10 Trending Products to Sell Online Post-COVID
June 23, 2021
COVID may be on the decline, but eCommerce sales definitely are not.
Is your Shopify store ready for a post-pandemic surge in shopping?
I’ve talked about products that are easy winners for eCommerce stores before, but today I want to cover a list of trending products that Shopify actually published. It covered 10 products they predict will sell the most now that things are beginning to return to normal. I've added some additional data below and insights from my own experience.
Let’s dive right in.
10 Trending Products to Sell Online Now That COVID Is (Hopefully) Over
So, what is in demand right now?
Well, if Shopify's predictions are anything to go by - and the company certainly knows eCommerce - here are 10 trending products that are worth considering for your store.
1. Baby Clothes and Accessories
Despite what many experts expected, the divorce rate actually dropped during COVID.
In fact, it's now looking like pregnancies may be up 10-15% this summer compared to the usual average.
So, it makes sense that Shopify identified baby clothes and accessories as a trending product with a bright future.
As the article puts it:
"Is there a secret pandemic baby boom happening? Despite headlines proclaiming a 'COVID baby bust' this year, our research found that 24% of parents and parents-to-be expect to spend more on baby items post-pandemic."
Like I said, there seems to be enough data to refute the "baby bust" theory and there re signs that will spending will also be up among those who have kids or will have them soon.
Now, with all of that being said, this is an industry that is already packed tight with competition. If you're interested in pursuing it, you'll have to think creatively to find a niche that isn't already saturated.
2. Virtual Classes and Experiences
From MasterClass to GumRoad to Udemy, online classes have been big business for a long time. During COVID, people rushed to online courses to build new skillsets after losing their jobs.
Now that so many people are used to learning online, I don't expect their popularity to fade much even after COVID is over. If you have valuable experience in a field, these courses may be your best opportunity to make money.
Once again, I'm going to counsel a little caution here, though.
Shopify puts it this way: "It’s worth noting that this 'category' was the most polarizing amongst consumers. While 23% planned to spend more on virtual classes and experiences in a post-pandemic world, 20% planned to spend less on this category."
Do some research before taking the plunge. Check to see if the market for your particular expertise seems to be growing.
3. Exercise Equipment
From the Shopify article: "...nearly 30% of American gym-goers don't plan on returning to a gym until 2022, at the earliest. After more than a year of ditching gyms for retrofitted home gyms and outdoor trails, it's no wonder that 19% of consumers plan to spend more on exercise equipment, even as gyms reopen."
Dropshipping may be the best way to enter this market. Again, from the article: "If you dont have a warehouse to store all that bulky fitness equipment, dropshipping might be a more accessible route. Dropshipping lets you choose and market in-demand products that are manufactured and shipped by a third party."
Just like with baby products, look to niche down as much as possible for your Shopify store to avoid the big brands that already own top search results.
For example, the article points out that "bike saddles" seem to be a winning product type, although the key to gaining traction with this market would be looking at specific versions like:
- Comfortable Bike Saddles
- Mountain Bike Saddles
- Road Bike Saddles
As always, niches still lead to riches, but only if you put in the time to find which of these niches will have the best returns post-COVID.
4. Household Cleaning Products
Surprise, surprise.
After a global pandemic that saw people wearing masks out in public - and sometimes in private - people aren't relaxing their standards for cleanliness any time soon. This might be the biggest no-brainer of all the products on our list.
That's why this is another trendy product that made Shopify's list. They mentioned that "19% of consumers plan to buy more cleaning products as things return to normal."
Instead of inventing your own detergent, oven cleaner, dish soap, etc. consider using your Shopify site to affiliate market specific types of cleaning products - at least at first. For example, products that are "green" or aren't tested on animals or discounted versions of popular brands, etc.
There are all kinds of ways to enter this trending-product market without spending a lot of money in the process.
5. Groceries
For similar reasons, apps and other services dedicated to grocery delivery also saw a boom in popularity during COVID.
Shopify reported that, "90% of grocery shopping is still happening offline, [but] there is sizable revenue for ambitious ecommerce brands. The pandemic activated plenty of new online grocery consumers in a manner that’s expected to continue to surge: 21.5% of groceries sales—worth more than $215 billion—will happen online by 2025."
Now, obviously, I'm not suggesting you start your own online grocery store. That probably isn't very realistic.
But this could definitely be another affiliate marketing opportunity if, once again, you can focus on a niche.
For example, you could tailor your Shopify site to vegans who need workout supplements or people who want to avoid eating meat from factory farms.
Another opportunity that Shopify mentioned is "A focus on health and 'preventative eating.' According to a 2020 survey conducted by FMCG Gurus—a market research company specializing in food—80% of consumers indicated they were planning to eat and drink more healthily in 2021 as a direct result of COVID-19. Already, 58% of North American consumers say they regularly research different ways to improve their health. Meanwhile, six out of 10 consumers surveyed by Innova indicated they were looking for products to support their immune health, with one in three saying these concerns increased in 2020."
You could open a Shopify store dedicated to probiotics or supplements for your immune system, etc. and just review/sell other company's products.
