Planning to venture out as an entrepreneur? With the internet being the biggest marketplace today, here are the most popular eCommerce business ideas to get started. Let’s dive in!
Over the past decade, the business landscape, especially for marketing and trade, has changed drastically. And with the number of internet and smartphone users growing exponentially, the potential of marketing through these ever-developing technologies has sky-rocketed.
Statista records the number of internet users as of 2021 to be around 4,901 million, a huge leap as compared to the 1,981 million back in 2010. These developments in turn have opened up a massive opportunity for eCommerce business owners.
eCommerce is much more than a buzzword, owing to the various avenues it opens up, like easier accessibility, wider reach, better security, the list goes on…
This article will look to elaborate more on the eCommerce business model and also share insights on some of the business ideas that have and will continue to push the bar of eCommerce ever so high.
Read on to find out some amazing ideas for your eCommerce business!
Best eCommerce Business Ideas 2022
Let’s look at some promising eCommerce business ideas to help you venture out!
1. Selling Digital Products
Digital products are intangible pieces of media products that can be sold repeatedly without the need to top up the inventory. Digital products can be mp3 or audio files, photos, videos, software, and software plug-ins.
Selling digital goods has always been a brilliant online business venture due to the ease of distribution and popularity. Many now-established companies like Sellfy and Sellwire began with building their business around these digital products.
The other reason why it is one of the good ideas for online stores is due to the growing need among the people. As the global population continues to transform towards a fully digitized world, the demand for digital products will only increase.
2. Dropshipping Store
Dropshipping is one of the most popular online eCommerce business models today, and with good reason.
This is such an easy way to start your online business that anyone can do it!
You can start any business with dropshipping, all you have to do is find reliable suppliers and great ideas that you’re interested in. luckily, this article is filled with such ideas.
For example, if you want to start an online bookstore, you can easily dropship those books by finding suppliers for those books, set up your online store with the books listed in your catalogue (no need to keep an actual inventory), and as and when you get orders, share them with your suppliers and they will ship those books to your customers!
Here’s a list of amazing books that can teach you dropshipping, and if you are looking for product ideas to start your dropshipping business with, here are best dropshipping products to sell!
3. Reselling Business
The other most popular business model in the eCommerce industry is reselling.
In the US alone, the online resale industry is set to grow to around $195.7 billion by 2030.
Being a subset of dropshipping, it is very similar to it, but the major difference is that resellers usually hold inventory of their own, and buy products in large quantities, so their profit margin is high. The risk involved is higher as compared to dropshipping, too.
Anyways, you can add as many products from as many suppliers as you want, and start any online business you want.
The only task to do is find reliable suppliers who can be trusted with the quality of the products and delivery. With platforms like Dukaan Plus, this has also been made easy, because you can find credible suppliers on the platform itself.
4. Electronic Items
One of the world’s fastest-growing industries is the electronic products industry.
As more and more people buy electronic smart items into their homes, businesses can see the benefits of launching their very own online electronics store.
During the pandemic, the online computer equipment store became a massive hit. With people under lockdown and in need of computer systems and upgrades that would enable them to work or study from home, this eCommerce store segment began to see an increase in demand.
5. Online Marketplace
An online marketplace is an online hub that connects sellers to buyers. A simple example is that of Amazon or Flipkart. It is a portal that allows companies to showcase their products or services and ultimately sell them to potential buyers.
In this model, multiple sellers offer their goods on a single storefront.
Owing to the development of artificial intelligence, building and running an online marketplace has become a lot easier.
Coupled with online shopping becoming the new normal, platforms like this and also product exchange websites give consumers a much wider range of products to go through and select as compared to physical stores.
6. Online Bakery
Now, getting into more specific segments – the online baking store.
While the demand for baked products, especially cakes and cupcakes, have always been high due to the need and demand for easily accessible foods that comply with the fast-paced lifestyle, providing this service online simplifies things.
The cake shop online ordering system has become a popular go-to for people as it not only saves time and fuel but also allows you to send festive and surprise cakes and cupcakes to your friends and family far off.
Moreover, it is these highly lucrative business ventures that offer new entrepreneurs a brilliant learning experience as you can start off small with a very limited budget and look to slowly make a name for yourself.
7. Online Clothing Store
The fashion segment of the eCommerce industry is set to reach US $983,240 million in 2022, and is expected to rise to US $1,349,748 million by 2025.
This is one of the most in-demand and lucrative industries of all time, and you can’t go wrong with this business.
This is the reason why this business is the most popular among all entrepreneurs. So, make sure that you stand out of the crowd and prepare yourself for some cut-throat competition.
Nevertheless, the online clothing marketplace opens up a brilliant eCommerce business for starters. You can try it out to test the waters before you jump in.
Learn more about starting an online clothing store here.
