How to Find Products to Sell Online and Tap on the Huge eCommerce Potential

Did you know that three-quarters of consumers shop online at least once a month? eCommerce has established itself as a powerful trend driven by the advancement of the Internet and mobile technologies coupled with breakthroughs in online payments and logistics. 

So, it’s the best time to start an online store. You’ll need to build an eCommerce website, advertise it online, and, most importantly, stock it with products buyers love and need. 

Chances are you find yourself struggling to select products that sell well. Statistics point at clothing as the category driving purchases by the largest percentage (53%) of U.S. online buyers in 2022. It’s closely followed by shoes (42%), and around 30% of online shoppers buy consumer electronics, books, movies, music, and food and beverages.

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Fashion-related products are expected to account for $205 billion in consumer spending in the U.S, generating 22.6% of the expected total revenue of eCommerce in 2022. 

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Considering the huge variety of available products and suppliers, it may seem challenging to identify the right offerings to include in your online store. 

To help you navigate the ocean of goods, manufacturers, wholesale sellers, and platforms, we’ve collected a set of tips to find products to sell. You’ll also learn the major mistakes to avoid when looking for good options to include in your eCommerce store. And finally, you’ll get some quick ideas of how and where you can sell the products you’ve found.

Ready to get started? Let’s look at the fundamental question: What can you sell online?

Types of products to sell online

The choices can be overwhelming if you're just starting your online business and looking for a product to sell. Let’s break down the different types to help you figure out which kind of product to sell firsts.

Physical products

Physical products are the most common type of product to sell online. This is a large category that includes the following subcategories:

Niche products

Niche products are goods that appeal to a narrow audience. Examples are items such as scented candles or custom-made knives for chefs. 

Niche products are often the best choice when you're just starting out. They're easier to sell because their market tends to be less competitive. Also, they have lower overhead costs as you don't need to have a warehouse or hire a large staff.

However, if your niche product isn't unique enough or doesn't offer great value, it might not be worth selling at all. For example, if you want to sell custom-made knives for chefs, there's plenty of competition online and in brick-and-mortar stores. 

To succeed in selling niche products, you'll need to offer something special that sets your business apart from others.

Commoditized products

Commoditized products are mass-produced items like t-shirts, hats, sunglasses, coffee mugs, tumblers, toys, and home decor items that appeal to a larger audience. Note that the market for commodities is incredibly competitive. 

Almost anyone can sell commoditized items online, so you'll have a hard time making money unless you can differentiate yourself from the competition in some way.

Digital products

Selling digital products online is a great way to make money from home. It’ll give you the freedom to work from anywhere, be your own boss, and set your own schedule.

Digital items are delivered instantly once purchased, and no shipping cost is associated. This makes them easy to sell. There’s a great variety of products you can offer, including:

Ebooks 

Ebooks are short guides or manuals that provide information on a certain topic. They can be downloaded directly and read at any time, even offline. Ebooks are one of the easiest digital products to create and sell online because they don't require any special equipment or software to produce.

Video tutorials 

Video tutorials are similar to ebooks, but they're made up of videos instead of text. You can create them using screen recording software like Camtasia Studio 8 or ScreenFlow. 

You can show your audience exactly what you want them to do in each process step without having to type out instructions for them.

Digital courses 

Experts usually create digital courses in their field that want to share their knowledge. You can sell memberships to communities or courses on Teachable or Udemy. 

This is a great way to apply your skills, knowledge, and experience and let others learn from them while making money – the perfect win-win situation.

17 Winning strategies to find products to sell online

Spotting a profitable product is an important step in your business. Are you wondering how to find trending products to sell online? Here are 17 ways to go about it.

Find a product that solves a customer problem

Your number one priority when choosing a product is to make sure it helps your target customer overcome their pain point. That’s the difference between being a must-have or just being nice to have. 

For instance, think about all the items in your kitchen drawers. Can you see a potato peeler? Or maybe a bottle opener? 

Now, answer the question: Why do you have them at such an easy-to-access location? 

These are products that solve specific problems and make your life easier. You’ll certainly take care to have them in your drawer. And what’s more, you’ll instantly buy a replacement in case some of them break down.

So, make sure that the product you find helps people in a way that no other product does or at least helps more than competitors.

Take a look at your passions

Take a closer look at your hobbies and turn them into a profitable business. What are your pastimes? Your hobbies can be a source of winning product ideas. 

