How to Find A Product to Sell Online
Before you can get an online shop up and running, you need to have something to sell. Choosing a product can be daunting, especially in the idea stage. But, there are plenty of profitable products you can make yourself and sell online in a jiffy.
Here, we'll guide you through the process of choosing a product to pursue for your online business.
Find Your Niche
In the general online marketplace, competition is heavy and buyers are overwhelmed. One of the best things you can do for your business is carve out a specific niche, or corner of the market, in which you can dominate and thrive. Standing out often means offering a unique product to an even more unique customer base.
Maybe you make and sell bath bombs. But, what if you sell themed bath bombs for bubble-bath-crazed children? Picking a subset of users who will identify with your product and latch on is key. Find your people and continue to dream up products that are catered to them.
Strategically Brainstorm
Where does one find a niche? Here are some strategies to mull over and get those brain juices flowing:
Get introspective
Ask yourself what problem you need solved and what product could solve that problem. Chances are that the problems and frustrations you experience are faced by hundreds or thousands of people just like you every day.
Identify customer pain points
Think of everyone around you as potential customers. As you go about your day, pay particular attention to the problems, frustrations, and desires of the people you interact with.
There are plenty of products in production already that they may wish could be improved. You can find these less-than-perfect products by scouring Amazon and investigating the comments sections. You may be able to see deficiencies and shortcomings in other products and provide a solution.
Seek out customer passions
While there's plenty for customers to complain about, there's always more power in positivity. Figure out what customers rave about. People are much more likely to spend the big bucks on something they love.
Go with your passion
Is there a particular cause, purpose, or product that you're simply crazy about? Do you have something that gets you excited, that you love to make? Turn that passion into your product. If you truly believe in your product, that passion is likely to carry you through the toughest times and into success.
Take advantage of your experience
You're likely an expert in something already, you’re just afraid to admit it. If you've worked in a particular industry, have a particular skill none of your friends have, or would like to turn your hobby into a profit, you can turn that expertise into a product or service.
For example, sell that top-secret BBQ dry rub you're known for as a product. Then, take it from a product to a business by opening up a line of BBQ-related products: aprons, oven mitts, the works.
Utilize your large social network
.Even if you don't (yet) feel like you have the perfect product, the most important thing is to get started! We all have a social network, whether online or off, that we can activate. Start marketing your product to them first.
Not only can you ask for invaluable feedback, it will give your product a little bump to get started. Plus, down the line your network can serve as testers for new iterations of your product!
Offer a unique twist on a classic
Put a new spin on an old product, create a new look, provide better customer service, or lower prices! Find one aspect of a product that only you can provide, and deliver that advantage to your customers.
Research Your Ideas
Once you have an idea, it's time to vet it. Below are two sure-fire tactics you can use to test the value of your dream product:
Search high-traffic keywords
Using Google's Keyword Search, you can search any product ideas that came to mind during the brainstorming process. This strategy requires a bit more keyword and SEO understanding, but it will tell you how high the need is for your product. That way, you can pursue high-volume keywords (and their products) and avoid low ones.
Discover whether it's a trend or a fad
Use Google Trends to help you forecast the popularity of your product. Capitalizing on a trend early in its infancy could make you a pioneer, but following a spike could mean you're going after a temporary win. Definitely look into whether you've identified a product with a future.
Explore New Inspiration
Now that you've got a few product development strategies under your belt, we'd like to inspire you with a few product ideas of our own. Some trends that have proven quite popular online include: sugar scrub, bath bombs, wax melts, soaps, art prints, planner stickers, and jewelry.
For more inspiration, check out our customer inspiration gallery. Here are a few of our favorite examples:
We encourage you to continue exploring what makes you passionate. When you're ready to begin selling online, see why small businesses choose us over office supply stores as their label partner.