8. Online Gift Cards Store
Gift cards, as of recently, have become a unique way of sharing presents with people. Gift cards are basically prepaid cards that come with a specific amount of money that can be used for purchases.
Gift cards are a go-to for a last-minute solution for a present with 33% of customers spending more money on a gift card than a traditional gift.
The demand is slowly on the rise and the business is currently a $619 billion industry with many online stores seeing them as a very powerful growth engine.
9. Online Learning Platforms
When the pandemic hit, it changed a lot of things permanently, teaching mediums being one of them.
Online teaching platforms took centre stage with online classes and staying at home to do everything became the new normal.
Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, etc., became popular for many reasons.
- They have courses from top professionals and elite universities.
- They teach courses that are not necessarily available traditionally.
- Students can choose any combination and number of courses that they want.
- They get certificates for the courses they complete, so they have something to show for the effort they put.
And Five, students get a flexible timeline to complete their courses, so that they can be comfortable with the pace of their learning and fit it into their schedule.
Even now when things are a little better, people want to use online learning platforms to study for these main reasons.
With a few players, in the market that is new, you have an opportunity to grab your share and earn profits.
11. Online Grocery & Packaged Food
With people busier lives, having lesser time for chores, and everything becoming available online, essentials like groceries and food are an obvious business idea to take online.
One thing to take into consideration in this business is the time taken to deliver your products.
Instant delivery is a must for these businesses because people generally order food items when they need them.
12. Personal Safety Equipment Store
Personal safety has become more important during the past years, and the pandemic added another aspect to safety that we weren’t paying a lot of attention to.
Yes, personal safety has extended from swiss knives and pepper sprays to include masks, sanitisers, gloves, face shields and disinfectants, among others.
You can start a personal safety online store, which caters to all these needs and expand into other niches as well.
You don’t need to sell boring old masks, you can get creative with them and sell interesting new designs (that work, of course) and attract your customers with your ingenuity.
With people being more conscious about their safety, this is a good business venture to try out.
13. Online Fitness Training
Another effect of the pandemic has been that people started focusing more on fitness.
With the world being shut down, gyms weren’t an option. Let alone gyms, people couldn’t even go out for runs.
This is where at-home workouts gained popularity.
Once people started, they couldn’t stop. They can do yoga, pilates, meditation, rigorous workout, and everything that they want at home.
You can start a business where you offer coaching by experts, in different types of exercise routines.
14. Beauty & Health Products
Beauty never takes a break, right?
And with new trends emerging every day, the demand for beauty products has increased multifold.
Nowadays, there are more steps to a makeup routine than a food recipe. And every step requires a separate product.
This is a huge industry, and you can have a piece for yourself with a little knowledge and even little investment.
Self-care has been front and centre for a while now and this will surely turn out to be a very profitable business.
15. Smart Devices (for home & office)
Ten years ago, we only had landlines and phones without internet, and now we have more smart devices than people in our houses.
Phones, iPads, smart TVs, Alexa, smart speakers, plugs, lights, Google nest hub, and even smart locks, there are so many things in this club now, and increasing every day.
They’re slowly becoming more necessary for every home, owing to their ease of use and range of features.
It is a pretty lucrative business idea. All you need to do is create a catalogue with all the devices and start a dropshipping business with them!
16. Online Thrift Store
Thrift stores are amazing. We think so, and most people agree with us. They’re gaining immense popularity and now these stores are not just present along the streets, but also have a presence on the mighty internet.
Thrift stores stand for everything that the youth today is obsessed with- a unique, one-of-a-kind, vintage apparel collection, which is sustainable too!
Affordable, cute clothes, books, and accessories, you can sell it all through online thrift stores!
There already are some of these stores on platforms like Instagram, but you can make a legit business of it by setting up your store on an eCommerce website.
17. Online Content Services
Content is becoming more and more important for all online businesses, and people are realising how essential it is for the running of their business.
Now content is a broad range of services.
You can provide copywriting services, blog content, social media content, and others like editing and proofreading services as well.
With content marketing becoming mainstream and competitive, people have realised that they can’t just do it themselves by shelling out random pieces of content on their websites and social media.
Now, it takes a properly planned and executed set of well-written content pieces across different platforms, catering to different audiences.
Master the content game and help other businesses boost their visibility and sales through the magic of content!
18. Online Collectables Store
Collectables are and have always been, people’s favourite things to own!
If you ever went to anybody’s house, they’d show you, with extreme pride, their collection of valuables.
Online auctions are the new place they go to, to get their valuable artefacts and rare objects.
You can open up an online auction site, or a store that carries valuable items that are one-of-a-kind.
The newest member of this family is NFT. You can try out dealing in those too!
People will be able to buy and sell through your store and it can prove to be a highly profitable business venture.
19. Online Custom Jewellery
Custom jewellery is a hot trend right now, and we are all for these cute pieces of accessories that can spruce up any look!