This is something you’re interested in and know a lot about. So, you can easily select the best options from the large pool of offerings. You can also bring added value to your customers by providing handy advice and recommendations. And last but not least, being passionate about what you sell translates into increased conversions. 

Look at your surroundings and everyday life

Here are some ideas to help you find a profitable product to sell online:

• What do you use every day? (Toothpaste, bottled water, hand soap, etc.)
• What do you need to buy regularly? (Printer ink or toilet paper)
• What do other people in your life use every day?  (Baby products or pet supplies)
• What do people ask you about all the time?  (Finding gluten-free food or making money from home)

Look around your house, office, and other places where you spend time. Write down everything that catches your eye. Are there products in your surroundings that could be useful for others?

Talk with friends and family about what they buy and why they buy it. Is there something missing that would make their lives easier or more enjoyable? If so, chances are there's an opportunity for you to fill that gap by selling that product online. 

Also, if they're using something that seems overpriced, think of offering a more cost-effective or higher-quality competing product. 

Analyze trends and get in early

Once you list all possible products, use Google Trends to know their current demand. Google Trends is a free tool provided by Google that allows users to see how frequently certain terms are searched in different regions and countries over time. 

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You can use this information to indicate how popular a particular item might be or whether any gaps in the market could be filled by selling a specific type of product.

Another option you have is Trend Hunter. This is the most popular collection of ideas and inspiration to help you find products to sell online. You can find the latest trends, hot products, and news about online business. 

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Trend Hunter is a great place to find inspiration for what to sell online. You can also subscribe to their newsletter and get the weekly trend report. 

Consumer trending blogs

Consumer trending blogs are a great place to find ideas for new products. The best blogs will cover a wide range of topics and include interviews with experts in their field. You can also learn about upcoming trends to know what's hot right now and what tends to be.

Check out sites like Uncrate, Cool Material, Gear Patrol, and HiConsumption for the latest products. These websites are good resources for finding items that are trending or in demand. They post new products every day, and their readership is huge.

You can also look at other blogs that are related to your niche and see if they have any reviews or recommendations for new items that could be sold on your website.

Check sites like Kickstarter for ideas

Kickstarter is a great platform to check for product ideas. It's a crowdfunding platform that allows people to pitch their upcoming offerings and raise money via pre-orders. This is an excellent way to know what buyers want and how much they’re willing to pay for it.

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So, how do you get started with Kickstarter? Do some research on what products are currently on Kickstarter. You'll find everything from tech gadgets to clothing items, home goods, etc. Searching by subcategories can help narrow down your options. 

Once you find an appealing product idea, assess the possibility and potential profitability of selling the items in your online store.

Find evergreen and long-life cycle products that aren't seasonal and fads

Evergreen products are products that sell year-round and never go out of style. These types of products are referred to as "evergreens" because they sell year after year. Longlife cycle products are a good choice for those who want to scale their business, as they don't have to be replaced frequently. Here are some examples:

Electronics 

Smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets have become essential items in our daily lives, so they always sell well, no matter the season or year. Due to their technological complexity and constant upgrades, they also tend to have long life cycles. 

Also, you can think of accessories to go with consumer electronics like USB cables (for charging phones), laptop chargers, external hard drives, and flash memory cards. Such items are necessary for properly using the devices and are in consistently high demand. 

Fashion  

It may seem like fashion trends change quickly, but there are always timeless items that never go out of style, such as jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers. Even though they aren’t made from perishable materials and have a long lifespan that could last for years, most people still like to upgrade their wardrobes more often than necessary. The most common fashion-related products found in eCommerce stores are shoes and clothing.

Shoes might not be the most exciting product to sell online, but they have a long life cycle and high demand. Shoes are usually expensive, and people often buy them for special occasions or holidays like weddings or Christmas.

Clothing is another popular item that's easy to sell because people wear it daily. It has a longer lifespan than many other products on this list but still features seasonal demand.

Tools and equipment

Tools and equipment are among the most popular longer life cycle products to sell online. They're durable, which means you can make money from them for years. Tools include everything from hammers to drill presses, saws, and vacuums. 

On the other hand, equipment covers various products, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and microwaves. There are millions of items in this category, so there are plenty of opportunities if you want to build an extensive inventory without worrying about replacing them quickly.

Jewelry and accessories

Jewelry is another excellent product category to scale your business quickly while making good money per sale. 

As with tools and equipment, myriads of different jewelry types are available on sites like Amazon and eBay. Additionally, jewelry tends to be high-priced compared to other goods like clothing or shoes. 

