eCommerce offers anyone with an interest and hardworking spirit the opportunity to make money. It’s a type of business that doesn’t require massive startup capital, technical know-how, or sometimes even physical space to run.
However, it does require some business and marketing savvy. One area in which you need to beat competitors is having the right products to sell. Since there are thousands of products you can sell at any given time, you can get overwhelmed trying to identify profitable ones.
If you make your own food and sell online, there are multiple ways to do this, such as selling liquor online or selling alcohol online. If you’d rather resell existing products so you don’t need to deal with warehouse organization or inventory tracking, we’ve got you covered.
Setting up your own eCommerce store and using dropshipped inventory is one of the ideal home business models. Dropshipping is one of many types of eCommerce businesses where you sell products without handling or stocking them directly. It’s easy to learn how to make money dropshipping as long as you read a few of the dropshipping books.
As you progress, you’ll need to know how to find dropshipping suppliers and maybe take a dropshipping course to complete your knowledge. Continue learning about the industry as a whole by reading the best eCommerce books and reading our drop shipping for dummies guide.
Once you’ve picked out an eCommerce platform and have your basic tech tools in place, it’s time to select winning products. Keep reading for key details on 20 of the most in-demand products of 2022 and beyond.
What Products Are In High Demand?
When you’re starting an eCommerce business, it’s natural to want profit to follow. One of the most powerful ways of accomplishing this is selling products that are already in high demand.
While there are hundreds of trending eCommerce products at any given time, some product categories have seen a major uptick in sales. We narrowed the list down to 20 that are seeing incredible eCommerce growth as of late.
Here are those items:
- Subscription food products
Shoppers love convenience, and the Internet has only increased the amount of convenience people expect for a personalized buying experience. Subscription food products like produce subscription boxes are one example of goods on demand that customers have supported in droves.
Today’s market offers just about every imaginable food or drink in subscription form. Protein bars, snacks, energy drinks, cookies, and even water are all popular products for a subscription box business. The subscription box industry has been growing by more than 100% year-over-year (YoY) and is now a billion dollar industry. If you have a great eCommerce marketing strategy, there’s no reason you can’t launch your own box!
Coffee is one of the best products to create a subscription box service with. Spend some time reading how to start a coffee subscription box, and you’ll see how little capital is needed to begin. Some of the best coffee roasters have already gotten a head start. You can even offer a coffee subscription gift and get the word out more quickly with relevant coffee marketing ideas.
- Book storage equipment (bookcases, bookends, bookshelves)
Being at home more often means you have to make use of what’s already there. As a result, many Americans reorganized their bookshelves or created new spaces for them.
Bookshelves, bookcases, and bookends are all selling well and usually have high profit margins. If you add this to your eCommerce or wholesale catalog, make sure to source materials from a reputable supplier. This helps ensure your fill rate will be high and return rate will be low (see RMA meaning). The last thing you want is to be left with deadstock on your hands.
- Household and car mats
Spending more time indoors means you notice things more easily. One such example is the mats outside of your front door or inside your car. Without regular cleaning and vacuuming, these mats become grimy, cracked, and rotten.
You can make a considerable profit if these products match your type of eCommerce store. Millions of Americans continue buying new cars and homes throughout 2022 as they set their sights on new places to live. Listing durable mats for them to buy is an advantageous move.
- Mobile electronics accessories
If there’s one thing Americans love, it's their tablets and smartphones. With such frequent tech usage comes the need for accessories, like covers, screen protectors, earbuds, cleaning cloths, and travel cases.
The global mobile electronics accessories market is expected to reach a staggering $111 billion by 2025, a little over half of which is generated by US consumers. Americans’ love of the latest, greatest tech items combined with a 7% YoY growth rate means this is an excellent niche to be in.
- CBD products and oils
CBD oil started taking the health and wellness industry by storm over the last couple years. While CBD products and derivatives have been around for decades, they only recently surged in popularity due to increased scientific research on their plant sources.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of over 100 compounds in the cannabis plant (also called the marijuana plant). Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, differentiating it from oft-referenced tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the same plant.
Oils, balms, creams, and other consumables are made with CBD for a multitude of benefits. CBD is known to relieve pain, reduce anxiety, support neurological health, and limit feelings of nausea. If you already sell health and wellness goods, add a few CBD products to your eCommerce catalog today.
