Is online business a good idea?
In 2024, starting or growing an online business can be a great idea. In 2023, independent sellers in Amazon’s US store sold more than 4.5 billion items—an average of selling 8,600 items every minute—and averaged more than $250,000 in annual sales. More than 10,000 independent sellers surpassed $1 million in sales in Amazon’s store in 2023 for the first time.
Starting a business online can be thrilling and pay off in more ways than one. Perks can include the ability to be your own boss, work from anywhere you like, and manage your own schedule. You can also benefit from ecommerce tools and resources to help reach customers around the world.
This guide to online business ideas covers:
This guide to online business ideas covers:
- 19 online businesses you can start from home
- 21 things you can sell online
- How to start a business online: 5 selling strategies to help you get started
What kind of online business is most profitable?
According to Amazon’s 2023 Small Business Empowerment Report, the five most-shopped categories for US independent sellers in the Amazon store were:
- Health & Personal Care
- Beauty
- Home
- Grocery
- Apparel
Best-selling products from independent sellers for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2023 ranged from moisturizer and teeth whitening strips to bedroom pillows, personal safety alarms, pizza, and crochet kits.
Consider this a small sampler of online business examples. To explore profitable niches and see what types of online businesses are in demand now, check out Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer. This tool gives registered Amazon sellers access to data and insights so they can zero in on products that they may be able to sell for a profit.
Consider this a small sampler of online business examples. To explore profitable niches and see what types of online businesses are in demand now, check out Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer. This tool gives registered Amazon sellers access to data and insights so they can zero in on products that they may be able to sell for a profit.
19 online businesses you can start and operate from home
People often find success in ecommerce by following their passions, honing their skills, and turning their greatest strengths into revenue streams. If you want the option to work from home, you could freelance, obtain a certification in your field of interest, or get started another way.
Here are some ideas to inspire you:
Here are some ideas to inspire you:
1. Teacher, tutor, or coach
2. Therapist
3. Virtual assistant
4. Social media specialist
5. Graphic designer
6. Writer, editor, or proofreader
7. Website creator
8. App developer
9. IT or cyber security consultant
10. Search engine optimization (SEO) expert
11. Marketing or PR professional
12. Accountant or bookkeeper
13. Translator or transcription service provider
14. Filmmaker or video producer
15. Podcast host
16. Musician
17. Author
18. Fitness trainer
19. Ecommerce personal shopper
There are many more options out there—for example, you can establish yourself as an influencer on social media, or if you love playing videogames, you can even get paid to livestream your campaigns.
“I’m a non-profit but also a social business, so if you have a way that you can do something you love while helping others, it’s a win-win situation.”
Suzy Benson Gillies
Founder, African Promise Foundation
21 things you can sell online
1. Clothes
2. Books
3. Electronics
4. Art
5. Jewelry
6. Fitness equipment
7. Kitchen goods
8. Tools and home improvement supplies
9. Beauty and personal care products
10. Outdoor recreation equipment
11. Pet supplies
12. Adventure and travel gear
13. Sporting goods
14. Office supplies s
15. Cleaning product
16. Food and beverages
17. Screen-printed merch
18. Gifts and collectibles
19. Baby and children’s products
20. Health and wellness aids
21. Home goods
1. Clothes
If you have a passion for fashion, a lucrative niche awaits. Clothing and apparel are among the best-selling categories in ecommerce. You can zero in on a specialty like accessories, or even start your own clothing line.
2. Books
Even with all the other forms of entertainment available today, books continue to be a customer favorite. If you want to sell books online, you might want to focus on a particular niche, like textbooks.
“We bought all these books and put them all online. It was much more successful than we had been anticipating, so we kept buying more books.”
Francesca DeMeo
Co-Founder, Cambridge Select
Pro Tip
Write and sell your own book
If you have creative writing skills, you can launch your career as an author and reach readers directly with paperbacks, ebooks, and audiobooks.
After receiving a discouraging amount of rejection letters, Scott Nicholson decided to self-publish. The sales he made through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) soon allowed him to quit his journalism job and focus on his passion projects.
