Whether you’re planning to leave your job soon or were recently retrenched, you might be keen to get in on all the eCommerce action that’s been having an impact over the last few years. Since the global pandemic hit, in particular, online sales have been booming like crazy, and there’s still plenty of growth left in the market.
However, one tricky thing is working out what it is you’ll sell. If you already have an online shop operating, you can use some comprehensive website heatmap software to analyze how customers behave on your site. This tool will show you which pages and listings seem to hold the most appeal to consumers. If you’re starting out, you don’t have the same data to go off, but you can research now and keep checking website analytics as time goes on to see which stock items prove the most popular.
With so many items to choose from these days as a seller, it pays to keep up to date on what’s appealing to consumers en masse. You never know what goods you might come across that prove to be bestsellers for your store or that steer your site in a whole new direction altogether. Check out the following product types that are proving fruitful in 2021.
Pet Goods
The global pet care market has been expanding rapidly in recent years but grew even more quickly once the global pandemic hit and many people went out and got a pet. According to research, the market surpassed USD $232 billion last year and is expected to reach over $350 billion by 2027.
Today, many pet owners see their pets as a central part of the household and the family, and their purchasing decisions reflect this. People spend plenty of cash on the latest and greatest pet products for their fluffy (or scaly, slimy, etc.) animals and aren’t afraid to splurge often.
You might like to tap into this behavior by selling pet goods online. Note that consumers buy items to maintain their pets’ health, enjoy fun leisure and relaxation time with their animals, and ensure pets are comfortable in the home. As such, you might consider selling things like pet beds, toys, clothes, and feeding items, plus grooming gloves and pet selfie tools, among other things.
Activewear
With many people working out at home more during the global pandemic, or getting and staying fit and improving their mental health by exercising outdoors, now is also a great time to sell activewear online. Many consumers wear athleisure gear generally around the house, too, or while stepping out to complete errands.
You could stock many activewear options for men, but women’s sales tend to be bigger, so you might concentrate there. Consider selling items such as high-waisted leggings, longline bras, hoodies, customized activewear, and more. If you can partner with an Instagram or other influencer, this can help you gain more traction.
Health and Beauty Products
Another time-tested sector is health and beauty goods. People have been focused on self-care while stuck at home and are likely to continue to do so as they emerge from lockdowns and become more social again. Health and beauty items can help us look and feel better, and again are the type of goods that sell even in testing economic circumstances.
When choosing products for your store, remember that while ladies create the majority of the market for health and beauty lines, a fast-growing number of males are also buying grooming and other items online. Some products to consider include sustainable, cruelty-free, natural, and vegan makeup, nail polish and skin care, beard oils, hydrating oils, and drying lotions.
Mobile Accessories
Another product type you might like to start stocking on your eCommerce site is mobile accessories. We all tend to live on our smartphones these days, a fact that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Plus, the accessories we buy for our mobile devices give us a fun purchasing outlet, usually at a low cost, meaning even in lean times, we’re interested in purchasing such items.
Mobile accessories are light and typically quite small, too, which makes them economical to ship. All these reasons mean that smartphone goods can be the perfect online inventory items. You might sell phone or tablet cases, laptop covers and skins, smartwatch bands, phone props, selfie tools, etc.
Some other popular product categories to investigate for your store right now include games and puzzles, outdoor equipment, Bluetooth gear, learning materials, and video gaming and virtual reality goods. Do your research before committing to lines, though, and test them out in small numbers first to see what kind of response you get from your clientele.
