Are you planning to start an ecommerce business or an online store for selling products to the consumers then in this post you will find profitable ecommerce business ideas in 2019 and unique ecommerce ideas to make money.
Starting an ecommerce business or an online store is more than just creating an ecommerce website or an online store using free opensource shopping carts software such as woocommerce, magento, prestashop, zencart, osCommerce, opencart or any other.
The challenge is to figure out the profitable ecommerce business ideas that are scalable and products that are in demand. After you have figured out the ecommerce
What is ecommerce and how does ecommerce business work?
Electronic commerce or ecommerce refers to the buying and selling of goods, services, and digital products, transfer of funds or data over the internet. Although, we will be specifically talking about ecommerce websites and online stores for selling products in this post that are profitable.
The transactions are usually business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), consumer-to-consumer (C2C) or consumer-to-business (C2B).
One of the most important aspect of ecommerce is the online and digital payments. PCI DSS or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a standard that all organizations, including online retailers, must follow when storing, processing and transmitting their customer’s credit card data.
The terms e-commerce and e-business are used interchangeably, while the term e-tail is used sometimes in reference to transactional processes around online retail.
E-commerce is conducted through the use of a variety of applications such as websites, shopping carts and online stores, mobile applications and digital wallets. File transfer protocol, electronic data interchange, and web services. E-commerce is beneficial due to its availability round-the-clock, speed of access, international reach, accessibility, and wide selection of goods and services.
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the primary agency that regulates ecommerce activities.
The downsides of ecommerce are are limited customer service, you can view the product but cannot touch prior to purchase, and waiting for the product to arrive at your door step.
Why you should Start an eCommerce Business?
E-commerce is getting more and more popular especially now because mobile devices are becoming common and triggering digital transactions. Over 1 billion internet users have purchased products online.
This figure will continue to rise as mobile and internet use expand globally. This changing market represents a vast opportunity for businesses to improve their relevance and expand their market in the online world.
Running an e-commerce business means you are most likely to work from home, while it is necessary to get an office facility, it isn’t compulsory. If you have few innovative ecommerce ideas then you should start as soon as possible to capture the maximum market share.
You however, would need to get a domain name and rent hosting for most of these businesses.
Ecommerce market size and industry trends
According to Statista, “In 2018, online sales of physical goods amounted to 504.6 billion US dollars and are projected to surpass 735 billion US dollars in 2023. Apparel and accessories retail e-commerce in the U.S. is projected to generate over 138.7 billion U.S. dollars in revenue by 2022. The United States rank behind several countries in terms of e-commerce sales as percentage of total retail sales- in 2016, almost a fifth of China’s retail sales occurred via the internet, compared to only 8.1 percent in the United States.”
E-commerce needs regular technological maintenance to ensure the smooth functioning of online stores, ecommerce websites, digital transactions, payments, as well as everything that has to do with the provision, shipping and delivery of products.
There are several types of e-commerce, and the most prevalent being business to business, and consumer to consumer.
- 40% of internet users worldwide have bought products or goods online via web applications, tablet, mobile devices, or mobile devices.
This amounts to more than 1 billion online buyers, an amount that is projected to grow continuously.
Various e-commerce platforms hold sway depending on the type of e-commerce market. For example, while Amazon is one of the leading e-commerce platforms within the business to consumer market, e-bay is more popular within the customer to customer e-commerce.
Innovative ecommerce ideas and businesses should start on their own ecommerce website to avoid competition from larger players as larger players tend to replicate the idea in no time and make it harder for you to compete.
Another exciting trend in the e-commerce industry is the mobile commerce, and this is due to the popularity and widespread use of smart phones and the growing usage of tablets and iPads.
- In 2013, the revenue from mobile commerce in the United States amounted to more than $38 billion.
This type of e-commerce includes mobile media and content, retail services, travel purchases and various other services.
Digital payments are also closely connected to e-commerce. Alternative payment methods such as digital wallets or online payment providers have seen increased adoption rates as well as a rapid growth in the past few years.
PayPal which is owned by E-bay generates more than $14 billion on mobile payment volume alone. Digital payments are not only used by mobile shoppers but also by those who love to stream music, online videos subscriptions and apps.