BlueCart partners with numerous providers in the CBD space as well, including the following:
- Tea and coffee
Online tea sales have exploded in recent years and don’t look to be disappearing. Consumers love both their tea and coffee--not only because they’re caffeinated, but because of the flavor variety.
Tea is a near-perfect eCommerce product. There’s consistent demand, makes for easy eCommerce shipping and eCommerce packaging, and profit margins are consumer-friendly yet adjustable. Tea is expected to grow 5.5% YoY until at least 2025.
Selling coffee online is included on the list of profitable, food-related eCommerce business ideas. Consider creating distinct coffee flavors that are shipped in custom subscription boxes, which encourages buyers to remain loyal.
BlueCart Marketplace simplifies the process of getting your products listed in front of new customers. Dozens of the best coffee roasters and coffee business owners use our marketplace to reach over 92,000 customers:
- Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters
- Chromatic Coffee
- Coma Coffee Roasters
- Amateur Coffee
- Maps Coffee Roasters
- Omni Bev
- Eco-friendly products
From kitchen wares and cleaning supplies to clothing and even toothbrushes, eco-friendly products are in vogue. Consumers have decided that there’s no reason to shun the products you love if they can be created without negative environmental impact.
Eco-friendly items are incredibly popular among Millennials and Gen Zers, who were raised with the sociocultural attitude that respecting the Earth is desirable. This consumer trend is influencing companies of diverse natures to develop more Earth-friendly goods or risk going out of business.
This eCommerce niche is rising at a breakneck pace--26.7% YoY growth between 2020 and 2025. The industry is about to more than triple in the same period, increasing from $11.2 billion to $36.6 billion in US sales. Look through a wholesale directory or two for eco-friendly goods you can sell.
- Meal kits and meal replacements
As a result of 2020’s widespread restaurant closures, millions of people were left with homemade meals as their primary way of spicing dinnertime up. This led to a boom in the meal kits industry, with a whopping $130 million more in sales throughout 2020.
The US health and wellness food market is expected to grow by 6% or more YoY through 2024. If you’re passionate about selling food online and want to build an eCommerce venture around it, consider these two hot niches.
- Bicycle saddles and accessories
Until states began lifting lockdown measures, countless people were left with fewer entertainment options than before. Instead of relying on indoor forms of recreation, Americans turned to the outdoors in droves.
Adding a fresh saddle to a bicycle seat works wonders for your posture and decreases risk of injury, as well. The bicycle saddle niche is growing by more than 2% YoY with seasonal sales spikes in spring and summer.
- Hair styling tools
Despite the severe shortage of physical events in 2020, hair styling equipment and accessories didn’t take a nosedive. In fact, this beauty products niche saw a 5.5% YoY growth rate that’s projected to continue until 2025.
Consider adding one or more products to your eCommerce site if you already sell beauty-related goods. Between remote interviews, at-home photoshoots, and just plain looking good, hair styling tools have always been a necessity. Remember: there’s never a bad reason to get styled up!
- Children’s toys
As more parents than ever stayed home to watch their children or provide homeschooling, the number of toy sales went up with it. A baby is born roughly every eight seconds in the US, which means there will always be demand for playthings.
This demand continued rising throughout 2020, as more children became responsible for entertaining themselves while parents worked from home. Children’s toys’ sales have been growing by roughly 7% YoY and spiked to 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Legos and dolls to toy animals, cars, and characters, there are dozens of kids’ toys to choose from. Children’s products are great to sell year-round because of celebrations, parties, and birthdays.
- Home storage containers
Over the last 50 years, the size of the average American home has nearly tripled. Part of this is due to changing consumer tastes. Combined with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, however, Americans have been sprucing up their home interiors like never before.
With this trend comes an increase in home storage containers. Instead of letting clothes, toys, books, and other belongings sit unorganized, Americans have put items where they belong.
This is good news for eCommerce business owners, too. Storage bins, racks, containers, and shelves are often cheap to produce but command higher markup. As long as you have a great inventory management system for these large objects, you can turn serious profit rather quickly.
- Natural cosmetics and beauty products
In keeping with hair styling tools’ sales numbers, natural cosmetics products have been booming as well. Millions of women are shifting away from chemically-burdened and cruelty-laced products for the same results without the guilt.
The US’ natural beauty and cosmetics market has already achieved over $34 billion in sales as recently as 2018. This niche is expected to grow by over 5% YoY for the next five years minimum.