Watches, for example, have a long life cycle because they're not something people buy every day. Instead, they're accessories that buyers choose carefully as an investment in themselves or their style.

Find niche products to sell

Niche products appeal only to a small group of people, often of a different demographic than mass-market items. You can find niche products by identifying a need, understanding the market and competition, or developing a unique idea. 

If you need extra inspiration and smart tips, look at our niche eCommerce ideas. This is an excellent way to build your brand and gain loyal customers.

Keyword research and product demand

Another strategy you should opt for is to find out what people are searching for online. This is where eCommerce keyword research comes into play. When you know what products you want to sell, head to Google’s Keyword Planner tool and enter your product niche in the search bar. This will give you the most popular keywords in your niche.

Use this data to create a list of potential keywords. A large list of keywords that include relevant variations will help identify the products you should focus on selling.

Consider targeting hobbyists

Hobbyists have a passion for something and are a major market segment that you should consider targeting. If you can figure out your potential customer’s hobbies and how they spend their time, you can find products that relate to those activities. 

For example, if someone loves cooking, they’re likely to be interested in buying cookbooks or kitchen supplies such as pots and pans.

Or if you sell customized gaming keyboards and mice, gamers would make excellent customers for your products, as they are constantly upgrading their gear with the latest technology.

Targeting hobbyists is a good idea because there is already an existing market for these items. This means that there will be a demand for your products, and it won't be difficult for you to set your right foot in the door of online sales. 

Read customer reviews

The best way to determine if a product is good is by reading customer reviews. The number of shared user opinions and experiences is also important. The availability of many reviews indicates that the product is popular and tried by many consumers. If there are just a few reviews, that could mean there aren't enough people who have yet owned and used this item.

Also, look at both positive and negative reviews to understand both sides of the story. Reviews with negative comments may be more trustworthy than those without critiques. They'll tell you what customers thought was wrong with a product, which will help you know what issues to look out for before you consider selling it.

Lastly, consider consumers’ opinions about the product, especially regarding quality control issues or shipping times. If most of them mention that they love it and would recommend it to friends or family, it’s probably a good idea for you to sell it, too.

Analyze product pricing and profits

Study your competition. Find out how they’re positioning their products, how much they charge for similar items, and, if possible, see how much profit they're making from those sales. 

Your goal here is to find products with high margins - the difference between what it costs to produce and buy products, and how much you can sell them for. Remember, the higher the margin, the more profits you’ll be able to make.

Amazon movers and shakers

The best way to find products is by looking at the top sellers on your favorite sites, such as Amazon and eBay. They're already doing all the hard work of finding good products for you - all you have to do is emulate them.

Look at the "movers and shakers" list. It shows the most popular items sold on Amazon over the past 24 hours. This list can help you discover new products that are selling well, even if they're not on the first page of results for your search term.

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If a product is moving up quickly, it means there's a lot of demand for it, and it will likely be a big seller in the future.

Check eBay sales data

You can use the eBay sales data in your favor by looking at which items have sold well on eBay in the past. This is especially helpful if you’re selling a seasonal item or something that only sells for part of the year. 

You can also see how long it took for an item to sell, which will give you an idea of what price range works best for each product category on eBay.

Let’s say you want to start selling measuring cups on your site. Go to eBay, and type the keyword in the search bar.

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Next, scroll down to locate the Show only section and click Sold Items.

You’ll see a list with sold items, and you still have a few options to adjust. Locate and click the Auction option in the Buying Format section. Then, click the Number of bids: most first filter option. 

This will give you a good idea of how many people are looking for that particular item, how much they’re paying for it, and whether there are any reviews. 

You can also find out if your product is popular or growing on eBay by checking its ranking in search results.

Communities like Reddit and Quora

Reddit and Quora are two of the biggest online communities where people ask questions and get answers from other users. You'll be able to see what people are interested in, which will give you an idea of what kind of products they might be willing to buy. 

For example, questions like "Where do I go if I want something handmade?" and “How can I find handmade stuff?” indicate a significant interest in buying handmade items. 

Find unique selling points

A unique selling point (USP) is a feature or special offering that sets your online store and products apart from the competition. It's the reason why people would buy from your eCommerce store instead of other sellers. A USP can help you stand out from the crowd, increase sales, and boost your profits.

The best USPs are often something competitors can't easily copy, giving you a nice edge over your rivals in getting customers to choose you instead of them. 

