What to sell online? Ideas for products for an online shop

What to sell online?

The most common mistake made by novice sellers is looking for a single ‘magic product’ that will sell itself without advertising and without competition. In practice, a good product range is created by combining several factors: demand, profit margin, availability, ease of dispatch and the ability to make your offer stand out.

Not every popular product is profitable. High turnover can go hand in hand with very low profit margins, high advertising costs or frequent returns. That is why, before purchasing stock, you need to look beyond simply the number of competitors’ listings.

Start with the customer’s problem

Products sell more easily when they solve a specific problem. Customers aren’t looking for a ‘piece of plastic’ or a ‘device with a screen’. They’re looking for a way to organise their home, travel more comfortably, take care of themselves, entertain their child or keep pesky insects at bay.

When analysing a product, ask yourself three questions:

·        What problem does it solve?

·        Who has this problem and how often?

·        Why should the customer choose this particular offer?

The easier it is to answer these questions, the easier it is to come up with a name, photos and a sales description.

Products that are well-suited to e-commerce

To start with, it’s best to choose products that are compact, won’t break easily, don’t require complicated assembly and can be sold at a reasonable profit margin.

Good characteristics of a product for online sales include:

·        reusable,

·        benefits easily demonstrated in a photograph,

·        limited number of variants,

·        low transport costs,

·        the option to create a bundle,

·        a price that covers commission and advertising,

·        availability for most of the year.

This does not mean that large or fragile products are bad. However, they require more carefully planned logistics and protection against damage.

How do you come up with a product idea?

Analyse customer queries

Comments, reviews and questions under similar offers reveal what customers are missing. Recurring comments may relate to a cable that is too short, poor packaging, a lack of instructions, an illegible size or an incorrect set.

Such information allows you to prepare a better offer even when the product itself isn’t entirely new.

Check for seasonality

Some products sell mainly in summer, winter or in the run-up to the festive season. Seasonality is not a disadvantage if it is deliberately planned. The problem arises when a large delivery arrives after the peak of demand.

It’s worth combining seasonal products with year-round ones in your shop. This ensures your business isn’t reliant on a single short sales period.

Look for complementary products

It’s easier to develop a shop around a group of related needs than around random bestsellers. When selling a nail drill, you can offer drill bits, dust collectors and accessories. With a smartwatch, natural add-ons include straps, screen protectors and chargers.

Complementary products increase the value of the shopping basket and facilitate cross-selling.

How do you assess the competition?

A large number of sellers does not necessarily mean you should give up. Sometimes it confirms high demand. What is more important is whether the market is dominated by a few brands and whether competitors are selling solely on price.

Analyse:

·        the prices of the most popular offers,

·        the number of reviews and ratings,

·        quality of photos,

·        delivery time,

·        contents of the set,

·        common customer complaints,

·        advertising costs in a given category,

·        the number of similar products without any clear advantage.

Look for an area where you can offer the customer something specific: clearer instructions, a better bundle, faster delivery, better photos or more reliable service.

Calculate your margin before making a purchase

The selling price is not profit. From your revenue, you’ll need to deduct the purchase price, marketplace commission, advertising, delivery, packaging, returns and taxes.

Before placing an order, prepare at least three scenarios:

·        optimistic – a good selling price and low advertising costs,

·        realistic – average price and typical costs,

·        conservative – price reduction, higher number of returns and more expensive advertising.

If the product is only viable under the optimistic scenario, the risk is high.

Categories to consider

Rather than focusing on a single short-term trend, it is better to look for categories where new needs and variants regularly emerge.

Examples of such areas include:

·        grooming and styling accessories,

·        small consumer electronics,

·        pet accessories,

·        seasonal products for the home and garden,

·        creative supplies for children,

·        travel and sports accessories,

·        packing and organisation equipment.

In each category, you need to check separately the legal requirements, documentation, return risks and the level of competition.

Test the product before placing a larger order

It is safest to start with a small batch. Prepare your offer, launch sales and monitor not only the number of orders, but also the customer acquisition cost, queries, returns and complaints.

The test should answer several questions:

·        Do customers understand the product?

·        Are the photos and description sufficient to make a decision?

·        What price ensures a sale without losing margin?

·        Does the product arrive undamaged?

·        Do customers buy additional items?

·        How quickly do you need to restock your stock?

It is only worth increasing your order once you have collected the data.

What should you avoid at the start?

A novice seller should be wary of products with a very wide range of sizes, costly returns, a short shelf life or complicated documentation. Products based solely on a passing trend on social media are also risky.

Don’t buy stock just because a competitor is selling a lot of it. They may have a lower purchase price, a recognisable brand or a longer-established product with thousands of reviews.

FAQ – ideas for selling online

Is it best to sell products with little competition?

Not necessarily. Low competition may also mean low demand. What matters is the balance between interest, profit margin and the ability to make your offering stand out.

How many products should a shop have to start with?

It’s better to start with a smaller, well-described range than with hundreds of random items. A dozen or so, or a few dozen, related products allow you to see what really interests customers.

Is it worth selling the same product on several marketplaces?

Yes, but you need to calculate commissions, advertising costs, listing requirements and logistics separately. A product that is profitable on one channel does not always yield the same results on another.

Summary

A good e-commerce product should solve a real problem, have a quantifiable margin and offer the opportunity to create a better deal than the competition. First, test a small batch, then increase stock based on data, rather than on intuition alone.

Editorial sources – no need to publish

·        Google Trends

·        Google Search Central – helpful content

·        Biznes.gov.pl – a guide for online businesses