Note: The trending products listed on this page are not necessarily suggested products to sell online. All information should be considered carefully and combined with your own due diligence before making a decision to sell a particular product.

The Top Trending Products & Niches for 2022

ALCOHOL-FREE ALCOHOL

“Sober curious” is a new trend as drinking-age adults are looking towards non-alcohol drink alternatives to replace or supplement their usual alcohol intake. Typical reasons for this lifestyle choice include personal preference, fitness and health goals, and concern over the negative health implications of binge drinking.

Because of this, consumers are looking for interesting, delicious, well-branded, alcohol-free drinks that are a step above soda/water/cordial alternatives. Just because some consumers choose not to drink alcohol, doesn’t mean they’re not interested in innovative and exciting drink combinations!

This is why more and more brands are offering alcohol-free cocktails and spirit substitutes.

If you’re an ecommerce startup looking for an exciting venture, check out this CNBC article, which shares that “people are paying top dollar for cocktails with no alcohol in them.”

In addition to non-alcoholic drinks, you could also sell trending products online, such as cocktail shakers, glassware, and environmentally friendly straws.

CBD PRODUCTS

If you’re looking to start an online business, consider CBD tea, gummies, oil, and more.

Much has been researched about how CBD products can positively impact people experiencing anxiety, chronic pain, and sleep issues, so it’s no wonder that general interest and Google searches for CBD are on the rise. Monthly US Google search figures are currently coming in at 450,000 searches per month, and a global increase in searches rose 335% over the past five years.

If we dive in a bit deeper and look at search results for specific CBD products, this what can be found:

• CBD for Skin: A 1440% increase in global searches in the past five years
• CBD Gummies: An 8300% increase in worldwide searches over the past five years
• CBD Oil: A 700% increase in international searches in the past five years
• CBD Tea: Receive about 11,000 monthly searches, according to Ahrefs

These products certainly look like they’re here to stay, so if you’re looking to break into the CBD niche, it’s worth finding a reputable CBD supplier that you can trust. This means taking the time to thoroughly verify their products’ safety, quality, and compliance with the US Hemp Authority program.

MACADAMIA NUT MILK

There are quite a few trending products in the milk alternative space—from ubiquitous options like oat, soy, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut milk and macadamia milk.

In fact, according to The Good Food Institute, purchases of plant-based milk grew 5% in the past year and 14% over the past two years, making the plant-based milk market worth 2 billion dollars in the US alone.

Macadamia nut milk is a new and exciting option to offer customers. If you’re looking for an innovative product that appeals to the vegan, plant-based, and health-food markets, macadamia nut milk might be worth considering adding to your online store.

SNACK, GRAZING & CANDY BOXES

Snack boxes are a fun way to consume candies or treats—or even a unique presentation of charcuterie boards that people can order online and have delivered to their homes.

Monthly searches for snack boxes sit at around 18,000 searches at the time of writing. You can run Google Ads to promote your snack box online business to consumers who are searching for this product. Snack sales, in general, account for 40% of the US packaged food market, and this is attributed mostly to Millennials who apparently snack more than any other generation.

MEAL BOX SERVICES

Food meal box services such as HelloFresh are super popular at the moment. These meal boxes are usually sold on a subscription basis, and they’re often positioned as an alternative to ordering-in, while making at-home cooking simpler and less time-consuming.

Typical meal box service USPs include innovative, fast, and simple meal ideas that are healthy and waste-free.

There were 22,000 monthly Google searches for meal kits in the US alone at the time of writing, so it’s clear that the growth of its popularity is worth starting an online store in.

When starting a food meal box service, you could focus on niche dietary preferences like vegan, keto, or paleo diets. Or, consider focusing on consumer demographics facing allergies to dairy, gluten, or nuts.

FUNCTIONAL BEVERAGES

“Functional drinks” are beverages with an intended purpose or outcome. A well-known example of a functional drink is Gatorade—a beverage that helps health-conscious consumers achieve their fitness and wellbeing goals.

Other examples of this growing trend include mushroom coffee, sugar-free energy drinks, CBD drinks, and coffee replacements such as matcha and turmeric lattes.

An August 2020 report by the Business Research Company found that more consumers than ever are looking for healthy food and drink alternatives. More and more consumers seem to be searching for ways to boost their immune systems and overall health, making this a trending product to sell online.

