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How to Find the Perfect Products to Sell Online
o matter how long you’ve been an entrepreneur, launching an online business has never been more difficult. Here’s a quick look at the 2020 online landscape:
– Competition is fierce,
– Product markets are saturated, and
Consumers are demanding convenience more than ever before.
Before you begin to brainstorm the design and experience of an online store, or even your company’s name, you’ll need to choose what products to sell.
This decision is a strategy within itself, as what you sell will impact every other business decision you make, such as:
– Brand name,
– Website design,
– Marketing,
– Loyalty programs, and
– Shipping and fulfillment.
While each of these components is essential to a successful online strategy, they are worthless without a great product to support them.
Let’s dive into how to find the perfect product to sell online.
What Type of Products Can I Sell Online?
Regardless of which industry you are in, there are two types of products you can sell:
– Commoditized products and
– Niche products.
// Commoditized products are essential, high demand, or popular goods or services that can be physical or digital products. These are products that everybody needs.
Commoditized products are what make up the majority of online sales. Think of anything you buy at Walmart or Amazon that has a big brand behind it — food, golf clubs, clothes, kids toys, etc.
// Niche products are goods or services that serve a specific customer base and product category.
In many instances, these are unique, one-of-a-kind, or handmade products, making them some of the most popular items bought online.
Niche products are often made in small batch runs or on demand. Think of a unique beaded necklace, handmade frozen yogurt, or leather iPad case.
However, many store owners sell a combination of commoditized products and niche products to increase their profit margin.
Offering only commoditized items, especially if they are popular products sold on major online marketplaces like Amazon, will make it extremely difficult to become successful.
Larger online retailers and marketplaces can buy items in large quantities, which makes for more profitable products. But, chances are your startup won’t be able to compete right off the bat.
Instead, offer commoditized and niche products to your customers while delivering an on-brand experience to set your online shop up for success.
Take a look at Tyler’s, for example.
Tyler’s dives into the best of both worlds by selling niche clothing and accessories in addition to commodity apparel products from popular brands like Billabong, Simply Southern, and Yeti.
How to Find the Perfect Products to Sell Online
By offering both niche and commodity products, they are able to better serve their customers by making their online store a convenient choice for consumers looking for a single store to buy both types of products.
How To Choose What Products To Sell
We’re all looking to become the next big company — similar to some of the most popular D2C brands today. But, truth is, in today’s saturated product market, it’s difficult to generate product ideas.
Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a product brainstorm checklist to help you unlock your entrepreneurial spirit and drive.
1. Identify or create products that solve a problem.
Before you start selling, you need to find the right product with the potential for serious profitability. You’ll learn how to research different niches and even examine your own life to find problems that can be solved.
// “If we tried to think of a good idea, we wouldn’t have been able to think of a good idea. You just have to find a solution for a problem in your own life.” — Brian Chesky, Co-founder of Airbnb
When you’re brainstorming ideas for a product or service, it’s essential you reflect on problems in your own life.
For Kyle Kirkpatricki, an Olympic gymnastics coach, it was wanting to listen to music while training athletes. The caveat? Being able to use headphones that would stay in place, regardless of whether he was running or jumping on the trampoline performing flips.
Spoiler alert: Kirkpatricki successfully took what used to be a small annoyance and transformed it into a brilliant business idea — the invention of Decibullz.
The reason behind his success? Pinpointing a problem and conveniently solving it.
Your product or service doesn’t necessarily need to be a huge, complicated endeavor — it can be quite simple, yet exceptionally effective.
Product opportunities can also exist in a few other areas:
- Improved product features,
- A new market unrealized by your competitors, or
- Unique product positioning and marketing.
Beauty and skincare brand Bliss took a trending product, improved its features while tapping into an unrealized market opportunity, and introduced it to the market with unique positioning.
Bliss, founded in 1996, began its business as a modern spa in NYC. They sought out to revolutionize skincare by introducing ingenious products to the market and cultivating a sense of community with their customers.