“I think Amazon is amazing,” Scott says. “Not just for what they’ve given us writers, but it’s just refreshing, after feeling like I was being ground through the system, to then see Amazon’s creativity.”
After receiving a discouraging amount of rejection letters, Scott Nicholson decided to self-publish. The sales he made through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) soon allowed him to quit his journalism job and focus on his passion projects.
“I think Amazon is amazing,” Scott says. “Not just for what they’ve given us writers, but it’s just refreshing, after feeling like I was being ground through the system, to then see Amazon’s creativity.”
3. Electronics
Make people’s lives easier with electronic gadgets and practical solutions. Cozyphones made a profit with the idea to sell headphones with super-comfortable headbands for kids and adults.
4. Art
In the world of online buying and selling, art is an estimated $10.8 billion market. Whether you’re an artist or a curator, you can sell art online to help customers connect with creations that speak to them.
5. Jewelry
Jewelry is an attractive industry estimated to be worth more than $266 billion by 2027. If you want to sell jewelry online, you can choose between fine jewelry, costume jewelry, and other subcategories like bridal jewelry or precious gems.
6. Fitness equipment
Exercise enthusiasts, personal trainers, and businesses like gyms and apartment complexes could be your customers if you sell fitness equipment. Meet the demand by shipping products from yoga mats to barbells.
7. Kitchen goods
Make cooking or entertaining a more delightful experience with utensils and appliances, from coffee and espresso machines to glassware.
8. Tools and home improvement supplies
The home improvement sector is among many ecommerce categories that have enjoyed strong growth in recent years. Air filters, LED lights, and video doorbells are among the best-selling products in this popular category in the Amazon store.
9. Beauty and personal care products
If you offer hair accessories, makeup, fragrances, or nail and skin care, your customers could span from businesses like salons to individuals who want to treat themselves to a spa-level experience in the comfort of their own homes.
Pro Tip
Sell handcrafted and artisanal products
Your intended audience might include customers who have an appreciation for the skill that goes into creating beautiful works of art from raw materials.
Amazon Handmade is an online community for makers who create genuine handcrafted goods and want to offer them to customers around the globe. Categories include beauty, clothing, jewelry, and more.
Amazon Handmade is an online community for makers who create genuine handcrafted goods and want to offer them to customers around the globe. Categories include beauty, clothing, jewelry, and more.
10. Outdoor recreation equipment
With the right products for activities in the mountains, on the beach, or in the backyard, you can help people enjoy the outdoors while increasing safety and comfort. Consider specializing in an area like camping gear, picnic games, or patio furniture.
11. Pet supplies
People love their pets, and an upside of selling pet supplies is the option to offer a subscription model for customers who like to place regular orders for food, toys, and other types of treats that their furry friends enjoy. This allows people to save on repeat orders and can result in more revenue over time for your business.
12. Adventure and travel gear
Hiking. Camping. Rock climbing. Name an activity related to adventure and travel and you can probably make a list of gear to go along with it. For example, you could cater to vacationers in search of swimsuits and goggles, or snowboarders in need of sunglasses with UV protection lenses.
13. Sporting goods
The right shoes and athletic equipment can make our favorite sports safer and more fun while improving performance. That goes for individual and group sports as varied as running and soccer, along with water sports, winter sports, and other categories.
14. Office supplies
Business customers, households, and students all need to keep their offices and desks stocked with envelopes, pens, and more. If you sell office furniture, you might be able to turn a profit with products like swivel chairs, presentation boards, and specialty office lighting. This niche also offers opportunities for reaching business customers who are seeking wholesale discounts.
15. Cleaning products
Trends within cleaning product sales are often related to solving common home and household challenges. For example, a drive toward greater sustainability presents an enticing pathway for entrepreneurs who want to improve the environment with eco-friendly formulas.
16. Food and beverages
Sellers are making it possible for customers to get groceries, healthy food, and drinks online. Meal kits, meat substitutes, and frozen foods are examples of lucrative ecommerce niches.
Pro Tip
Offer specialty foods and world flavors
The pandemic was hard on Thanh’s pho restaurant. Building on the work of four generations of pho makers, she tapped into ecommerce with Amazon Global Selling.