Big brands such as Coca Cola and PepsiCo Inc. are already on board with this trending product category and are introducing their own functional beverages such as Coca-Cola with Coffee and PepsiCo’s Driftwell. It’s no wonder that they are, since the functional beverage market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.96% between 2020 and 2025!

EAR DROPS

Ear drops are a classic product used to clear up ear infections or soften ear wax. They’ve been around for decades, but a new breed of natural and homeopathic brands in this niche has resulted in a 70% increase in searches related to ear drops over the past five years.

Brands like Natrulo that contain ingredients like “mullein and garlic bulb extract” are popular. Also, ear drops that are alcohol and preservative-free are another appealing choice for those wanting a natural remedy to soften ear wax. If you look at Google Trends, you’ll quickly see that ear drops have been steadily increasing so if you’re looking for trending products to sell, you’ll want to add this to your online store.

ACNE PATCHES/PIMPLE PATCHES

The job of acne patches and pimple patches is to speed up the healing process of blemishes by absorbing toxins. They use hydrocolloid technology to absorb the pimple’s toxins and create a moist environment to promote healing. They’re also proven to be useful at preventing the wearer from scratching or squeezing the spot.

The largest market right now is interested in invisible or transparent round patches in different sizes.

Google searches for this product have grown, with over 106,000 monthly global searches for “pimple patches.” Trending products to sell like this one should be marketed via Google Ads.

SKINCARE TOOLS

The global skincare market is predicted to increase to more than $180 billion dollars by 2024 and data from Spate (as reported by Vogue Business) identified that an increased interest in skincare tools was one of the top emerging trends during the pandemic.

With beauty spas and salons intermittently closing, skincare tools empowered consumers to take care of their complexions at home while creating a calming, at-home spa experience.

These are some most popular skincare tools at the moment:

• Red and blue light masks
• Microdermabrasion kits
• Gua shas
• Quartz, jade, and amethyst face rollers
• Facial steamers

Looking just at face rollers alone, Google searches ran to 108,000 searches per month worldwide. You can attract customers when you create video content on social media and with an affordable price.

SWEATPANTS

2022’s hottest trending product to sell online in the fashion category is none other than sweatpants.

Anyone working from home—whether they’re tied to Zoom meetings or otherwise—is now familiar with the joys of not having to wear workwear to… Well, work.

The best part is that even if you’re summoned to a Zoom meeting, you can throw on a neatly pressed shirt to look smart from the waist up, and still chill in your sweatpants from the waist down. Maybe that’s why searches for sweatsuits have escalated by 100% in the past year alone.

The key term “sweatpants” generates around 366,000 monthly searches globally, making it a great addition to a fashion online store.

Tip: To find sweatpant suppliers, check out our curated directories! Find garment makers to create bespoke pairs in our Clothing Manufacturers Directory, wholesale sweatpant suppliers in our Wholesale Suppliers Directory, and even dropship sweatpants from one of the suppliers in our Dropshipping Suppliers Directory.

SLIPPERS

Trending products to sell like slippers are growing in popularity according to Google Trends. As working from home becomes the new normal, the rise in slipper sales reflects consumers’ need for comfortable footwear to wear around the house. Slippers are most commonly sold around the holidays and are expected to see triple-digit growth since 2019.

SILK PAJAMAS

If your audience leans towards more premium tastes, then silk pajamas are a perfect substitute for sweatpants.

Google Trends searches for pajamas have risen with about 64,000 monthly searches worldwide. In fact, Adobe Analytics said that online pajama sales rose by 143% in April 2020 compared with March.

Depending on your customer personas, you could opt to sell more affordable satin pairs or more premium pure silk ones. The key here is to focus on luxurious comfort that consumers can experience at home.

HIKING BOOTS

As more people head outdoors to work out, trending products online include hiking boots and other outdoor apparel.

Consequently, online searches for hiking boots have risen according to Google Trends, and boast about 203,000 monthly searches according to Ahrefs at the time of writing.

The beauty of adding hiking boots to your ecommerce store is that you can market them for outdoor exercise and as fashion items.

LAPTOP STANDS

Remote working has risen exponentially allowing lists of trending products to sell in the home office space to grow. A useful accessory to lessen back pain and assist with better posture when working from home is the simple laptop stand.

Searches for laptop stands are stable according to Google Trends but still boast over 253,000 monthly searches worldwide so we weren’t kidding about this being one of the best trending products to sell this year.

There are multiple takes on this compact accessory that you can sell online—aluminum, plastic, and acrylic. Plus, there are folding options, lightweight options, and ones that even suction onto windows.

