Independent selling has become a massive business over the past 20 years, since the internet became a standard household tool. Places like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon have made it easy for sellers to showcase their wares to a worldwide audience. More people than ever have personal websites where they sell either their items or act as representatives for a larger company.
Selling products of your own is even easier now with dropshipping. This is where a seller takes orders for their product and sends it to a shipping facility to fulfill the order. This allows the seller freedom from keeping stock and having to worry about the shipping process. Though this type of independent selling of products is widespread and more accessible than ever, it’s not new.
People have been selling their products since ancient times when peddlers would set up roadside stands or walk through towns selling their wares. Avon, one of the most well-known companies that uses representatives to sell their products, has been around since 1886. Selling products has always been, and continues to be, a great way to make extra money for oneself. If you think you may be interested in selling, we have ten fun new products you may want to consider.
1. The Latest Solar Panels
As a society, we are constantly searching for ways to be eco-friendly and help the earth. One of those ways is finding renewable sources of energy. Over the past several years, solar panels have successfully led the charge. A solar installer will typically place these panels on the roofs of homes.
The panels, in essence, soak up the energy from the sun and can be used to power a home, replacing traditional electricity. It’s projected that by the year 2026, the solar panel industry will make over $220 billion. So, it is no wonder there’s a need for people to sell these wonders of modern science. It’s a great product to sell all by yourself because not only can it be lucrative, but it offers flexibility.
Selling solar panels can be done exclusively online, and there’s no need to commute, go door to door, or have a physical store. The best part is you’re helping the planet, so it’s a product that’s useful, and you can believe in it. You will need to do some business planning and, of course, educate yourself on the panels and how they work. A business license is required, and you’ll need to establish your business as a legal entity, get insurance and get legal protection along the way.
Next, you need to find a reputable supplier that’s affordable and reliable. After that, you can start the fun part of advertising, marketing, and recruiting clients. Most solar panel businesses use social media, email, and websites to get their product noticed. You may also consider going to networking mixers and attending home improvement expos to get your company name out there. If you’re starting, consider giving free consultations and a discount.
2. Custom Window Treatments
Many homeowners have a vision for their home decor that they can’t find in regular stores. This is especially true when it comes to window treatments. A lot of homes have oversized or uniquely shaped windows, and it’s almost impossible to find a shade or blind to fit. Other times, they may require a specially made window treatment to help with natural lighting or the need for a certain amount of shade.
When the stores have failed these customers, they typically turn to custom-made window treatments and those who make them. A customer may need anything from a simple balloon shade to fit their picture window or roller blind shades in the kitchen so they can watch the kids as they play. If you’re experienced in design, construction, or even sewing, you could be the person these customers are looking for. You can start small, helping customers fit retail treatments to their windows.
You could also design your prototypes and advertise them online. You would need to meet with the clients, learn their needs, and take proper measurements. Your workspace doesn’t need to be fancy, a garage or basement, but you’ll need the appropriate tools and materials. Like any other seller, you’ll need to research the product and learn the most productive way to create and sell. But if designing and beautifying homes is fun for you, making and selling custom window treatments could be for you.
3. Facial Products
If you have a flair for beauty and love helping people look their best, selling skincare products could be a fun and rewarding prospect. The beauty industry makes over $645 billion a year. A large portion of that comes from facial creams, masks, and even rollers. Many people swear by their face rollers and claim they’re better than a Botox treatment.
So, by selling quality products, you’re not only helping people look and feel better, but you could be saving them from uncomfortable and costly procedures. It doesn’t take a lot to become a seller of facial products, and there are several ways to go about it. You can sign on as a representative for one of the many established companies (like Avon).
You can also buy products wholesale and resell them, but this will involve storing, packing, and shipping them yourself. If you don’t want to store or ship, consider the dropshipping option that we mentioned earlier. However, you choose to sell facial products, you’ll need to employ the help of social media to build your customer base. Consider partnering up with someone to handle the marketing side if that makes you uncomfortable.
4. Men’s Hair Products
In the not-too-distant past, men’s haircare products mainly consisted of whatever shampoo their mom or partner had handy and a comb. OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but historically, most of the male persuasion has been known for their no-fuss approach to hair. But this is no longer true. At some point, the male folk took a look in the mirror and decided they needed some help with their hair, both on their heads and their faces.
Suddenly, we have things like beard soap, vitamin C serums to prevent hair loss, and specially formulated shampoos made for the male scalp! What was a $74 billion business in 2021 is expected to balloon to over $114 billion over the next four years. Like facial care products, haircare can be a good source of income, and you can feel good in the knowledge that you’re helping people feel better about themselves.