How to Find the Perfect Products to Sell Online
Fast forward to 2020, with the help of new technologies and global ingredients, Bliss continues to introduce new PETA-certified, cruelty-free, clean beauty and skincare products that work for every budget.
// “We want everyone to put their best face forward.” — Bliss
By founding your brainstorm in the eyes of a consumer, you will be able to identify ways a product or service can bring value to someone’s life. x
Tip: Reflect on your own life and outline what experiences put a hitch in your giddyup.
2. Find products you and other people are passionate about.
‘Passionate’ might be a buzzword, but it carries a lot of value.
Starting your own business is not the glitz and glam that’s shown in the movies. The reality looks a lot more like long hours, likely some rocky terrain, and the occasional, if not frequent, sacrifice.
Being passionate about what you do will not only help carry you through hard times, but it will also aid in crafting a brand message that speaks to people in a way that is meaningful, authentic, and engaging.
Let’s be real — without passion, what’s the driver behind your online business?
By emotionally investing in your product, you can better deliver its value and mission into the market. Plus, an emotional story will help you stand out to competitors.
3. Find products with branding potential.
Validate your product using tactics such as keyword research and evaluating trending products.
// Your brand should speak to your potential customers in a way that both resonates and compels them to come back.
In other words, you want to build loyalty based on audience identity.
Some great questions to start with here are:
- How does your target audience like to be addressed?
- How will you position your product?
- How will you design your website to communicate your brand and appeal to your potential customers through layout, color scheme, and calls to action?
When it comes to crafting a brand and experience that resonates, Yainny and Spencer of InnovatioStudio are experts.
InnovatioStudio has found success from focusing on the benefit their product brings to the market — the opportunity for consumers to make memories with their loved ones. By centralizing on this theme, the company was able to exponentially grow an organic following of loyal customers. Solo Stove has been able to leverage its community of loyal customers to improve their brand, product, and online experience with authentic product reviews, community engagement, and honest feedback.
// InnovatioStudio is focused on helping people reconnect to what matters most, and BigCommerce has helped us take that to the next level. — Yainny Morales, CEO at InnovatioStudio
Leveraging your product to create community and purpose is a crucial component to growing your online store. Without a product and brand your customers can relate to, you’re essentially running your business on an empty tank.
4. Hop on trends early.
Take advantage of an emerging market and carve out a spot for your brand.
To be successful in doing so, it’s pivotal that you stay up-to-date on recent, trending products and services –– and then launch an ecommerce site to capitalize on them before they hit peak popularity.
As a small business owner, hopping on trends early can give your business a huge upside. You’ll have the opportunity to own SEO keywords and establish yourself as a leader within the market you serve early on.
Start thinking of products or services that have been trending up in recent years.
It always comes back to what we’re passionate about. Another proven successful product is one that caters to customers’ passions, or even their vices.
Shoppers often spend more on their guilty pleasures, developing deep loyalty to brands that understand their obsessions.
From its early beginnings, Jeni’s Ice Cream sought to capture this emotion with their customer base.
Jeni’s knows ice cream is a real treat, which is why they make their products with fresh ingredients. This way, customers can feel good about indulging every now and then (and their extensive flavor options keep customers coming back for more).
6. Identify and serve niche segments.
Niche segments often spell out success for ecommerce businesses.
The reason for niche segments comes down to resonating with a highly-engaged, and highly-converting, audience. Serving a niche segment is a great business proposition because you create a product that solves an issue for a very passionate audience segment.
Serving a passionate niche audience will help build brand awareness, online traffic and, ultimately, new and returning converting customers.
Let’s take a look at LARQ.
LARQ is a water bottle unlike anything else on the market.
How to Find the Perfect Products to Sell Online
What started as a simple vision of bridging the gap between innovative technology and better access to pristine drinking water resulted in the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle.
The product serves as an easier, healthier, and more sustainable choice thanks to UV-C LED technology that eradicates up to 99.99% of germs, bacteria, and protozoa, eliminating harmful and odor-causing sources. And if that wasn’t already great, it also comes in a chic and sleek modern design, in various colors.