STANDING DESKS

The standing desk market is expected to grow to 9.541 billion by 2027 according to WBOC. With remote working on the rise, and health and fitness still a priority in many consumers’ lives, the standing desk market is continuing to grow.

Many workers turn to standing desks as a way to stay active, alert, and keep better posture while they work. Some standing desks are also adjustable to suit different heights and working positions.

ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIRS

In the past, ergonomic chairs tended to be bought by businesses for their employees. Fast forward to today, and around half of all American workers are now working from home, and consequently, consumer demand to replicate their office environment is growing.

Google Trends shows that this product is still expected to grow in searches, though it already generates 234,000 monthly searches globally. So if you’re looking to innovate a market that was previously more focused on B2B retail, you could consider making appealing ergonomic office chairs for B2C on your online store, with a flair for DTC.

AT-HOME WORKOUT EQUIPMENT

Fitness products are always trending products to sell online, including but not limited to folding treadmills, indoor exercise bikes, weights, yoga mats, workout bands, ankle weights, resistance bands, etc.

Although the market is predicted to grow just under 3% between 2020 and 2025, we’ll just have to see what the next few months have in store for public gyms and workout classes. Companies like Peloton have seen their sales surge by a whopping 172%, and over one million people have subscribed to their streaming classes making it a profitable niche.

In light of all of this, selling home-friendly workout equipment and accessories could be a trending product worth considering.

For tips on how to make the most of consumer’s growing interest in fitness, check out our article on Creator Marketing Tips for Health and Fitness Brands.

AIR-PURIFYING PLANTS

As consumers are spending more time indoors, sprucing up their indoor space means adding a little bit of nature.

It was NASA who, in 1989, discovered that indoor plants help to remove air pollution. So, given the current events of the world, air-purifying plants have an even more attractive quality to them. Google Trends shows that this these best sellers are on the rise, with an astounding 30,000 monthly searches worldwide.

According to NASA’s study, they recommend having two to three indoor plants for every 100 square feet, so for many consumers, that likely means having multiple plants in one household. As an ecommerce plant seller, your target market could use a lookbook of suggestions about where to best place air-purifying plants for maximum health benefits.

LIVING WALLS (WALL GARDENS)

A living wall is a vertical outdoor or indoor garden that’s attached to a wall.

Google Trends shows that “living wall” searches are steadily climbing and boast 24,000 monthly searches globally.

This increased interest could be attributed to people wanting to improve their homes as they spend more time indoors. You could sell living walls on online stores in the plant and flower niche. Trending items like this could complement various niches, such as home offices, a dropshippping store, or potential buyers in the influencer marketing space looking for a backdrop.

UNDER-DESK TREADMILLS

In an effort to stay active while working from home, consumers are making use of under-desk treadmills.

This piece of equipment is ergonomically designed, portable, and has a low impact on joints. Not only that, but it can connect to your FitBit, iPhone, or Android device to track your movement throughout the day.

You can sell online under-desk treadmills, which are still growing in popularity according to Google Trends, making them an innovative trending product to pursue if you want to target the health and fitness niche. Online stores selling products like this can also include fitness best sellers, home office accessories, or other fitness or home-office related items.

MASSAGE GUNS

Trending products to sell in the health niche, include top selling items like massage guns.

These tools are easy to use and combat soft tissue aches and pains by providing quick bursts of pressure into the muscle, which enhances blood flow to the affected area. More people are taking a do-it-yourself approach to massaging their muscles after a workout, making this a high demand product for online businesses.

Google Trends shows a huge increase in search volume for massage guns. However, ecommerce stores stocking up massage guns can reach a target audience size of 631,000 monthly searches. In the health space, these trending products to sell are still picking up steam.

LED LIGHTS

TikTok is responsible for bringing to light a huge new high demand trend: LED lights.

These products are especially popular amongst teens who use them in their bedrooms to create a tranquil space they can switch up at the change of a button. But, not only do they create a calm ambiance, they also make for interesting backgrounds behind video content that users post to their social feeds.

At the time of writing, monthly worldwide search volume for LED lights is over 1.1 million. Ecommerce stores that sell this product at an affordable price via Facebook Ads, SEO, or search-based ads like Google can generate a lot of ecommerce sales.

If you’re interested in selling a trending item with constant demand, you’ll find that LED lights come in multiple colors and are often sold in strips that switch between different colors and lighting modes. Start selling online today.