- Furniture
When moving to a new place or simply redesigning your existing one, fresh furniture is a necessity. Indeed, the US furniture sales industry held steady during 2020 at 2% YoY growth, with a 2.17% annual growth rate expected through 2025.
Furniture is a rare, high demand, low competition niche. As long as you know how to find vendors and have vetted your eCommerce business plan, you’ll be in good shape. Focus on quality over quantity and you’ll end up with plenty of happy customers.
- Smartphone holders and tripods
Americans absolutely love their smartphone accessories and these are no exception. The mobile phone accessories niche is already a whopping $229 billion market and is expected to grow by $100 billion more in the next 10 years.
Getting a tripod or dashboard grip for your phone is a fun purchase that pays for itself many times over. A smartphone holder or tripod is any apparatus that makes it easier to position your phone in a particular location. If you sell tech products or accessories, this should be included in your catalog without question.
- Home office equipment
In the midst of 2020’s pandemic, vast numbers of Americans were forced to adapt to new working conditions. Millions of people began working from home as companies needed to uphold remote work freedom.
As a result, home office equipment sales soared. Many companies cited anywhere from 8 to 30% more sales in 2020 alone. The industry’s robust growth is expected to continue by 7.5% YoY in the United States.
- Minimalist wallets
Minimalist wallets have been something of a dark horse eCommerce product in recent years. As the world increasingly moves towards a cashless society, consumers have opted for lighter and fewer items to carry.
This includes wallets, which most people don’t leave the house without. Small, thin, and radio frequency identification-blocking (RFID) wallets have all seen a surge in buyers, especially among men. This consumer niche is expected to grow 6.8% YoY in the US for the next few years.
- Board games
Not only are board games a timeless source of group fun, they saw a spike in profitability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Sales of this much-loved form of entertainment grew by 9% during 2020 and has a 13% YoY trajectory through 2025. Experts estimate board game sales in the US will reach an astonishing $30 billion by 2026.
- Kitchen appliances
2020 was the year millions of American households prioritized homemade food over eating out. This was made possible in part by numerous kitchen appliance purchases, leading to a market cap of $238 billion.
From rice cookers and blenders to grills and air fryers, there’s no limit to the types of products you can sell. Add some kitchen gear to your product list, especially if you’re already selling consumables online.
- Pet supplies and equipment
Who doesn’t love their pet(s)? The numbers answer that one. In 2020, the pet products industry reached a historic high of $103.6 billion in the United States. This has only gone up over time, with more than a 6% YoY growth rate both in the US and globally.
Frequently Asked Questions About High Demand Products
It’s much easier to make serious money online when you sell what customers are interested in. Products that are currently in high demand may be different from what you think. Read the commonly asked questions below to learn more:
What products are most profitable to sell?
There are many profitable products you can sell, including the following:
- Beauty products and cosmetics
- Jewelry
- TV and smartphone accessories
- Designer sunglasses
- Children's toys and games
- Shoes
- Video games
- Pet supplies
The main reason these products are so profitable is because they’re inexpensive to acquire, have widespread appeal, and are demanded often enough to drive considerable margins. If you don’t yet sell one or more of these items, consider how your business may pivot to offer at least one.
What is the most sold item in the world?
The most sold item in the world is clothing and fashion items. This ranges from women and men’s outfits to children’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and more. People love their clothes, and fashion isn’t going anywhere!
Since people are always growing, changing personal style, and having children, there’s a constant global need for clothing. Being a clothing wholesaler or working with a designer to produce your own clothing line is a great eCommerce business idea.
What sells the most online on Amazon?
There are all kinds of unique products selling well on Amazon, including the following:
- Space-saving closet organizers
- Apple cider vinegar supplements
- Carpet cleaning devices
- Waffle makers
- Beverage coolers
- String lights
- Standalone fans and air conditioners
- Smartphone accessories
Keeping Your Business and Products In Demand
With these top-selling products on your radar, learning how to start an eCommerce business is easier than it’s ever been. If you’re diving into eCommerce for the first time, learning how to sell products online is a good starting point.
With this list at your fingertips, you won't need to spend countless hours looking for wholesale items to sell or figuring out how to increase eCommerce sales. This info also makes the dropshipping business model easier and faster (see what is drop shipping).
Once your direct to consumer or B2B eCommerce platform is set up, use proven marketing strategies to get your first sales. Then continue offering wonderful customer service and you’ll be off to the races.
Streamline order management, grow your bottom line, and get back hours of your time with BlueCart. Schedule a demo now:
