Thanks largely to the global pandemic, eCommerce is booming, so it's never been easier or more lucrative to start your own retail business. eBay is a huge eCommerce platform for buying and selling goods.
According to their website, "eBay is where people come together to trade almost anything." This includes clothes, smartphones, furniture, and even cars! In this article, we have compiled some of the most popular items that can be sold on eBay right now if you’re interested in making money off them.
Let’s get started.
Top Selling Items on eBay
The effect of COVID-19 on the United States economy has meant that retail giants like eBay have had a sudden increase in online sales because of stay-at-home orders.
According to Statista eCommerce sales amounted to just over 435 billion U.S dollars in the first half of 2021. This has caused new categories, such as hygiene and home entertainment, to suddenly become popular.
Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have had to pivot their business models during this time and offer online retailing to customers to stay competitive and keep their businesses open - or else risk getting left behind.
The following items may not come as a surprise to you, but here are the top-selling products on eBay during the pandemic (in no particular order):
Of course, like with most trends (think fidget spinner), many people see an opportunity and try to jump on the bandwagon. This increased demand creates a lot of competition with new sellers flooding the market in these categories.
13 Most Popular Categories on eBay in 2021
The path to success on eBay isn’t always clear-cut, but it's an exciting journey. It can be tempting for new sellers to think they need only find one big selling product and then zig-zag through popular categories until they hit gold. Naturally, this is something that may not exist at all!
The truth is that there aren't any magic bullets when it comes down to choosing what item or service will sell well (although we'll share some of our favorite examples in the list below) so make sure you do your research.
Most importantly, whether your goal lies in finding high-demand products, low-cost goods, or brand-new tools, what ultimately drives sales is supply and demand.
If the price increases then more sellers are likely to jump into the market and provide more supply, thus creating more competition. The opposite happens when the price drops.
About the Data
The following data was taken from eBay data analytics tools called ShelfTrend and MarkSight. Here’s how I interpreted the data:
eBay Category: Baby
Item to Sell on eBay: Baby Monitor
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Think of the problem this product solves. Many new parents want to see their baby in their cot or bassinet. It gives them peace of mind to know they’re ok when in the next room.
The baby category is full of little niche products like these.
Other ideas to consider when selling in this niche include plush baby toys and diaper bags.
eBay Category: Business and Industrial
Item to Sell on eBay: Calculators
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
I like this product because it is lightweight, easy to ship, and has a high profit margin. The product is also not subject to any certification before you can sell it.
Other products to consider in this category are a home office shredder and a portable thermal label maker.
eBay Category: Cameras and Photo
Item to Sell on eBay: Camera Drones
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Having a drone is big business. This product is incredibly hot right now and there are no signs it will slow down soon. Drones have a lot of use cases for business, ranging from taking photography for real estate agents to aerial surveying.
With a high price point like this, there isn’t going to be too much competition from sellers who aren’t serious about this business.
If you're looking for a lighting kit, you have tons of options. You can also look into accessories like photography stands or stabilizers.
eBay Category: Cell Phone Accessories
Item to Sell on eBay: Phone Case
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Cell phone accessories are one of the most popular sold items and with good reason. They make so much money because they are incredibly light and easy to manufacture.
Our entire lives are now living in our pockets. Pocket-sized computers that store all of the answers to life's big questions, and provide access at any time during day or night. To protect them as much as possible, most people opt to put a good cover on their mobile phones.
eBay Category: Computer Cases and Accessories
Item to Sell on eBay: Computer Case
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
In a time where more and more people are working from home, it’s no wonder people are upgrading their home computers. It all starts with the trusty computer case.
Because this product is strong and durable, it is not susceptible to any damage during the shipping process compared to a more fragile product.
eBay Category: Consumer Electronics
Item to Sell on eBay: Noise Cancelling Headphones
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
These headphones address the pain point of excess noise. Along with working from home, households are generally noisy environments. Further research into the top-selling brands revealed that even though this popular brand came in at number 1, generic brands are also up there with the top-selling items.
Another great product within this subcategory is gaming headsets. This subcategory is so big that there are hundreds of products to choose from.
eBay Category: Health and Beauty
Item to Sell on eBay: Fragrances
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
The best-selling items on eBay are a reflection of the demand for products in every aspect. Because beauty products are not considered seasonal products, this makes it a very lucrative niche to go after.
However, while this niche has always been one that you could easily make the most money from, you need to be careful with certifications from the FDA around cosmetics, skincare products, and dietary supplements.
You may even need to show that your product is completely organic and is heavily against animal testing be sure to do your research before jumping into this category.
Other items to consider selling would be hair dryers and hair straighteners. Both are good top-selling items to get started with on your eBay store because they are also non-seasonal products and have high demand all year round.
eBay Category: Home and Garden
Item to Sell on eBay: Smart Light Bulbs
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
When looking at the best-selling products, provide extra value to your customers and make it clearly visible from the product listing what this value is. This will allow you to demand higher prices.
Smart home technology is trending right now. Think of those light bulbs that change color with your phone and give you information about the temperature or what's playing on TV right now, all without even touching them.
eBay Category: Jewelry and Watches
Item to Sell on eBay: Wristwatches
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
A few eBay sellers I know of have made good money from selling watches as one of their first products. When people in the niche have a passion for something (in this case particular watch brands such as Rolex), it’s a chance for you to make even more money and know it will sell fast.