AIR PURIFIERS

Since the population at large is spending more time indoors, it’s no wonder that consumers are increasingly concerned about the quality of the air they’re breathing.

Cue, air purifiers.

Air purifiers rid spaces of indoor pollutants, allergens, and particles and right now, there’s no better time to sell a product that does those things.

According to a report from AP News, the air purifier industry is expected to increase by around 10% between 2019 and 2029. This projected increase is attributed mainly to broader concerns about air quality since the pandemic started.

If you’re looking to start selling this trending item, it’s essential to clarify what they do and don’t do. The last thing you want is to make any unsubstantiated promises to your customers!

AIR FRYERS

Finding a healthy way to eat fried food was never going to be unpopular. The statistics support this, with the air fryer market size expected to grow from almost $895 million in 2018 to $1,425.7 million by 2026—and global Google search volumes make up over 4.1 million per month. Plus, take a look at the climbing Google Trends data, air fryers are the trending products to sell in 2022, if you want to run Google Shopping ads on your dropshipping store. You can get a lot of organic traffic if you optimize your website for search.

From an ecommerce seller’s perspective, emphasizing the benefits of air fryers—such as their ability to remove high fat and calorie-dense oils from the cooking process—makes a strong sales pitch.

There are multiple versions of the air fryer out there, with prices retailing as low as $50 on Amazon to higher-end models for hundreds of dollars. It’s also worth considering selling air fryer accessories on your online store, such as paper liners and cookbooks.

RING LIGHTS

Trending products to sell like this vibrant ring light are worth pursuing in 2022. Ring lights are circle-shaped lights often used by content creators, video streamers, or Instagram influencers.

According to Google Trends, there was a slight dip in the search volume over the years. However, there seems to be a growing uptick again.

If you’re in the beauty niche, these trending beauty products could be used for making viral social media videos of you doing your makeup in good lighting.

Search volume has been growing the past few years. And right now, the monthly search volume for “ring light” is about 1.4 million meaning that a lot of these have been sold online already but there is still a large target audience.

VIDEO PROJECTORS

Cinemas around the world remain primarily closed so one possible solution to the pain movie buffs feel at the loss of the traditional cinema experience is to use a video projector.

Video projectors bring the movie theatre experience to the home without busting the bank balance and with so many people stuck at home looking for any way to elevate their at-home living experience, now is one of the best times to capitalize on consumers’ growing interest in video projectors.

You can create your own brand with this trending product from the past few months. The search volume for the keyword “video projector” boasts 20,000 monthly searches globally. You can add this to your electronics, movie, or accessories store.

LUXURY CAT LITTER

Anyone who’s owned a cat knows that cat litter doesn’t smell like a bed of roses—far from it, in fact. That’s just one reason why searches for luxury cat litter, and brands like PrettyLitter, have surged.

This type of cat litter is made from silica which absorbs unpleasant odors and it also helps cat owners detect possible health issues that their feline might have due to changes in urine pH levels.

While it might seem like a niche product idea, there are over 95 million house cats in the USA, and it’s likely that their owners are very open to innovation in the cat litter market. It’s also a product that a subscription delivery service can be built around, which can increase consumer loyalty and bring in recurring revenue, which is obviously good for business.

GAMING GLASSES

There are 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, with the Asia Pacific region taking the lion’s share, followed by Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and then the US. Gaming is big business, and gamers need (and love) accessories.

One rising trend according to Google Trends is gaming. Consumers are interested in the product’s apparent ability to reduce eye fatigue, eye strain, and headaches caused by many hours of gaming. Searches for these products have risen by an astonishing 2,800% over the past five years.

The glasses are meant to filter out blue light given off by digital devices, which is often the root cause of the symptoms listed above.

There are plenty of places to source blue light glasses nowadays, so whether you’re interested in dropshipping, manufacturing, private labeling, or wholesaling, you should be able to find an option that suits your needs.

PUZZLES & BOARD GAMES

Jigsaw puzzles and board games are long-established pastimes enjoyed by people of all ages. Interestingly, global searches for jigsaw puzzles have grown by 94% in the past year. A CNBC report in April 2020 also found that jigsaw puzzle sales for one US game maker, Ravensburger, rose by 370% over the past two years!

Given the amount of time consumers are spending indoors, it’s no surprise that they’re looking for creative ways to fill their time.

Forbes reported back in April 2020 that sales of board games, puzzles, and crafts had risen enormously. One retailer reported its sales increased by 4,000% in the last week in March 2020.

