things to sell online

Career

What Are the Best Things to Sell Online?

9 options if you want to be an online seller

Hotmart

08/22/2022 | By

Working on the internet is the desire of an increasing number of people, mainly because of the advantages that this type of job offers, such as:

There are several professions that can be carried out on the internet, but the area of online sales has been one of the most sought-after.

A lot of people think that working online is one of the easiest jobs out there and they identify with a seller’s profile. So, frequently, they decide to bet on the sales market to start a business online.

However, it is common to feel a little lost at first, not knowing which segment to tackle, especially when choosing what kind of product to sell online.

There are many options and you should know each one of them before deciding which one would suit you the best.

If you have any questions about it, continue reading our post to find out what the best things to sell online are.

VIDEO: Sales techniques: how to sell online | Sales tips

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1. Online courses

Due to easy access to the internet and other technological resources, people have been increasingly resorting to digital means to find solutions, and learn and develop skills.

So, distance education has excellent options on the market, offering new possibilities for education students and, especially, a new niche for professionals who want to become entrepreneurs.

So, if you’re a teacher or an expert on a specific subject, you can use everything you know to create an online course and sell it on the internet.

This is one of the best things to sell if you don’t want to worry about inventory, logistics, and delivering the product to the client, nor with high initial investments. After all, being a digital product, is scalable and the production cost is very low.

You can teach classes in school subjects such as maths, languages, or history, or create free courses on topics you master.

You can talk about fashion, food, computers, sports, politics, music, or anything else, you just have to be an expert on the subject and find an audience interested in this type of content.

But don’t think for a second that only people who create their own courses can work in this field.

If you are a great salesperson, but don’t want to create a digital product, you can participate in an affiliate program to sell courses produced by other people. In this type of program, you promote courses and receive commissions for each sale made.

2. Ebooks

If you are excited to turn your knowledge into a digital product, but fear being on cameras either because you’re shy or feel awkward, you can choose to write an ebook.

Digital books are also widely accepted in the market, because they only need to be downloaded once and can be accessed offline by the reader whenever and wherever they want.

So, the format is great for anyone who wants to learn something new and still want to be able to review that information when they find it necessary to do so.

If you like writing and master spelling and grammar rules, you can create a complete eBook to teach your audience what you know about a given subject.

Because it’s a predominantly textual product, you’ll basically need a quality text editor to create good material.

And, as well as with online courses, you can sell eBooks without having to necessarily create them.

VIDEO: How to sell digital products online? Discover all the possibilities | Hotmart Tips

3. Clothes

The digital products we’ve talked about have some clear advantages, because they require practically no initial investment, offer profit scalability and the seller doesn’t have to deal with stock and delivery.

However, if you are looking for a more traditional path, nothing prevents you from selling physical products.

The fashion market is always a great option because it includes people of all ages, styles, needs, and income ranges. Also, within the industry, there are thousands of possibilities for those who want to work with fashion.

However, in order to stand out, try segmenting your business and choose a very specific niche. That way, you will be able to better understand the demands and deliver exactly what clients are looking for.

Here are some options:

  •     Children’s clothing;
  •     Sportswear and swimwear;
  •     Workwear;
  •     Plus-size clothing;
  •     T-shirts with fun prints;
  •     Lingerie and nightwear, among others.

Currently, trendy brands are very often focused on sustainability and usually work with slow fashion due to growing consumer concern about the environment.

If possible, invest in brands that fit this profile so the customers can realize you keep an eye on market trends and offer options for conscious consumers.

4. Accessories

This is another area that always has customers, just be aware of the trends.

Most of the public in this segment is, after all, women, considering accessories include items such as purses, shoes, and jewelry.

However, men are becoming more style-conscious and that can also be a good niche for those who want something with fewer competitors and therefore it’s easier to stand out.

In this business, many people decide to produce their own accessories.

If you have artistic skills, you can create unique pieces, made with rustic materials, in the minimalist style or that represent the culture of your region.

Today, consumers are valuing small producers, who make handmade pieces that, in addition to being unique, tell a story.

But if that is not your case, do not worry. There are quality brands that work with wholesale or sale consignment and those can also be lucrative opportunities for people who are looking for things to sell online.

Just be sure to choose products that you like and trust, because the good seller is the one who can convey security to the customer.

If you don’t know anything about jewelry, don’t wear them, and are not interested in the field, trying to resell them only to earn easy money can turn work into something boring and without the expected returns.