However, if you want something a little easier to start selling then take a look at wristwatch bands and maybe even something a little older like pocket watches.
eBay Category: Musical Instruments and Gear
Item to Sell on eBay: Microphones
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Yet another dominating niche with some of the best-selling items on eBay. This market has taken off with the popularity of podcasts and vlogging. What makes it even better is that you don’t need to sell the most popular brand for buyers to notice your product.
Many unbranded or lesser-known items were also competing well in this category which gives your new brand a chance to compete with the big players in the market.
eBay Category: Pet Supplies
Item to Sell on eBay: Aquarium Light
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Pet owners care so much about their pets that this is a category that is no longer limited to domestic markets. What makes this niche so appealing to many sellers (and buyers) is the number of accessories for pets. There are plenty of accompanying items that you can bundle up to provide extra value, such as aquarium filters, and self-cleaning accessories.
eBay Category: Sporting Goods
Item to Sell on eBay: Canopies and Shelters
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
Camping tents and accessories do have a place, however, remember you will be shipping these yourself unless you dropship them or have a third-party logistics company look after them for you.
When you crunch the numbers on the average price and sales, you could be looking at a very good profit from your store.
Of course, depending on your location, this item may be seasonal so take into account that you may not get as many sales during the winter months.
eBay Category: Travel
Item to Sell on eBay: Luggage
Source: ebay.com
What the statistics say:
The travel demand has dropped off over the past 18 months. This is indicated by the low sell-through rate (the lowest on this list). However, the trend line is starting to increase again.
A rise in demand for luggage will soon be on the cards and if you can position your eBay seller account ready for your buyers there’s a good chance you could end up as one of the top-selling brands on eBay.
What Makes a Good Item to Sell?
Although it's helpful to have a list of what's popular, you also need to know what makes an item successful.
First, your listings should be clear and concise so that they are easy for shoppers to understand. When you include keywords in your listing titles, listings descriptions, and tags, it makes it easier for shoppers to find what they want on eBay. All of this means more traffic and more sales.
The more photos you have, the better. A lot of buyers use photos to get a sense of what your item looks like and whether or not it's what they're looking for.To increase your odds of making the sale, take your photos in the highest resolution possible. When people zoom in on your photo the quality isn’t lost in such a resolution. It's also important that what you're selling is reasonably priced. People love a deal, but if your prices are too low then it might raise red flags for some buyers and potential customers will think that there could be something wrong with the item.Don't forget to offer fast and efficient shipping at a low cost or better yet, for free. It's what shoppers want these days as they don't have the patience for slow mailing or high costs. You'll make more sales if you can provide good service along with what you're selling.Finally, be sure that what you're selling will still be relevant for both the short and long-term future.
Ideally, if you can find a product that offers a recurring service (and not just something that customers will only purchase once), then this will mean a more stable amount of revenue coming through your store.
Selling with Retail Arbitrage
Source: Unsplash
Retail arbitrage is a great way to make money without having to fork out money for inventory. It's easy, quick and the profit potential always seems high.
Bargain hunting can be really exciting if done right. You never know what might come your way or who will be selling some amazing items from a garage sale or even a store.
For example, if you were to find a source of used iPhones and the sale price meant you could turn a profit, it could turn into a lucrative side hustle by selling these phones to people who may not otherwise be able to afford a new one.
To make this a profitable business model, try to find items still in the original box and that you can sell for the right price on eBay.
While it may be a gray area or even illegal in some countries depending on how they're governed, retail arbitrage is completely legal as long as both channels are reputable and there's no contract limiting your abilities when selling through them.
The top-selling items usually come from the best-selling brands. This can include items like branded shoes, Nintendo games, and designer handbags.
The truth is that retail arbitrage isn’t always a sure bet. It can be profitable if you play your cards right, but it requires so much work and time to get there.
This doesn’t just apply to sourcing products from different stores across town or even state lines, but it also means going on shopping sprees every so often to find a bargain.
Selling on eBay FAQs
Some of the most expensive items ever sold on the platform included a Ferrari Enzo for $1 million, a house with a war-proof bunker for $2.1 million, and if you happen to have a yacht lying around, this one went for a whopping $168 million.
Believe it or not, some items don’t sell so well. Here are some of those items:
A lot of these items are better suited to selling off of eBay on places like Facebook Marketplace or even flea markets.
Although dietary supplements sell well on eBay, I would stay clear of them for two reasons. The first is that there is an incredible amount of competition, and the second is that there is a lot of certification required to sell that type of product.
Many sellers don’t think about the legal requirements when it comes to launching product ideas. They look at the top-selling items and dive right in. But what if a customer had a negative reaction to your supplement? You would be in a lot of trouble in that instance.
From nostalgic Star Wars collectibles from the 80s to video games and consoles, and even limited edition Blu-Ray discs, there are tons of things that you can resell.
Of course, if you have anything made by popular brands like Apple, Samsung, or even Lego, these can go for a very good selling price.
Bottom Line
When it comes to looking for what to sell on eBay, popular items are always a good idea. This could be as simple as selling the newest release from your favorite brand or any popular product that's in high demand at that moment.
You'll have an easier time finding buyers for these products and you're likely going to get a higher price because there will be more competition among buyers and therefore can make a higher profit margin.
It can also help if you find out what people are looking for. You can do this by searching through completed listings and reading the feedback left by other users who've recently purchased those items.
This way, when it comes time to list your item, you know exactly how much profit you should expect from each sale and what buyers are looking for. By following the above steps, you’ll have a higher chance of turning your eBay listing into a top-selling one.