- Global mobile app revenue for instance, is projected to surpass $30 billion.
The vast base of high speed internet users encourages businesses to innovate in order to offer an ever-evolving array of online services.
Sectors that are rapidly growing online include the sale of entertainment products, event tickets, travel, and apparel and consumer electronics. Even groceries are also in the fast lane, as online grocery sales are growing in the United States, which is mostly due to an ever growing list of same-day delivery options.
With regards to the average spending per e-shoppers, North Americans are clearly in the lead.
- The consumers in North America spent an average of $2,674 online in 2014, as compared to $2,888 in America, $2,070 in Europe, and $1,472 in Asia-Pacific.
- In 2014, the online turnover of e-commerce in the United States grew by 11.7% and reached $482.7 billion, with China leading by 63.8% and having a turnover of $538.1 billion.
So, if you are looking to start an e-commerce business, then you may want to consider some of these business ideas that are being listed below.
The businesses listed are in no way exhaustive, neither do they provide all the needed information, an entrepreneur would need to still carry out an in-depth research if they intend to go into any of these businesses.
If you have ecommerce business ideas then how to start an ecommerce business?
So, finally you have few ecommerce business ideas and a business plan but you are not sure how to start an ecommerce business? Perhaps you already have an online store and want to expand your product range?
Well, in this post you will find everything to help you start an ecommerce business, grow or expand an existing ecommerce business exploring new opportuinities.
With the technological advancements and latest web technologies everybody has the possibility to start an online store or create an ecommerce website, but building a profitable ecommerce business is not that simple especially if you are planning to sell common products.
So what you need to build a profitable ecommerce business in 2019?
For starting an ecommerce website and to grow it successfully overtime you need four basic things:
- Clean and Simple ecommerce website
- Valuable products to offer
- Exceptional marketing skills
- Exceptional customer service
For offering products you can choose from:
- Niche products
Generally, people love to buy products online that are unique, handcrafted and beautiful. You should try to offer products that are unique and hard to find anywhere else on the web or market such as handicrafts, chocolates, accessories etc. or if you have an idea about a new product that people would love to buy then go for it.
- Popular products
You can also start selling products that common and popular among people such as apparels, clothes, toys, food, electronics and hardware etc. The only downside is that selling popular products is highly competitive and reduces margins.
But if you think you can offer greater value to the customers by selling popular products like other big ecommerce companies then you should try it.
Ecommerce business or Selling online can be extremely profitable, but before you getting started it is important to equip yourself with the right information and tools.
Most Profitable ecommerce Business Ideas 2019
There are several unique ecommerce ideas to make money some of which we have listed below:
Handicraft items and handmade products
Handmade products are always in demand and people love handicraft decorative items, so why not sell online? Do you make handmade jewelry or accessories? Why don’t you expand your business online and sell products online? It’s a great opportunity to make your business bigger. When it comes to selling online, handicraft items come on top of the list and among the most unique ecommerce ideas to make money in 2019.
Photographs and paintings
Selling photographs online is a huge business . Getty images offers around 20 million photos, vectors and illustrations for sale proving that photographs are one of the top digital products to sell. Photographs will always be in demand and therefore it is another unique ecommerce ideas to make money .
Books and e-books
Do you write books? Or do you have thousands of books at home? Well, as you well know, not every book you’ve read is one you should treasure forever. When you’ve come to this point, you will want to clean out your collection and sell them off. Selling ebooks online is among the most profitable ecommerce business ideas these days.
Cookies, cakes
Do you have a passion for cooking or baking? It’s not just a hobby but your passion? You don’t have to be a famous Michelin star chef to have your shop with cute cupcakes or stunning birthday cakes. Do you have a great pizzeria and are thinking about selling pizza online with delivery? Let’s let grow your business with an e-commerce site.
Clothes, shoes, toys, accessories
Your kids are grown and have some clothes that they only wore once? Or, do they have toys that they don’t play with anymore or a cute bike that is too small? You can make someone else‘s day with your unused stuff. Old or new, it doesn’t really matter. Both have high demand and if you build your store correctly, your customers will easily find the products they need.