5. Toys

You’ve probably noticed how profitable the market for children’s products is. Constantly, there is a new TV show, a play, or a new trend that becomes popular among children and causes sales to skyrocket.

Meanwhile, parents are increasingly busy, and virtual shops are the ones that help those who don’t have time to deal with malls and physical stores.

Therefore, toys are great products to sell online.

To succeed with your online store, make thorough research to learn everything about the children’s market and children’s preferences.

Find out about cartoons and tv shows that they watch the most, what the most beloved characters and which issues are relevant to children. So, you will be able to select the most desirable products.

If you want to target a niche, you can sell your toys for a specific age group, focusing on educational toys, recycled materials, among other options.

And you can offer options for adults too!

People of all ages are looking for board games and video games, so you don’t have to think only about kids, okay?

The important thing is to make sure that the toy you sell is interactive, appropriate, and interesting.

VIDEO: How to choose your market niche? | Hotmart Tips

6. Home and decoration items

Decorative objects and household goods are great things to sell online because, typically, they are small and can be easily stored in your house or in a limited space.

Younger consumers, who are becoming financially independent and beginning to set up their homes, are some of the most interested in virtual stores in that niche.

They seek affordable, customized, and practical options because they don’t have a lot of time at home, and for the most part, live in small apartments and are not willing to invest a lot of money in decorating.

So, they look for functional objects, which occupy little room and help make their homes more lively.

These are some of the options that you can invest:

  • Decorative frames, made with images or printed and framed phrases;
  • Succulents vases, which can be used in various environments, even as refrigerator magnets;
  • Organizational objects such as boxes to store seasonings, accessories and make-up;
  • Office supplies, mainly to optimize home offices;
  • Kitchen utensils that are modern, colorful or with cute prints;
  • Decorative items made with recycled materials;
  • Frames to store wine corks or beer caps;
  • Decorative and aromatic candles, among others.

7. Cosmetics and Perfumes

This is one of the areas that have been the most successful among professionals, because cosmetics and fragrances always have an audience, especially if the seller knows them well and follows the trends.

In that niche, consumers have demonstrated the same environmental concern they have with clothes.

So the brands that work to reduce their impact on the environment and offer green products have excelled and won over the trust of customers.

The specific products for curly hair, with a focus on low poo and no poo are some of the options, as well as natural, organic, and vegan makeup.

If you don’t think about producing a product, or if you can’t afford to buy a lot of products to sell in your online store, you can become a distributor of established brands.

Today, many beauty market companies work with distributors through magazines or websites.

It is common for them to offer special conditions for those who want to work with their products, like giving consulting and marketing tips for professionals to gain market share and become an authority on the subject.

8. Electronics

Electronics can also be sold on the internet, but this type of business requires an initial financial investment.

However, if you already have a physical store where you sell home appliances or cell phones, for example, expanding your business to the digital marketplace is a great and lucrative option.

However, if you can’t afford the high costs and don’t own a physical store, but still want to invest in electronics, you can sell related accessories. In addition to being cheaper, they are easier to acquire, store and sell.

Cell phone cases, cell phone mounts, and chargers, among other items, are some of the options of things to sell in that niche market.

9. General services

So far, you have seen digital and physical product options, but there are also several services that can be sold online.

Professionals who work as freelancers have a lot to gain from the increasing popularity of selling services on the Internet since in the virtual environment it is possible to reach more people and thus attract more clients.

The freelancers can create their own brand to publicize what they do, use social networks and blogs to get the users’ trust.

Or, if you prefer, you can use the various sites and platforms that serve as a bridge between the freelancer and the customers.

The most popular services are:

  • Writing, proofreading, and translation texts;
  • Web development;
  • Design;
  • Marketing;
  • Accounting.

If you already work in some of these areas or have skills that could be sold as freelance work, this is one more option of things to sell.

Work with what you like

The internet has several opportunities for those who want to have more career autonomy and start working on their own.

Another good point is that you can start your online venture without having to quit your job or invest all the money you have for the business to take off.

It is possible to start slowly, getting to know the market and generating an extra income until your business grows and you feel prepared, if you want, to leave your conventional work and become totally focused on digital entrepreneurship.

Choosing things to sell online is just one of the possibilities, but there are many other ways to create an online business.

If you are interested in working with something that gives you more freedom and that you really like, but still don’t know what to do, also read our post with 33 ideas to work from home.