A USP should be tangible, memorable, and user-focused. Examples of winning options include an extremely low price, exceptional quality, extra product or deal perks, purely sustainable sourcing, using green materials and technologies for production, outstanding customer support, etc.  

Think of Coca-cola selling “happiness in a bottle”, or The North Face delivering “products that last a lifetime.” 

To identify your USP, look at your competitors, study their approach, and consider ways to develop a better one. Now, think of your ideal customer’s needs and what will make them choose you over all competitors. That’s where you have to look for your USP.

Conduct competitive analysis

While you may have a great product that solves a problem and meets a need, it's still important to know how your product compares to those offered by other brands. Competitive analysis is a process to help you understand the competition and your own business. 

List the top three competitors in each category and examine them individually to see what they offer. Key factors include:

• Price
• Quality
• Features
• Brand name recognition

This will help you to decide on pricing and other best practices, and set realistic expectations for your business. 

It can also be helpful to list some companies that aren't doing well so you can avoid making the same mistakes. This will help you determine what kind of pricing is fair for your products and whether or not adding new features will make them more appealing.

Now that you know the Dos, let’s look at the Don’ts of finding products to sell online.

Mistakes to avoid when finding products to sell

When it comes to selling products, a few mistakes can be made.

Not testing products before selling

If there's one thing that can ruin your reputation as an online seller, it's selling products that aren't up to par with your customers' expectations. Make sure each item you list for sale is working properly.  

You can do this by testing the product yourself or asking friends or family to do that. If everything works fine, it’s a green light to sell the product. 

Lack of demand or audience

Before you start selling a product, ensure there is demand for it. There are many ways to do this. 

You could use Google Keyword Planner, which will give you an idea of how many people search for a particular keyword each month. You could also use Google Trends to see if people are talking about the term. 

Low profit margins

The profit margin is the amount of money that is left after you have sold your product and paid for all costs. It's important to know how much profit you make from each sale because it will determine how many sales you need to break even, or how many sales you need to cover your costs. 

One of the most common mistakes new sellers make is buying products with low profit margins. This can lead to lost profits at best, and financial ruin at worst. Don’t skip the research on this important step.

The cost of the item needs to be low enough that it doesn't eat up all of your profits. 

Working with non-reputable vendors

Sometimes, finding good manufacturers can be difficult and time-consuming. 

For example, if you work directly with a manufacturer overseas, you could spend hours on the phone negotiating prices. You could also waste ages trying to find someone with a common language that allows them to understand your needs as an entrepreneur.

That’s where working with vendors comes in. It's much easier and cheaper to use an established vendor with relationships with manufacturers worldwide and who knows exactly how to negotiate the best price for their customers.

However, working with non-reputable vendors can lead to problems like: 

• Counterfeit products 
• Not shipping the product on time or failing to deliver what was ordered
• Poor quality product lines

All of these can damage your brand and reputation. 

Imagine that you’ve applied all the steps above and found great products to sell. What’s next? 

Different ways to sell products online

You've just come up with an amazing new product that you think the world would love. How do you get people to buy your product? Here are some tips on how to sell products online.

Private label

With today's technology, it's easier to set up your own private label business, especially if you're just starting out without a lot of capital investment. The term "private labeling" involves manufacturing a private label product by a third-party manufacturer under the seller’s brand name. You specify all features and details of the product, its packaging, and label design. Then, you pay for its production and delivery to your store.

Private label products are an excellent way to build your brand and sell online. They are often cheaper than other brand products. 

Private label products also give you more control over your product line, allowing you to create unique products. You don't have to worry about dealing with a distributor who might go out of business or change their policies (e.g., by raising prices).

Dropshipping

As a dropshipper, you don’t actually buy inventory or store it at your warehouse. Instead, when a customer places an order through your website, your supplier sends the items directly to them. You then invoice your supplier for each order and pay them after they ship out the product(s).

The benefits? There are no upfront costs associated with starting a dropshipping business, as you don’t need to purchase inventory, rent storage space, or hire warehousing staff. Plus, your supplier handles all shipping concerns and returns, so there are no additional overhead expenses.

Wholesale

Wholesale sells products to retailers at a higher price in their retail stores. There are many benefits of wholesales, including:

A larger market 

Many retailers prefer to buy in bulk. Wholesale sellers can sell their products to multiple retailers at once. They can also handle smaller orders while maintaining a relationship with each type of buyer.

The ability to earn higher profits 

Wholesale sellers can sell their products in bulk, which means greater incoming cash flows, reduced time for handling orders, cutting shipping costs (when calculated per item). 