“COVID-19 forced me to close my restaurant. But Amazon Global Selling opened my business to a much bigger world of customers, sending my special recipes all over the globe.”
Thanh Nguyen
Hai Thien
“COVID-19 forced me to close my restaurant. But Amazon Global Selling opened my business to a much bigger world of customers, sending my special recipes all over the globe.”
Thanh Nguyen
Hai Thien
17. Screen-printed merch
Screen printing technology can allow you to produce unique designs at scale or in small batches. You can use screen printing to customize fabric, leather, metal, paper, and more materials. Think along the lines of merch on demand like T-shirts, mugs, and posters that will appeal to fans, businesses, and other categories of customers.
18. Gifts and collectibles
Bring back a special memory or help create a new one by selling unique gifts. You could also go in the collectibles direction with signed sporting goods, autographed books, and other types of memorabilia, which can have high profit margins.
19. Baby and children’s products
Meet the needs of growing little ones with clothes, toys, and school supplies for every age and stage. You can also help parents and caregivers by offering options for diapers, car seats, and other essentials like strollers.
20. Health and wellness aids
Do you have an idea that could improve the wellbeing of customers? Look into developing nutritional supplements, medical devices, or aromatherapeutic products like bath salts and incense.
21. Home goods
Perennial bestsellers in the household section include batteries, bath towels, and products that customers like to receive at regular intervals, like soap and toilet paper. Other trends within this niche, like holiday decorations, can be seasonal.
How to start a business online: 5 selling strategies to help you get started
Reselling
Reselling is a technique where you acquire products and then sell them for a profit. This approach can be successful when you obtain quality products in good condition that are also in demand. Learn more in our guide to reselling.
Dropshipping
Some ecommerce sellers use dropshipping as a way to sell without the need to store or manage inventory. These online businesses work with reputable dropshippers who are responsible for handling inventory, shipping orders, and other tasks. Learn more about dropshipping
Print-on-demand
Print-on-demand is an ecommerce business model where you work with a supplier who can create and distribute products in response to customer orders. For example, you can use print-on-demand to sell books without taking the risk of printing large batches of paperbacks in advance of orders. Instead, you can work with a supplier like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) that prints and ships individual copies each time a customer places an order.
Wholesale supply
If you’re confident you’ll move large quantities of inventory, it might make sense to work with a wholesaler. Wholesale suppliers can help you manufacture or procure bulk quantities of a product at a discount. This has the potential to cut costs for your business and allow you to offer lower price points to appeal to customers, leading to more sales and ultimately boosting your bottom line. Learn more about working with wholesalers and suppliers.
Build your own brand
It can take dedication and resources to build a brand, but your efforts can pay off in terms of customer loyalty. Developing unique products, investing in your logo and packaging, and driving awareness of your business can be key steps in the process of creating your own brand.
What can you sell online?
To determine what online business ideas are best for you, consider your skills and interests, then figure out how much you might need to invest in your idea to get it off the ground, grow, and scale.
Also think about:
Also think about:
- What certifications or other requirements will you need?
- How quickly can you get up and running?
- How soon can you be profitable?
You might decide to sell a specific product, diversify with a range of different products, or invent your own niche product. Whichever route you choose, be sure to do research to learn about demand and spot trends. Get more tips in our guide to starting an ecommerce business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best business ideas for beginners?
The best business ideas for beginners tend to require minimal investment, like online businesses you can start from home. To set yourself up for success, play to your strengths and lean into any skills or certifications you already have. Then develop a business plan for how you’ll provide products or services to customers and market your business to reach a wider audience and scale.
What type of online business can I start?
You can start many different types of online businesses depending on whether you want to offer products, services, or a combination of both. Consider whether your customers will be other businesses (business to business selling, also called “B2B”) or end customers (business to customer, or “B2C”). Then zero in on the types of products or services you’ll offer.
What can I sell online?
You can sell virtually anything online, provided you can follow the laws and regulations of the countries or regions where you want to sell, as well as any applicable rules or policies if you work with a selling option like Amazon. Explore all the different product categories you can choose from when you sell in the Amazon store.