The brand continues to cater to its niche segment by supporting other environmental causes. For example, LARQ is a proud member of 1% For The Planet, which means 1% of all of their sales goes to protecting the future of our planet.
Here are 10 ideas for niche products to sell online in 2020/2021:
- On-the-go, health-conscious foods.
- Craft beverages (mocktails included).
- Subscription boxes.
- CBD products.
- Men’s engagement rings and wedding bands.
- Journal notebooks and personal planners.
- Pet food.
- Cruelty-free beauty products.
- Camera and photo accessories (e.g. drones and tripods).
- Shapewear.
7. Spot business opportunities absolutely everywhere.
Part of being an entrepreneur is always pushing your imagination.
As you do your part as a world citizen, pay attention to how society behaves. Are there norms to be broken? Is there an opportunity to improve the lives of your neighbors?
What products gain quick customer acquisition? What industries are gaining traction?
Keeping up to date with what’s going on in the world will help you identify new online business opportunities.
In addition, sit down and evaluate your strengths and interests.
Are you a naturally gifted marketer? Does the idea of fundraising make you cringe?
Gather the resources, both human and technical, to bring your online business to life. Having an organized approach to a product and business launch will only bode well in the future.
How Do I Begin Selling Online?
None of the above matters if you don’t have an ecommerce store that sells your product, provides an intuitive shopping experience, and makes customers want to return. We’ll show you how to go from zero to beautiful online store in a matter of minutes using powerful ecommerce software (spoiler alert – we have a recommendation).
9. Launch your store.
You’ve got a product and now you’re ready to go to market — online.
Before you begin setting up an online store, be sure to have these steps completed:
- Do market research.
- Finalize products to sell.
- Identify your customer base — and segment your audiences.
- Begin research on what ecommerce platform you’d like to sell on (like your own online store, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and other sites customers commonly buy from).
- Create high-quality product content (including product descriptions and imagery).
- Create a strategy to market to your potential customers (so you can drive traffic to store).
Truth is, launching an ecommerce store is not a walk in the park. But, with the right tools and an organized pre- and post-launch plan, you’ll be on the right track toward success.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to build an online business set up for success.
Resources To Help You Start Selling Online
Once you’ve got your store up and running, learn the leading organic traffic driving tactics to get more visitors to your store.
// “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin
Before we dive into each detailed chapter, we’ve compiled a list of resources to help you prepare for your new online business venture.
Each of the articles in these sections will walk you through how to set yourself up for long-term online selling success.
Resources for the planning phase.
Below are resources to help you plan out your ecommerce store. These are great for understanding your options when choosing an ecommerce website builder, website design inspiration, and ideas for products to sell.
- Do Ecommerce Niches Really Lead To Riches? How To Identify Overlooked Product Opportunities To Increase Revenue
- BigCommerce vs Shopify: The Clash of The E-Commerce Titans. Who Will Win? (Digital.com)
- Best Ecommerce Websites For Design Inspiration: 22 Award-Winning Examples (2019)
- Need Ecommerce Business Ideas? 27 Experts Give You Their Best Online Store Opportunities For 2019
- 26 Top Trending Products to Sell Online At Your Ecommerce & Dropshipping Store in 2019 (Cloudways)
- Top Ecommerce Niches of 2019 (Ecomdash)
Successful Ecommerce Business Basics.
Sometimes, you just have to bring it back to the basics. Explore these resources to learn more on how to successfully manage and run your online business.
- How to Master Product Photography on a Tight Budget (We Did it With Less Than $50)
- How to Write a Returns and Exchanges Policy That Grows Sales
- The Complete Guide to Writing Product Copy That Sells Itself
- 27 Experts Give You Ideas For Ecommerce Businesses
Designing Your Store.
Ecommerce store designs goes much further than an eye-catching design. Learn what features and functionality you need to meet your customers’ expectations.
