Is selling online an art or a science? Many entrepreneurs who have successfully scaled an e-commerce business might tell you: it’s a bit of both.

 

There’s the careful analytics: A/B testing, patiently building your data-driven sales funnel, tracking behaviour and fine-tuning your marketing strategy.

 

Then there’s the gut instinct. Getting a feel for what online audiences respond to.  Anticipating trends. More importantly, successfully appreciating which trends are likely to develop into sustainable niches. Understanding when to focus on a particular niche, and when to diversify. 

 

In other words, finding the right product line is ultimately a challenge for you to manage with your all-around marketing genius. But we all have to start somewhere. To get your imagination fired up, here’s a shortlist of some of the hottest, trendiest – and most profitable – niches for online retailers currently.

 

Pet products 

 

Not everyone has a pet. But people who own pets are really into their pets. They want only the best for their beloved pups and kitties. And they want to make sure their pets always look super trendy on social media. 

 

Based on recent global sales data, top-selling pet products to consider selling include:

 

–       Everything dental, including toys, treats and toiletries.

–       Novelty pet beds -don’t limit yourself though. Novelty hamster cages are a hot commodity too!

–       Multifunction biting toys that help doggos relieve boredom and destructive behaviour through healthy games

–   Cat litter mats – win-win for both pet and human

–       Personalised collars and dog harnesses

–       Pet food – perhaps a mundane one but the data speaks! Pet food is one of 2022’s most lucrative e-commerce niches! 

 

This means you have a very engaged, very active consumer audience. The flipside is that it’s a very competitive market. You are going to have to work to stand out from the crowd. 

 

There’s something in the air

 

In the last couple of years, every kitchen counter seems to boast a shiny new accessory. The air fryer is, depending on who you ask, the greatest new cooking technology or a waste of valuable counter space.

 

Either way, no one can deny they’ve been a hot item. Out of the 1000 most reviewed products from all categories on Takealot, 9 air fryers make the list. That’s more than just a bit of hot air! Below are Takealot’s top-rated air fryer brands (and their star rating) to get your ideas cooking:

 

– Milex – Power Airfryer XXXL                                                                         4.7

– Milex – Power Airfryer 3.6l                                                                           4.7

– Philips – XXL Twin Turbostar Airfryer – Black                                          4.8

– Philips – Avance Collection Airfryer XL – Black                                      4.6

 

But now something else is in the air. With our newfound consciousness of the value of good ventilation and hygiene, more ordinary consumers are investing in air purifiers. 

 

A quality HEPA filter isn’t just for medical settings anymore. Increasingly, consumers are looking to install quality purifiers in schools, offices and even homes. A quality HEPA filter isn’t just for medical settings anymore. Increasingly, consumers are looking to install quality purifiers in schools, offices and even homes. To give your customers the breath of fresh air they’ve been looking for, consider stocking some of the 

top-rated air purifiers on the market:

 

– OCO Life Ultrasonic Diffuser, Humidifier & Purifier 120ml                      4.6

– GMC – Air Purifier – White – GMC280AP                                                  4.7

– BLISS PB78 Air Purifier                                                                                    4.4

– OCO Life Air Purifier, True HEPA Filter Kills 99.97% Airborne 

 

A case for consistency

 

Good product lines aren’t always the most glamorous. You need to think about the practicality of sourcing and supplying them.

 

Phone cases are a good example. There’s a constant demand. They’re easy to source. And unlike electronics or consumable food items, you don’t need to deal with complex paperwork. 

 

There are plenty of other product lines that generate a similarly consistent demand, despite their relative niche appeal. In fact, a brief examination of recent sales trends may surprise you. 

 

It turns out lots of people were searching for “belt buckles” over the past year. And by lots, we mean … well, the terms get over 90 000 searches per month. 

 

Belt buckles may not be the most glamorous fashion item, but the data clearly shows just how strong consumer demand is.

 

Of course, as a savvy seller, you might want to drill down on your niche. Again, the data is encouraging: “belt buckles for men” features in over 27 000 searches each month.