A greater sense of satisfaction from helping others succeed

As a wholesaler, you can help others succeed in their businesses by providing them with the tools necessary for success – whether selling them an entire inventory or just a few items at a time. You'll see other people's businesses grow and prosper because of your efforts, making you feel good about what you're doing.

Selling print-on-demand

Print-on-demand means that the product is printed only after a customer orders it. This type of product is a great way to sell your designs without having to make and store inventory. This helps you avoid storing and shipping unsold inventory, which can be expensive. Examples of such products include t-shirts, posters, mugs, hats, and more.

Platforms to sell products direct to consumers

This is another way to sell your products. What are your options under this category? 

Ecommerce store

Ecommerce stores are websites that sell products directly to customers. They can be easily set up, and there are many platforms available for creating them. This type of store is perfect for people who want to resell or sell their own products online. 

Platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento offer a wide range of features, including payment gateways, shipping modules, and inventory management systems.

Consumer marketplaces: Amazon, eBay, Etsy

Selling on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy can be a great way to make extra money from home. The marketplaces have millions of customers looking for products every day, so even if you don’t have a lot of sales at first, it’s likely that your product will eventually be seen by someone who wants it.

FAQs on finding products to sell online

What kinds of products sell the most online?

There are a lot of products that sell well online. Check our top 67 picks for 2022 to sell online.

In short, the categories that most people buy are:

• Baby products and accessories
• Kid’s products and toys
• Electronics and technology products
• Sports and outdoor products
• Pet products
• Health and wellness trending products
• Home and kitchen products

Is selling eCommerce products online profitable?

Absolutely! In fact, it’s estimated that online sales in the U.S. alone will exceed $1.3 trillion by 2025.

How can you determine good product opportunities?

The first step in determining good product opportunities is understanding your customers' needs. This is what drives them to buy your product.

Here’re some questions you should answer to help you determine a good product opportunity. 

1. What problem does it solve?
2. How is it different from what's already out there?
3. Why should people buy it?
4. Who's your target customer?

Once you have the answers to the questions above, you can begin to brainstorm ideas for how you can fulfill those needs. Note tha, a good product opportunity has the potential to solve a problem, preferably in a new way.

How do you source products to sell?

The first thing you need to do is figure out what type of product you want to sell. Once you have your product category figured out, you must find suppliers for those products.

There are two ways that you can source products: online and offline. Online sourcing is done through online wholesalers like Alibaba and Global sources. On the other hand, offline sourcing is done by visiting trade shows and sourcing events where manufacturers will be selling their goods directly from their booths. 

Check out our dedicated blog on how to source products to sell online for detailed information. 

What are the stages of product development?

The stages of product development are:

Idea generation

This is when you develop a new idea for a product or service. You might brainstorm to generate multiple ideas of items that provide solutions to a specific problem. 

Idea screening 

This is evaluating your ideas and deciding which ones to pursue further. You can use methods like business model canvas or customer journey map to analyze how well an idea will fit into your existing business model and whether it’s something customers want.

Concept development

This stage involves exploring:

• What the product will look like
• How the product will function
• Identification ofits components and features
• Prototype creation
• Product tests with potential customers to see if they like it.

Product development

In this stage, you build physical products according to your concept designs and test them again with potential customers (or beta users). If necessary, you may also need to redesign parts of the product based on feedback from these tests so it meets customer needs better than before. 

What are the best ways to sell products online?

The best way to sell products online is to build your own eCommerce store. Many options are available like Shopify, Bigcommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, etc. Moreover, eCommerce stores are quite easy to set up, allowing you more control over how your site looks and how people interact with it. 

Another option you have is selling products on Amazon and eBay. Check our dedicated blog on the best eCommerce platforms to gain a deeper understanding and get practical tips.

Final thoughts on finding products to sell online

It's about finding the right niche to grow in and identifying the customer pain points you’ll address. Based on that, brainstorm which products can help solve that particular problem. 

Once you've stocked up on product ideas, you can move on to research and studying the competition. 

Keep your budget in mind. Buying low and selling high is the key to making money as an online seller. 

Also, don't be afraid to modify products and tactics if your research uncovers different demands and better opportunities.

Remember, there's nothing wrong with running a business that isn't exactly what you envisioned initially…just so long as it's profitable. And most importantly, don't give up! 

Over two billion online buyers are looking for the best solution to their pain points. You only need to feel their pulse and be there for them.

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