Many potential businesses die at the ideation stage. This is because some people think that they need a business idea that no one has ever implemented, or they just can’t figure out how to monetize their skills.
But that's not how it works. A business idea should be related to the current market demand, your experiences, skills or interests. It's as simple as that.
So, read on to discover the best ecommerce businesses you can start in 2024.
15 best ecommerce businesses to start in 2024
Here are the 15 best ecommerce businesses that you can consider starting in 2024:
1. Homemade treats for pet owners
Did you know that 66% of Americans own a pet? [1] Hence, this can be one of the best ecommerce businesses to consider. It works best if you also own a pet; that way, you can make these treats and experiment with your pet to know how they will be received and if they have any aftereffects.
We advise that you stick with ingredients that are commonly known to be safe for animals. Don't forget to state these ingredients clearly so that pet owners can make buying decisions based on their pets’ medical conditions.
Also, another great idea is that you might want to consider making medication-infused treats to help treat frequent pet illnesses like otitis, periodontal diseases, etc.
2. Sell an online course
The worldwide online education market is projected to be worth more than $800 billion in 2030, [2] so this is one of the best ecommerce businesses you might want to consider opening.
You don't need to have a PhD or Master's to sell online courses; just choose a niche that you're very familiar with. Research its course outline based on what your competitors are teaching and add extra lessons to stand out. Record yourself on camera and edit the videos. Next, choose a platform that allows people to sell their courses, like Udemy, Coursera, etc and start marketing your course.
Note that you don't have to make video content to sell courses; you can use text or even exclusive webinars to sell – the choice is yours. After creating and uploading your course, you can generate demand from social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.
3. Handmade scented candles
The global scented candle market size is estimated to reach $4.75 billion by 2033. [3] That is why this can be another one of the best ecommerce businesses you might want to tap into. It's alright if you don't know how to make a scented candle; you can learn that on YouTube.
When starting this ecommerce business, make sure to focus on trending scents so you can quickly make profits. With time, and if you have the means, you can expand to making candles with custom-made scents. You can also take orders to make personalized scents and candle colors.
4. Handmade toys
Parents spend an average of $366 on toys per year, so they will patronize any business that gives them a cheaper alternative to keeping their children entertained. [4]
So if you can sew, knit, crochet, carve or have any crafty skills, then you can put them to practice by hand-making trendy toys and selling them to your customers. You can also offer a customization service and charge premium prices to add extra designs like nursery rhymes, children's role models, best friend's names, etc.
This ecommerce business will not take too long to make profits because you can start selling them to your friends who have children, god-children, etc.
5. Subscription boxes
In 2023, consumers spent $38.2 billion on ecommerce subscriptions. [5] This doesn't have to be software-related; you can create a subscription box for products that consumers use daily, weekly, or monthly. This can be food, beverages, groceries, personal care/skin care products, household products, clothes, books, etc.
Moreover, you don't have to manufacture the products in your subscription box; you can liaise with four to five different brands that sell a particular product to give your customers buying options. Then, you can purchase these products in large quantities, package them according to your buyers' needs, and deliver them at the intervals they prefer.
6. Sell reusable baby diapers
Parents spend over $900 on diapers in a year, sometimes using six to 12 diapers in a day during the early months. [6] This sometimes puts a financial strain on the parents, and they start changing their baby's diapers less often, which then leads to diaper rashes.
You can consider creating an ecommerce business that sells reusable baby diapers made from clothing materials. Note that you may need sewing and knitting skills to design your reusable diapers and make them unique.
7. Flip children's toys
Remember that an average American parent spends over $300 a year on toys; well, another profitable ecommerce business idea that can help them spend less on toys is flipping children's toys.
You can start this ecommerce business by reaching out to family and friends who have grown children, attending yard sales or buying through Facebook's marketplace. Then, you can put in your DIY skills to bring the toys back to life; this can be stuffing and sewing, crocheting, painting, etc. This is a good ecommerce business because it doesn't need advanced skills to start.
8. Sell crochet fashion items
The crochet fashion market was worth $1.68 billion in 2023 and is said to have an upward trend. [7] This is because most crochet dresses are not mass-produced, so people love that they can be the only person in a region, country, or even the whole world to wear a particular fashion piece.
So, if you have crocheting skills, this is one of the best ecommerce businesses you might want to consider. Pick your yarn needle and create fashion pieces like hats, skirts, shirts, sweaters, dresses, beach wear, socks, etc. You can get inspiration from trending clothing styles and charge premium fees for customized items.
9. Retail fashion products
You can capitalize on this ecommerce business idea by buying trending fashion pieces and opening an ecommerce store where you can resell them. If you are interested in some stats, know that, according to Shopify, this year, US consumers are projected to spend $204.9 billion on fashion apparel.
The only difficult part of this job is finding fashion pieces that are trending and having access to them before the trend passes. This is because if you don't sell them off before the trend is over, then you might see slow sales or no sales at all, leaving you with losses.
10. Sell books
You can decide to write your books and self-publish them on platforms like Kindle, LuLu, and Wattpad, or you can sell other people's books through dropshipping or affiliate marketing. This is a good idea, as 54% of Americans read at least one book in 2023. [8]
If you choose to drop ship a book, you can list it on your ecommerce store and add some extra money as a profit. When a customer buys, you can place an order with the publisher or the author, who will send the book to the customer.
