spend and quickly identify a customer who is eager to snap up your new product.

4. Let the results guide you

In addition to Google Trends and Amazon Start by searching for basic keywords and follow your research.

Check out sales figures related to your product categories of interest. Check the source as well as dates to be sure your information is accurate and correct, however you can find statistics on just about anything which can assist you in finding popular products. If you can narrow it down enough and specific enough, you'll discover good information.

For example, the search for "kitchen sales statistics" can yield a lot, but it won't be very useful because it's a broad term. Do you understand the reason why having a clearly defined and profitable market is important? The topic comes up time and over.

woman working on a laptop

You can instead look for more narrow words for example "food storage container sales statistics". Or substitute 'data' for  statistics. This narrower definition is more appropriate for people who are looking to sell these types of products.

The best way to approach this is to start by using Amazon to identify narrower product categories. Then, search online for sales statistics for those terms. Find out where it takes you.

It is also possible to consult with organizations and websites in your chosen industry or that serve your target audience. They often provide studies and publications that you can use to help you explore your products.

How do you conduct market study?

Statistics and trends are only the beginning of research into market. There's a lot more to learn about.

What sorts of things could you investigate? Here are some suggestions:

  • Demand -- Use Google Trends and BSRs on Amazon to make sense of the current demand
  • Sales figures and queries provide an excellent idea of this.
  • Indicators of economics -- What income demographics will your products will appeal to?
  • Location Google Trends again can help when you want to market to specific locations
  • Market saturation -- is there already too much competition? Is there room for another option?
  • Pricing -- What are the people paying for goods in relation to your ideas?

Qualtrics suggests that you focus your research in any of the following subjects:

  • Consumer -- current or prior consumer behavior
  • Company -- your product, service, marketing programs, pricing, etc.
  • Competitiveness -- the impact of your product on other products on the market
  • The entire industry -- where it's headed and where it's been

What are the best ways to research subjects such as those? It is possible to conduct two types of market research, namely primary and secondary.

team meeting around a table

Conduct primary and secondary market study

Primarily research refers to everything you do yourselfreal surveys, interviews test of products or focus groups as well as other methods of data collection.

Secondary research is the data you already collect and utilize. For instance, a search on the internet for sales figures is secondary research. So would looking at government sites such as the Small Business Association that has a variety of statistics.

Like you may have noticed right away, secondary research is much simpler, however the primary research is more useful because it'll specifically address your product concepts and objectives.

Hotjar shared a excellent example of primry research with an example of a real business that did research on one their products.

The experts suggest five questions to inquire about if you are able to talk with people in the course of your study:

  1. Who are you and what are you doing?
  2. How do you plan to spend your time?
  3. Have you ever purchased this type of product or service?
  4. What was the issue you were looking to address or what purpose did you hope to accomplish with this purchase?
  5. Take me back to the time you decided that you had to find a solution or accomplish this goal.

This line of questioning helps expose the thinking and motives that drive purchase decisions.

Moz homepage

Search for competitor's search results

Another strategy for market research can be done by using SEO instruments like Ahrefs, Moz, or Buzzsumo.

Want to see which websites are drawing customers from search phrases and keywords related to your product ideas and categories?

These services will show you. The data will be real for impressions and clicks related to a variety of search terms in addition to PPC advertisements that your rivals may be using.

In simple definitions, impressions occur when a result from a search appears in response to a query. And it is a click when the person clicks on that search result. Therefore, impressions always rank greater than clicks. This same principle applies for PPC (pay per click) advertising.

The information you gather is valuable for many reasons that are not necessarily related to market research. For example, you'll know what your competition is doing and the competition to attract organic or paid traffic.

But you'll also get good insight into what potential clients are looking for and clicking on. You'll see which search terms seem to get a greater responses. That indicates demand.

It's important to note that these are paid services. But if you're just getting started and don't want to spend too much, you could pay for one month, complete all your initial research, and then cancel.

shelves in a store with packaged food items

Okay, so do you need a couple of examples of online products that you can sell?

Remember, any list attempting to showcase the top products to sell online can only be a snapshot. Therefore, the most value lies from what you've read -- how to determine what makes a good product to market, how to spot patterns, evaluate the various options to sell online, and more.

There are also general internet-based selling trends that tend to hold up in time. If you recall, Amazon reports consistently strong sales for these product categories:

  • Kitchen and Home
  • Personal and health treatment
  • Outdoors and Sports
  • Beauty

Here are some specific examples:

workout clothes stacked on a table

Shapewear

Shapewear is growing in popularity. Contrary to many fashion trends that are short-lived fashions, it serves a functional purpose. It's made to be comfy and fashionable, while making people be more confident about the way they look in their clothing.

Modern shapes is extremely light and easy to carry. Here are some of the possibilities that fall under this group:

  • Control shifts
  • Leggings
  • Bodysuits

Some people consider it sportwear, and people wear it at the gym or while exercising in the outdoors. Its versatility and practical use is what has made it a staple for modern-day clothing.

granola bars on a white background

Health and wellness

A lot of consumers are willing to spend an extra amount on organic products and locally-sourced farmed-raised items.

Many shoppers are also looking for foods to meet special dietary needs. They may prefer low-fat or nutrient-rich vegan, or Keto choices.

Here are some examples of health and fitness products:

  • Dietary supplements
  • Multivitamins
  • Protein shakes
  • Energy bars
kitten playing with pink toys

Pet accessories

About 70 percent of U.S. households are pet owners. The pet market online is an ongoing, stable segment because we need to regularly replace toys and accessories, along with food.

  • Pet beds
  • Dog toothbrushes
  • LED dog collars
  • Biting toys
kitchen with stove and backsplash

Kitchen and home

Shelf life might be longer, but consumers constantly seek out new ways to cook, organize and store things in their kitchens.

It is possible to count on the steady flow of potential buyers when young people get out of the homes of their parents, get married, start families, purchase their the first or second home, and live their lives.

All the way through to retirement and beyond, all the way to retirement, kitchen and household supplies, accessories, utensils as well as storage solutions are always in high demand.

The most common examples of home and kitchen products are:

  • Non-slip kitchen mats
  • Silverware sets
  • Drawer and cabinet organizers
  • Drying racks
  • Brooms and dustpans

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