Would you like to venture into the e-commerce world and start selling products online? It’s understandable that it sounds appealing—if you rely on the internet for sales, you can work from anywhere, even your couch while lounging in your pajamas. However, just because it’s easy to set up a Shopify store does not mean that you can sell anything willy-nilly if you want to operate a successful business. In this regard, only the first part is simple; connecting with customers is another beast entirely. So, before you open up shop, how do you decide what products to sell?
Pick something that solves a problem
No one will buy anything from you if it does not add value to their lives in some way, which means there needs to be a market for your products. This is one of the fundamentals of business: you need to solve a problem. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention (and even if fancy clothes and unique phone cases are not necessities, people still get joy out of them).
So, what is there a market for? Conduct some research to determine popular products to sell from home. According to Shopify, some of the hottest products to sell in 2019 include shapewear, plaid shirts, athleisure products, travel accessories, automotive accessories, smartwatches, minimalist jewelry, and more. Selling something that people have no interest in will take a significant amount of work to sell. Staying up to date with the latest trends is vital for your business, these Shopify podcasts are the best for eCommerce platforms.
Pick something that you like
Out of the list of products that are in-demand, pick something that you are passionate about. Do you think you will sell anything effectively if you do not care about your products? Will you be able to produce social media content, be excited when you interact with customers, and educate yourself about your products if you do not find them interesting? If you seem unenthusiastic about your products, customers will notice, and they will take their business elsewhere.
Passion in business is critical to success. However, some entrepreneurs attempt to sell items that they are passionate about, but they are so niche that there is much of a market for them. You can still sell those products, of course, but it helps to sell a few additional things that are in-demand so that you are not trying to convince too many people why your passion project is worth their money and attention.
Pick something you can put a twist on
The thing about ecommerce is that there might be several other retailers who are selling similar products—if not the exact same—as you. This means that you need to convince your audience why they should purchase from you and not someone else. So, what products can you put a twist on? What ideas do you have for selling something in a unique fashion that other ecommerce stores are already offering? Volusion advises:
“…how are you going to make your store stand out? Customers want value, but they also want an experience. Find out what kind of experience they should have. This could be excellent merchandising, free shipping, stellar customer service or something else. Once you know what it is that you do better than the competition (such as being the only ecommerce store in your niche to offer free shipping), make sure to let your customers know why they should choose your store!”
Make sure you are prepared to handle the marketing aspect of your business. Your products might be in-demand, but you need to let people know that you exist and why purchasing from you is a better experience.
Decide how you’re going to sell
How are you going to sell your products? If you are going to make them yourself, then you’ll obviously need appropriate equipment and processes, as well as space to hold inventory. You might prefer the dropshipping method, though, which entails purchasing products from vendors for wholesale prices and then selling them to the public for higher prices under your brand. Dropshippers do not manufacture products or even come into contact with them during the sales process. Again, this method is particularly reliant upon marketing because there might be other store owners selling the same products from the same suppliers.
In addition, what is the best place for selling your products? Where on the internet is the best place for reaching your audience? You might decide to set up a quick Shopify store, hire a developer and build a website from scratch, sell goods through eBay, or something else. You will probably take advantage of multiple methods, such as selling products directly through Instagram and Pinterest.
E-commerce has its conveniences, but there are multiple factors to account for when deciding what products to offer. What products do you intend to sell online?