Tutorial Videos and courses
Teaching talent can also be a good idea for an online store. How? With online videos and courses. You can create videos and make money from your skill by selling your online courses. Just check Udemy, they buy and sell courses and are extremely successful. It can be a great example of how you can start your business.
Fashion and Jewelry Products
Fashion accessories and contemporary Jewelry items never go out of trend and people keep buying them and guess what, if you have handcrafted jewelry then there’s no match and no one can stop you from getting successful. 2019 is going to witness a lot of new online stores dedicated to niche market products.
Gifts items, souvenirs
Do you have a great idea that will make everybody happy? Use it on your online store and help others surprise their loved ones. The only limit is your imagination.
Home automation, Smart Home Products and Accessories
Demand for home automation, remote home surveillance, smart home products such as Alexa and Google mini is growing. People want to safeguard their homes and want to ease up their lives by automating common tasks. Despite the fact that at least 40 percent millennials in US have bought a smart home products in 2018, not many ecommerce websites are selling them. So, it’s a great opportunity to start selling these products online.
Second-hand stuff
Do you have a couple of things at home that you don’t really need? Sell it! There are several websites that you can sell your old stuff on. But, if you have a lot, why not create a whole new e-commerce site for that?
Selling Subscription Boxes
Have you heard about monthly subscription boxes that deliver sneakers, shoes or grooming kits on a monthly basis at your doorstep. For example, check Sneakertub, it delivers shoes at your doorstep on a monthly basis in a box. Subscription boxes are fast becoming popular and it’s a highly profitable ecommerce business idea.
Dash Cam Business
According to an estimate, by 2020 the dash cam industry will probably grow up to $4.03 billion globally. Launching a Dash cam business can be a highly profitable business idea and it will continue to prosper because these dash cams are practical and come with a viral element. In 2014, dash cam sales increased by 918% in the UK alone.
Handmade Gourmet Chocolates
Chocolate market in USA is huge and by 2020, the market is expected to reach US $30 billion. Starting an online chocolate store can be highly profitable ecommerce business idea. For example, our customer “cocoartchocolate.com” makes gourmet chocolate truffles and setup an online store for just $29/mth.
Baby Rompers, Dungarees and body suits
Baby rompers, body suits and dungarees are cute and everybody loves them which is why they sell like hot cakes both online and in-store. If you already have an online store or an ecommerce website that covers the infant and baby clothing niche then you must add baby rompers within your trending product category.
It’s not just clothes for infants or babies, you can also plush toys, baby grooming kits and maternity products to your ecommerce website or online store.
Enamel Pins business
If you can find a lapel pin manufacturer, setting up an enamel pin business online can be rewarding in 2019. Custom made enamel pins are fast becoming popular among people, and you can go in either a particular design offering or serve the customers as they come to your store.
Sell Smart Watches online
Almost everyone out there uses a smart watch and they are fast becoming popular among millennials.
In 2018, the smart watch sales figures hit the 141 million units mark globally. The smartwatch industry almost grew up to an astonishing $19 billion in sales internationally.
Therefore, starting an ecommerce website for selling smart watches can be a profitable ecommerce business idea.
Bottom Line
Starting a profitable ecommerce business in 2019 won’t take long if you follow the tips mentioned in this post. Also, you should do your research before planning to sell products online.
Before you start with the ecommerce website you must consider few things:
- The feasibility of the product that you want to sell online?
- Is there a demand for the product that you want to sell online?
- How convenient are the Payment methods and shipping options that you can offer to the online customers?
If you have a plan and products in place, all you need to do is contact ADVANTON and we’ll setup an ecommmerce website in the CLOUD for just $29/mth and you can start selling immediately within few hours.
Other things to consider when starting an ecommerce business:
- A domain name which is catchy and easy to remember.
- Beautiful website theme that showcases products beautifully and mobile responsive.
- Simple checkout process so that customers can make purchases easily on the website.
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Call US +1(205)624 7254 or EUROPE +44(203)695 0021 or Leave a message and one of our CLOUD experts will be in touch with you shortly to help you get started with your ecommerce website for $29/mth.
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