 

Zooming out, have look at the below high-demand trending products you may be interested in:

 

– Belt buckles – Global order growth (YOY):                                             1,902%

– False eyelash accessories – Global order growth (YOY):                   1,823%

– Household cleaning supplies – Global order growth (YOY):              1,721%

– Play vehicle accessories – Global order growth (YOY):                       1,418%

 

That said, the universal demand also raises a marketing problem. Why should customers buy their phone cases or belt buckles from you and not any one of a number of other suppliers? 

 

We’ll leave that as a challenge for your marketing team.

 

Find the right fit

 

Fitness trackers used to be a highly specialised bit of kit for serious athletes. These days, they’re a must-have fashion accessory for that casual jog around the block. 

 

While top-end, big-name fitness trackers are still rather pricey, savvy marketers have been known to find well-priced items that offer comparable functionality. 

 

It’s a potentially great niche. But you need to pay careful attention to quality control. Selling subpar electronics – that break down or don’t do what they say they will do – is a fast track to ruining your brand’s reputation. 

 

Let’s put those principles into practice. We want a popular niche that offers reliable quality. We can start by looking at consumer reviews of the most sought-after products. For instance, out of the 2500 most reviewed products on Takealot, 38 fitness trackers make the list. The Apple Watch Series is the top-rated tracker with a near-perfect score of 4.9 stars. Consider the below big-name fitness trackers and their consumer-given star ratings to gauge where you may want to start:

 

– Apple Watch                                                            4.9                    330 Reviews

– Huawei                                                                      4.8                    154 Reviews

– Garmin                                                                      4.6                    1540 Reviews

– Samsung                                                                  4.6                    529 Reviews

 

These figures offer a number of insights. First, we can take the number of reviews as a rough indicator of popularity. Like many of the reviews are verified purchases, they also provide a fairly reliable guide to product quality. 

 

Of course, that’s not the whole story. You also have to consider margins on a product by product basis. But that’s part of the fun: working out the ideal balance that drives sales, produces healthy profits and sustains your brand reputation. 

 

 Don’t get tangled up 

 

Yoga can be a deeply meaningful practise – and, increasingly, a serious business. It’s growing all the time and its adherents are serious about investing in quality products that will help them develop their technique.

 

Have a look at the top-trending yoga products in South Africa below, according to Woman’s Health Magazine:

 

– Non-slip yoga block 

– Non-slip yoga mat 

– Sticky towel for non-slip practise  

– Sports apparel, including yoga pants and stretchy sports bras

 

In many ways, it’s everything a good sales niche should be. Small enough to target effectively, but with a growing pool of eager, often affluent, consumers. 

 

And yoga purists value quality. And they’re prepared to invest in a high-end product if it promises to be good quality and provide long-term value.

 

But take note. Aspiring yogis tend to be highly knowledgeable and discerning.  So, if you’re not already a yoga aficionado, you’ll want to do plenty of research, and speak to real yoga fans, to get your messaging right.

 

If at first, you don’t succeed…

 

And of course, scaling up a successful e-commerce business is always going to depend on experience. Trial and error. Testing and adjusting until you get it just right. 

 

But that doesn’t mean you have to figure it all out yourself. Entrepreneurs thrive in a community. It’s always great to learn from other like-minded business operators. And it can pay to get advice from industry specialists. 

 

Of course, you want to experiment and get your product line and marketing strategy just right. But if you can avoid making costly mistakes in the first place, that’s a great help when scaling up.

 

After all, this is an industry where, more than most, margins matter. And all those little things you didn’t know can end up eating into those margins. 

 

Like the logistics of actually getting your goods into the country. Will you pay more if you change product lines? What are the penalties if your goods get delayed because you didn’t include the right paperwork? Do you know what customs duties apply? And do you have a cost-effective, transparent delivery service in the first place? 

 

Here’s the good news. You don’t have to guess. Airpool’s consolidated imported service is the smarter way to get your goods from China to South Africa.

 

It’s transparent, cost-effective, reliable and managed by industry pros. And that means with Airpool you really can afford to focus on your core business. Airpool will manage the rest.