6. Pet Supplies
Products for pets is an absolutely BOOMING category right now.
As Shopify explained, "The pandemic led to a slight uptick in pet adoption, so you can bet the pet supply business will surge as a result. At least 18% of consumers plan to buy more pet supplies post-pandemic, according to our survey."
On top of that, owners are spending a lot more on their pets in terms of toys and treats and other products for their four-legged friends.
Another reason this trending product may be your best bet is all the options you have for entering the market. You could dropship or affiliate market popular pet products from other sites. But if you know how to make them homemade treats and toys can be a big hit, too. Many products - like leashes and collars - would be relatively affordable to outsource, as well.
So, even if you don't have experience making some of these products, you can still take advantage of post-COVID spending by focusing on pet owners.
7. Beauty Products
These last four products are going to have one thing in common: their market. Specifically, these markets tend to be dominated by women.
This should grab your attention for two reasons.
The first is that women dominate consumer purchasing decisions, so if you have a choice, you're probably better off choosing products that will involve marketing to women.
The second reason is that young women may be the biggest spenders post-COVID:
“Similar to after the Great Recession, teen girls are leading the way as they open up their wallets after the most recent, pandemic-related recession, according to a survey of teens and twenty-somethings by Piper Sandler’s 41st biannual 'Taking Stock with Teens.'"
So, if you aren't already sold on one of the above options, one of these next four may be the obvious choice.
First up is the beauty industry, which Shopify notes is projected to "...be worth a jaw-dropping $756 billion by 2026. And although most beauty products are bought in retail, the pandemic has activated plenty of online beauty consumers. 47% of consumers bought more beauty products online in 2020, and 17% plan to buy even more post-pandemic as we venture back into the real world where fine lines and wrinkles come in HD."
So, beauty products have arguably one of the best markets you could ask for as we come out of this pandemic.
However, another reason to focus on selling these products is that they are actually incredibly easy to outsource - including the branding involved. Or, as usual, you could always go the affiliate marketing route, though you'd really need to niche down to get sufficient traffic.
8. Personal Care Products
Another category of trending products that is exploding in popularity are those for personal care. As Shopify notes: "40% of consumers bought more personal care products online during the pandemic, and 17% plan to buy more of this after the pandemic. From shampoo to razors and menstrual pads, the pandemic gave us the opportunity to skip those humdrum trips to the drugstore and head straight to online retailers."
This is obviously a huge category, but the safest bet is probably soap as "71% of those surveyed said they plan to wash their hands more even after COVID-19 is but a distant memory. Soaps and bath bombs are ripe for DIY-ers and don’t require expensive storage space."
Homemade soaps from smaller brands have been on the rise for years and it looks like that won't be changing anytime soon thanks to COVID. Do your research to find out what kinds of markets exist for these kinds of soaps and then get busy serving them.
Just like with beauty products, this is a product line where there's a lot of opportunity to outsource manufacturing, though making soap has always been a popular DIY niche.
9. Athleisure Clothing
Just like many people decided to buy home gym equipment to deal with the pandemic, it turns out that a large number bought athleisure clothing, too.
In fact, according to Shopify, "41% of consumers purchased more athleisure clothing online during the pandemic, and 19% plan on buying even more in this category as lockdowns ease."
Furthermore, women overwhelmingly purchase the majority of athleisure.
AND as we've already covered, women - especially young women - will be leading to the charge to rebuild our economy after COVID:
"Nearly 30% of upper-income female teens’ wallets are going toward clothing — a high not seen since 2013, according to the report."
With many athleisure brands like Lululemon being so expensive, you could find success by simply offering cheaper alternatives to these popular products. However, that's still going to involve a good amount of work, so it's probably best to begin as an affiliate for other brands.
This is also a market where influencers hold a lot of sway, making them a powerful marketing tactic - perhaps the most promising one - to get your Shopify store off the ground ASAP.
10. Clothing Accessories
Speaking of clothing, shoppers are getting ready to buy plenty of accessories, too.
This actually began during the pandemic. Shopify reported that, "48% of consumers bought more of these through ecommerce stores in 2020—and 19% plan to spend even more on accessories in a post-pandemic world."
And considering that smaller accessories will probably cost a lot less to manufacture than actual clothing items, this may be a better place to start if you have an eye for fashion. Once again, you'll most likely benefit from the largely female market, too, which is another big plus.
While sites like Etsy may have the top of Google locked down for many of the accessories-related keywords you'd want, don't let this intimidate you too much. Plenty of jewelry sites and others that sell accessories have managed to do quite well.
This is also another example of how you may be able to beat huge competitors for popular keywords by relying on an eCommerce sales funnel that leverage the power of blogs.
Start Selling These Trending Products on Your Shopify Store
Despite the economic devastation caused by the worldwide pandemic, the good news is that things really are returning to normal.
This includes people's shopping behaviors. So, if you're looking to expand your company's online inventory, I suggest you choose one of the above ASAP.
And if you don't already have a Shopify site, we can help. Contact us to speak with a Shopify developer who can answer any questions you have about this popular platform.