- 22 Ecommerce Sites For Awesome Website Design Inspiration
- Get Inspiration From Innovative Ecommerce Brands
- Ecommerce Store Inspiration: Designs We Love + Sites With Awesome Functionality
- Your Guide To Ecommerce Themes: How To Choose The Right Design For Your Online Store
Resources For Optimizing Your Store.
Once you have your design ready to go, it’s time to focus on product photography, website copy, CTAs, and more. Check out these articles to learn how you can best optimize your online store.
- How to Master Product Photography on a Tight Budget (We Did it With Less Than $50)
- The Complete Guide to Writing Product Copy That Sells Itself
- How to Create Ecommerce Product Videos That Drive Traffic
- 17 Best Ecommerce Product Video Examples
Accepting Payments.
Conversion is the goal, which means you need to master your checkout. Explore these resources to learn more about what payments you should accept and why.
- How To Accept Credit Card Payments Online in 2019: What Are Your Best Options?
- Payment Gateways: Keeping Your Ecommerce Transactions Safe + Customers Happy (2019)
- These Brands Make It Big By Using Amazon Pay (Benefits + Examples)
- 7 Ecommerce Merchants Discuss Apple Pay’s Growing Benefits (2019)
- 6 Surprising Ways Accepting Mobile Payments Helps Businesses (Square)
- 8 Things to Know About Payment Security (PNC)
Protecting Customer Data.
- Everything You Need to Know About PCI Compliance and How to Achieve It
- What is ISO Certification? ISO Meaning and BigCommerce’s ISO 27001 Achievement
Returns + shipping and fulfillment resources.
Let’s talk post-conversion. How do you manage your returns, shipping, and fulfillment? It’s key to meet your customers expectations post-purchase so they’ll continue shopping with your brand in the future.
Whether it be small business shipping, dropshipping, or fulfillment centers, you can count on us to help you find what works best for your business.
- How to Write a Returns and Exchanges Policy That Grows Sales
- Next Steps After The Sale: Your Guide to Small Business Shipping
- Calculating Ecommerce Shipping Costs: Rates & Fees
- Shipping Sales Tax in 2019: Taxability Examples, Laws & More
- Ecommerce Fulfillment: 3 Strategies To Fulfill Online Orders (2019)
- Ecommerce Shipping: Strategies, Solutions & Best Practices (Advanced)
- Ecommerce Warehousing 101: Best Practices + Checklist (2019)
- Dropshipping in 2019: Does It Actually Work? (Pros + Cons)
- Startup Fulfillment Services by ShipBob
Make your first sale.
Once you have your site set up for success, it’s time to start driving traffic and converting visitors into customers. Here’s everything you need to increase your brand’s visibility and stay top of mind with customers.
Driving Traffic.
In order to generate sales, you’ll need to drive traffic – to all the channels you participate in. Use these resources to create a strategy around online traffic.
- 30 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Ecommerce Store
- How to Create Ecommerce Product Videos That Drive Traffic
Ecommerce SEO Guide: How Online Stores Can Drive Organic Traffic in 2019
Converting Shoppers.
Your customers are now on your site. What type of experience do you give them? What makes them want to engage in business with you? Take note from these articles and think about how you can apply your learning to your business.
- How to Use Psychology and Sales Triggers to Double Your Conversion Rate
- The Science of Emotional Buying and What Marketers Can Do About It
- How to Remove Friction From Your Buyer Journey
- 3 Ways to Use Customer Data Right Now to Increase Conversions
- 31 Email Marketing Tips to 5x Conversion
- 6 Ideas for Landing Pages
Converting Shoppers.
Your customers are now on your site. What type of experience do you give them? What makes them want to engage in business with you? Take note from these articles and think about how you can apply your learning to your business.
- How to Use Psychology and Sales Triggers to Double Your Conversion Rate
- The Science of Emotional Buying and What Marketers Can Do About It
- How to Remove Friction From Your Buyer Journey
- 3 Ways to Use Customer Data Right Now to Increase Conversions
- 31 Email Marketing Tips to 5x Conversion
- 6 Ideas for Landing Pages
Retaining Customers With Marketing.