If you choose to be an affiliate, then you have to build an ecommerce website on an ecommerce platform, then you can list the books you want to sell at the original price for which it is sold. When you sell a book, the author or publishers will pay you a commission for bringing a buyer.
11. Sell photos or arts
If you're an artist or a photographer, one of the best ecommerce businesses you should consider is selling your artwork and photos. You can offer premium prices for buyers who want custom artwork and collaborate with print-on-demand services to print your artwork on mugs, clothes, and other items.
You can list your photos and artwork on sites that pay you when your work is licensed or downloaded. Some of those sites are IStock, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Stocksy, etc.
12. Specialty food ordering service.
If you are a cook or food lover but don't want to open a restaurant, one of the best ecommerce businesses you can open is a store that offers specialty food ordering. Here, you can curate a food basket that contains dishes, snacks and desserts from different nationalities and sell them to your customers.
This is a good business idea because most restaurants sell almost the same thing, so buyers will be attracted to your business to try out new dishes. To get these special dishes, you can collaborate with local suppliers or restaurants that sell unique dishes, then package these foods and sell them to your customers. You can also offer premium services to people who want to make their special food packages.
13. Fashion Reselling
If you have an eye for fashion, then this ecommerce business idea might interest you. Very often, people donate their clothes to thrift shops, and sometimes these clothes are not as bad as people think they are.
If you have a good eye for clothes, you can consider browsing through thrift shops to find high-end brands and good-quality clothes that can be worn again. Then, you can carry out some DIY revamping like stitching, dying, knitting, etc., after which you can sell them at your ecommerce store.
When buying these fashion items, remember to buy in-demand sizes so that you won't have difficulty reselling them. To showcase the clothes in your ecommerce store, look for a model or wear them yourself and take pictures from all angles. Don't forget to style them with other fashion apparel to attract more buyers.
14. Sell Plants Online
This is another ecommerce business idea that doesn't need any special skills – plus, it has a wide audience demographic, from housewives who want to decorate their homes to environment-conscious people.
You can start small by growing the plants in your yard and selling them on order. Or you can collaborate with local greenhouses and nurseries where you can either drop ship or buy in bulk and resell.
15. Natural or organic self-care products
Due to the high rate of skin diseases, a lot of people have turned to purchasing natural or organic products to keep them healthy. You can tap into this market by producing natural cosmetic products.
Launching an ecommerce store around this idea is not as difficult as it may seem; you can use easy-to-access ingredients like aloe vera, strawberries, honey, olive oil, turmeric etc. The only catch is that you'll need to take a course to know which ingredients work well together and those that don't.
Don't forget to check if there are any state or regional regulations that are guiding the production of skin care products in your vicinity. After that, you can now choose a logo, brand colors and launch your ecommerce store.
Get started With Shopware
Shopware is an ecommerce platform that offers advanced customization, flexibility and third-party integrations to help you start and scale a successful online business.
It offers a no-code feature called Flow Builder that allows you to design business automation processes to make it easy to run your ecommerce online store. This feature allows you to define tasks and trigger their execution according to predefined business events.
Also, you can integrate other Shopware with third-party online platforms via API integration to carry out business activities such as inventory management, event scheduling, etc.
Furthermore, Shopware offers a digital sales room feature to help you increase your sales conversions. This functionality creates an interactive sales area where you can engage with customers, address product inquiries, offer guidance, and make recommendations. It gives a human connection to your sales process and helps you increase your conversion rates.
In addition to this, Shopware offers three pricing plans to cater to different needs. Whether you opt for the Rise, Evolve, or Beyond plan, you can gain access to flexible features that you can customize to enhance buyers’ journey at every stage.
Interested? Contact us today to see how we can help you launch your ecommerce business.
Conclusion
As you can see, these best ecommerce business ideas are centered around trends, personal skills and experiences and personal interests. Note that choosing the most brilliant business idea is no guarantee that your ecommerce business will scale and withstand the test of time. You have to lay a good foundation by launching your digital products and ecommerce business on a good ecommerce platform like Shopware.
Contact us to discover how we can help you start, manage and scale your new ecommerce business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to start ecommerce in 2024?
To start an ecommerce business in 2024, begin by choosing a niche market or product category based on market research, trends, your skills or your interests. Next, select a reliable ecommerce platform like Shopware. Finally, focus on branding, product sourcing, online learning and marketing strategies to attract customers and get targeted traffic to drive sales.
Is ecommerce still profitable in 2024?
Yes, ecommerce is still profitable in 2024 and will remain so for some years to come. This is because, as of 2022, global online sales reached $5.7 trillion and are expected to exceed $8.2 trillion by 2026.
Which type of ecommerce is most profitable?
The profitability of an ecommerce business depends on the market demand, niche, and business model. Generally, businesses that offer high-demand products or services with a strong value proposition tend to be most profitable. Also, business models like the dropshipping business and subscription-based services are known to be very profitable due to their low overhead costs and recurring revenue streams.
