5 Items that should be in Your Online Store Catalog

Did you know that online shopping is one of the most popular online activities worldwide? In fact, in 2016 alone, global retail eCommerce sales amounted to $1.86 trillion; this value is only expected to surge in the coming years, with a predicted $4.48 trillion sales figure by 2021.

So how do you prime your own eCommerce platform to get even just a small share of these huge profits? You have to have the best-selling products in your catalog! Here are some items to include in your ever-growing inventory.

Asian Beauty Products

Asian cosmetics, particularly those from Korea, have been all the rage since the BB creams’ surge in popularity in 2010. And why shouldn’t they be? South Koreans are known for their near-perfect complexions and a lot of people from all over the world would like to achieve great skin, too. You can start by purchasing Korean cosmetics wholesale first as these are arguably the most popular, and then slowly expand your catalog to include other Asian beauty products; Japanese and Taiwanese cosmetics are good choices.

Makeup Accessories

When you have makeup and other beauty products in your online store, the next logical move is to also add accessories. These accessories include not just brushes, eyelash curlers, cosmetic scissors, and similar products, but also brush cleaners and holders, lipstick and nail polish towers, and makeup bags, among others. These items would be easy to cross-sell — after all, your customers already have or are already buying the products that these accessories are used for.

Mobile Phone Accessories

It can’t be denied that the world is obsessed with technology, judging by how much people are attached to their gadgets — particularly their mobile phones. It’s therefore no surprise that the mobile phone accessories industry is expected to be valued at $107.3 billion by 2022. Products like phone cases, screen protectors, chargers and wires, bluetooth headsets, earphones, and power banks are consistent top-performers, so you should definitely consider adding these to your online catalog, if you haven’t already.

You can focus on certain phone brands and models first. For example, in 2016, the iPhone 7 sold 50.8 million units, while the Samsung Galaxy S7 sold around 12 to 13 million units. Redmi, Xiaomi, and Lenovo smartphones are also highly popular, so it’s also good to stock accessories for a variety of models of these brands. You may also want to include proprietary items, like Apple’s Lightning cables, in your inventory.

Maternity Wear and Baby Products

Both the maternity apparel and infant and child products industries are valued in billions of dollars. And while these items are often found in dedicated online stores, you can also easily expand your catalog to include a range of these products since someone will always be buying them, be they the mothers themselves or friends and family members of soon-to-be parents.

It’s also easy to expand into other verticals, once you’ve already established your credibility in this category. Nursing accessories like breast pumps and nursing covers, and information products like books and videos are good candidates. You can also create content around parenthood, maternal health, and child care to help drive traffic to your online store.

Board Games and Accessories

Board games is a niche market that sells well. In 2016, the industry grew by 28 percent, with global sales amounting to $9.6 billion, and more and more people (whether they’re self-professed “geeks” or just casual gamers) are taking interest in these fun activities. You can start with the more familiar games like Monopoly, which has hundreds of different editions including Stars Wars, Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens, and Taboo, slowly building your inventory to include more complex ones like Twilight Imperium. There are also various accessories like dice, tokens, and card sleeves that you can upsell and cross-sell together with the games.

When you really think about it, almost any product can sell really well as long as you find a market for it. Use data to guide you on which products and categories are consistent performers, and study customer behavior to help you figure out not just what to sell but also how to sell.