Marketing is key to customer retention. This means you’ll need to spend time getting to know your customers and what they value.
- How to Set Up an Ecommerce Loyalty Program
- We Spent a Year Building an Ecommerce Email Automation Platform: Here’s What We Learned
- The 3 Phases of Ecommerce Personalization
Measuring Success.
Success is nothing without the evidence to back it up. Think about how you will track your growth by exploring these articles.
- 55 Ecommerce Metrics and KPIs You Need to Measure to Drive 10x Growth
- Why Conversion Rate is the One Metric That Determines Your Success
Sell everywhere.
The fastest growing businesses on the BigCommerce platform view themselves similarly to a stock portfolio, and they have found that diversification is key to success.
Smart brands have multiple revenue streams to supplement their ecommerce website. Better yet, modern consumers are agnostic to their final purchase destination.
This means that a customer has no preference on whether they shop on Amazon or your ecommerce store.
// A consumer’s only preference is convenience.
Simply put — if you aren’t selling across channels, you could lose the sale to a competitor who has better diversified.
Here’s all the information you need to know to expand your revenue portfolio and grow your sales by 10x.
Selling on Amazon.
Yes, the ‘A’ word. Discover how you can use the online marketplace powerhouse to grow your business.
Selling on eBay.
Another great online marketplace, but with different tactics. Discover how you can take your brand to the next level with eBay.
- The Complete Guide to Selling on eBay & Scaling to $1,200+ in Monthly Sales
- How Selling on eBay Can Future-Proof Your Business
- Sell to 165,000,000 Potential Customers on eBay
Selling on Google.
Most of us know Google for its search power, but have you ever thought about selling on the platform? Read the articles below for everything you need to know.
Selling on Facebook.
Facebook is essential to omnichannel strategy. Between the marketing and sales benefits, you’ll want to learn how you can leverage its power for the success of your brand.
Selling on Pinterest.
Do you have high quality product photography that’s eye-catching? Then Pinterest may be a great omnichannel solution for your business.
Selling on Twitter.
Learn how to master the art of selling on Twitter with a complete guide.
Selling on Instagram.
With photo, video, and user-generated content opportunities, Instagram serves as a great platform to drive traffic and conversions. Dive into these resources to learn how to optimize your Instagram strategy.
- How Your Business Can Make Money Selling on Instagram
- Shopping on Instagram Results Are In: Brands Report +1,416% Traffic, +20% Revenue
- Instagram Influencer Marketing: The Organic Superfood You Need To Fuel Your Ecommerce Store
What’s Next?
Ideas are great, but it’s the execution that makes all the difference.
The rest of the guide will unlock key strategies and tactics to bring your business online.
It is now time to finalize the products you are going to sell, launch your online store and start driving traffic to your website.
OR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to (Realistically) Start an Online Business That (Actually) Grows in 2020
| Chapter 1 How to Find the Perfect Products to Sell Online |
How to Evaluate Market Viability for Your Products |
|
How to Conduct Online Market Research |
How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis for Your Online Business |
| Chapter 5
10 Online Business Laws You Need to Know for Internet Selling |
Chapter 6
How to Identify and Analyze Your Target Market in 2020 |
| Chapter 7
How to Source and Manufacture Products for Your Online Business |
Chapter 8
Choosing The Right Ecommerce Platform For Your Business |
| Chapter 9
59 Productivity Hacks for Online Small Business Owners |
Chapter 10
How to Create, Setup, and Launch a Profitable Online Store (Seriously) |
| Chapter 11
Driving Traffic to Your Online Store |
Chapter 12
Next Steps After The Sale: Your Guide to Small Business Shipping |
| Chapter 13
Measuring Success: Analytics |
Chapter 14
Time To Grow: The 5 Things To Consider When Scaling Your Online Business |
| Chapter 15
17 Tips For Online Small Business Owners |
by DOLCE LIBERTA. More than a Bikini!
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Related article:
The Ultimate Guide on How to Start an Online Business
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