5. Used Cars
If you’re mechanically inclined and have a talent for sales and customer relations, being an independent seller of used cars could be your niche. For this job, you’ll need some start-up money, a space to repair and store the vehicles, and, depending on the state, a business license and insurance. You’ll search for vehicles, like repairable SUVs for sale or cars people are looking to get rid of and buy them. Then you’ll repair and restore them to good condition and resell them.
This can be a lucrative business because people are always looking for reliable second cars or even a first car to start with. Marketing will cost next to nothing between social media and a few for-sale signs. If you’re honest and do good work, soon, word of mouth will be all you need to sell your inventory. However, it’s vital to follow all state and federal regulations regarding the selling of vehicles, so do your research before anything else.
6. Decorative Lightning for Outdoors
People are always looking for great outdoor lighting to accent their decks, patios, and pathways. Becoming a seller of decorative outdoor lighting can be a fun way to meet new people and apply your design and creativity skills. Typically, you will buy the lighting wholesale and then resell it to customers in need of lights.
Like most people who sell items, you can advertise on social media, conduct e-mail campaigns, and design a website. You may also consider opening an Etsy shop or selling on eBay. If you want to expand your business, you might consider partnering with an electrician to install the lighting or a mason to create the concrete light pole base form. Unless you use a drop-shipping company, you’ll need to have a secure, dry place to store your lighting inventory.
7. Organic Grains
Believe it or not, selling organic grains like wheat, corn, barley, and rye is quite popular online. Sellers often partner with farmers to act as the go-between with customers. This is especially true for small farmers who may have trouble selling their smaller harvests. Most big companies prefer to work with large farms that can provide bulk quantity, which often leaves the smaller, family farmer out of the business model.
As a seller of organic grains, you would appeal to the average consumer who wants a box or bag of good-quality grain. Your partnership with small farmers would include not only a financial agreement but also following rules that ensure organic standards are met. This could mean collaborating with the farmer about the use of pesticides, growing practices, and following proper cleaning of grain pumps to ensure quality and purity. These partnerships can mean a successful business for you while helping a local farmer stay in business as well.
8. Custom Pet Products
If you’re an artistically creative pet lover, you can open an Etsy shop and go to town. People love treating their pets like people, specifically their children. So, if you can create cute and functional accessories for today’s precious pets – you’re in business!
There’s a market for just about anything from hand painted food bowls with monogramming to beds with your pet’s image. You may also try your hand at custom collars and leashes. There’s even a market for clothing like sweaters, rain gear, and booties that will allow your pet to go out in all sorts of weather. You can also make custom pet preform sizes to fit extra small and extra pages animals.
Another aspect of this business is pet products for people. You are, specifically, taking your pet’s image and transferring it onto clothing like pajama bottoms and T-shirts. People love showing off their pets, so you should consider helping them.
An Etsy shop is free to set up, and you only pay a small portion of each sale to the company. You can also sell outside of Etsy on local Facebook market pages and to family, friends, and neighbors. The main thing with selling items like this is to ensure you have enough inventory to fill orders and fill them out on time.
9. Compost
Believe it or not, you can sell your trash – sort of. You’re selling the by-product of organic waste materials called compost. Compost is a collection of organic waste materials (like eggshells, coffee grinds, fish heads, and old veggies) that are out of a pile and allowed to break down naturally with the help of insects. The result is a nutrient-rich material similar to soul or mulch that gardeners and farmers use to grow fabulous produce.
Interestingly, compost has other uses as well. For instance, it’s used by people who have septic tanks to keep the drains from clogging. This is much cheaper and eco-friendly than calling a septic system pumping company.
10. Pet Laundry Services
Now, this one is not exactly a product but a service. However, you are marketing your labor, so that’s technically a product. Remember those pet owners who buy just anything for their furry friends, from beds and blankets to clothes and coats? Well, eventually, all those items need to be washed.
As much as they love their pets, some people don’t want to use their machines, and many professional services don’t allow pet items in their commercial laundry equipment. So, the solution could be a business that caters to laundering pet gear. All it would take is finding a second-hand washer and dryer in good condition and have the space for it. Advertise on local pages, and the orders will start pouring in.
Finding the right product that you can sell yourself is not that hard. There are so many products available for resale. Then there’s the heavy desire for homemade, custom, and boutique items that can be made right in your home. If you’re serious about selling, take some time to research and see which products are of interest to you.