Unique, personalised jewellery for individuals, couples, friends and family, make them irresistible for one and all.
Although, for this business, you’ll need a sense of style and a knack for making jewellery from all kinds of materials.
If you feel this is the right fit for you, get creative and start your own custom jewellery business.
Here are some jewellery stores for you to get inspired!
20. Online One-off Products
One-of-a-kind things usually make people feel special, exclusive and you can use that to create a lush, elite, one-off online store.
The best part about this is that you’re not limited by the type of products.
Pick any niche, list the products in your store, and get started with it.
You can work with any kind of products that you’re comfortable with, and can also pick and club any kind of goods together.
Be in designer clothes, one-off art pieces, jewellery, rare products or your own creation, you can be sure that it will be a hit with your customers.
22. DIY Online-Store Builder
Ever heard the saying “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”?
People today want to be their own bosses, they want to become an entrepreneur and start their own online businesses, but the problem arises when they don’t know what to do.
You can help them by starting a new business to teach them the skills and knowledge required for their online venture.
If you help them navigate their online store, they will be able to realise their dreams and as the saying goes “feed them for a lifetime”.
You can consider these website builder options to help you with your business.
23. Photo Copyright & Selling Business
You can start a business online where photographers can submit their original pictures, get them copyrighted and sell them for use to others who need those pictures.
Copyright is a serious issue and most people illegally use others’ work without knowing that they’re doing something wrong.
Your platform can get the photographers their due and get people good quality pictures, so, win-win for all!
24. Travel Arrangements Website
A travel arrangement website is a perfect way for travellers to plan out their trips, vacations, staycations, or even work-cations!
When people plan to travel, there are a lot of things to consider.
Finding proper hotels, or places to stay, eateries, sights to see, and local guides, all can be a huge task for even the most experienced wanderers.
You can help them out by having an online travel arrangement business, which takes care of all these tasks, and suggests them new things to try according to their interests.
You can also start a niche business for solo women travellers, keeping in mind their extended need for safety and other needs.
25. Mentor-finding Platform
A platform where skilled people can find guidance to help them make the most of their talent is a necessity in today’s age when you can monetize any of your skills if you know how to market it properly.
A mentor finding platform can get people to get in touch with experts in their field of interest, who can teach them how to make money from the skillset and how to hone their skills.
A lack of teachers leaves so much potential untapped, and you can remedy this with your platform.
Bridge the gap between talent and success with your business idea!
26. Crowdfunding Platform
Another matchmaking platform that can actually be a success is a crowdfunding website.
A place where investors and startups can meet, pitch and invest is something that is every start-up founder’s dream come true.
This can be a pretty lucrative business idea.
27. Social Networking Platform + Online Store
Solve the main problem of every entrepreneur who sells their products on social media, by coming up with a platform that is social media and an online store all wrapped up in a nice little package.
Let’s be honest. Social media is amazing for marketing but it sucks when you have to set up a store and manage orders.
On the other hand, an eComm site where you set up your store is great for your business operations but isn’t as scroll-worthy as a social media platform either.
So, just bring them together and enjoy the best of both worlds!
28. Online Platform for Freelancers
Online platforms for freelancers are plenty, but those where you can find reliable talent, or employers, are few and far between.
If you create an online platform where employers can find what they’re looking for and freelancers get fair compensation for their efforts as well.
29. Online Library
Where would all the book lovers go when the world is closed and so are all the libraries?
To your online bookstore!
When everything else is online, why not a library?
It can function just like a regular library, but with pdf versions of books that readers can check out, rent and return.
You can create little clubs of readers who share an interest in the same genre, writer, or book titles.
30. All-in-one Online Wedding Store
Weddings are one of the most important days of our lives, right?
We need everything to go just right for them, but let’s be honest. It gets a little too much handle and we’re always afraid that we might miss something.
You can create an online all-in-one wedding store, which takes care of everything, from the bride’s dress to the cake and the decorations, invitations, task-lists to keep track of everything and you can even include event planning services if you want.
These are some interesting ideas that you can consider when you decide to start your online business journey.
Conclusion
The idea and concept of eCommerce are simple to understand, but the main effort goes into strategizing ways to push your business into the online business world and making yourself known. While most of it depends on how you adapt to the demands and trends around the world, the other most important factor is the platform you choose to do your eCommerce business on.
One such platform that has been consistently and effectively helping thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs to go online is EasyStore.
EasyStore aims to make eCommerce incredibly easy and we achieve this by offering everything – from setting up your online store, advertising and promotion, managing inventories to tracking sales and even marketing campaigns – in a very user-friendly and accessible way.
The platform is built to make the various tools and features easy to understand and implement. Features include design templates and themes to make your online store stand out, pre-built plug-ins to enhance the store, pre-built customer lists to help connect with your specific target audience and many other tools that assist you to easily run, market, manage, and grow your eCommerce business.