Global search volume for board games generate 468,000 monthly searches and rise every December according to Google Trends.

ONLINE GAMES

Since Zoom became part of our everyday lexicon, so have games that can be played via online chat and video apps. Here we’re talking about things like online board games, online card games, online bingo, etc.

Online board games are a fun and effective way for friends and families to stay connected with each other during the pandemic. If games are your passion or you have a good idea for an online game people can play over video calls, now’s the time to launch it!

CHESS

The Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit has gripped viewers since its launch in October 2020, with a total of 62 million households having watched it!

One interesting by-product of The Queen’s Gambit is a renewed interest in chess. In the past three months alone, global searches for chess boards have risen by 354%. Also, since the show’s launch, the New York Times reported a 125% rise in chessboard sales, with some retailers reporting increases as high as 1000%!

The beauty of selling chess products is that both budget-friendly and upscale products are available and desirable to different consumer groups, so you have plenty of options.

MATCHA

Matcha tea is an increasingly popular variation of green tea and is considered to be a premium product. Ultimately, it’s a high-end green tea that has been ground into a fine powder and because you actually consume the whole leaf as opposed to just steeping it in hot water, you get a much higher concentration of good things from the tea. Much like green tea, this product can be used as an ingredient in many other products as a flavor, infusion, or extract.

For merchants looking for a premium tea to sell, or premium tea-flavored or tea-infused products to sell, then matcha is worth looking into. In fact, we have an entire case study dedicated to building a matcha tea dropshipping business from scratch here if you’re interested in learning more about the set-up process.

Selling products like matcha can be a great endeavour as global search volume is over 740,000 monthly searches. If you have a tea accessories store, this can be a great item for your target audience of tea lovers. Google Trends data shows that matcha is still on a steady rise, so this specific niche is worth tapping into due to the high search volume.

NOOTROPICS (“SMART DRUGS”)

Nootropics, also referred to as “smart drugs,” help consumers focus better, think clearer, and work harder, and they have been rising in popularity in recent years. Popular faces in the ecommerce industry such as Tim Ferris introduced many people to this relatively new term in 2015 and it seems as if this has just added fuel to the fire ever since.

One thing to keep in mind is that nootropics are a mostly unregulated market at the moment so you’ll want to take careful consideration about choosing them as a potential product idea to sell and do your own research before blindly selling them to the public.

MACRONUTRIENTS & WORKOUT ENHANCING POWDERS

Macronutrients and workout enhancing powders are not new inventions that consumers have never heard of before, however, their up swinging trend stems from their delivery to the end consumer. Consumers concerning themselves with their macronutrient intake is becoming more and more prevalent as people’s interests are rapidly shifting towards their health, diet, and wellbeing.

Macronutrients are nothing new, consumers have just become newly interested in them. This has started to generate a response in brands who are looking to connect with these consumers by advertising their food product’s macronutrients at the forefront of their marketing campaigns.

Protein powder is a well-known workout enhancement powder that helps muscles repair after a workout, but it’s nothing new. It has been a part of mainstream trends for many years now, however, the workout enhancing powder market has started to shift into new territory: Pre-workout powders. Pre-workout powders, commonly referred to simply as “pre-workout,” has started to carve a place in the market.

While protein powders are commonly consumed post-workout to help muscle repair, pre-workouts are meant to be consumed before the workout, giving individuals a hit of energy to help them have productive workouts. This innovative delivery of a simple product is an ingenious way to sell to the end consumer.

Already in the fitness industry? Shift your focus and offer pre-workout supplements while this trend is on the upswing. Marketing a food or beverage product? Shine the light on its macros. Not in the diet, health, or fitness industry yet? Get on it sooner rather than later, because consumers are buying into it more and more each year due to the number of people promoting via influencer marketing, ads, and social media networks.

BALAYAGE PRODUCTS

The beauty niche always has a variety of trending products with lots of search volume. Balayage is a popular form of hair coloring that makes the hair look like it has natural volume with the use of highlights. While this is a recurring trend in the fashion and hair industry, this time around it seems more popular than ever! The look can be achieved at home or by going to a salon which means that the target base is slightly bigger: Salons, stockists, and individuals can all be targeted for sales.

The products used to achieve this look include hair toners, lighteners, spatulas, color application brushes, aftercare products (shampoos, masks, conditioners, etc.), and more. As a lot of influencers on social media are continuously sporting the look, this trend continues to spread and the sales stay high. If you are looking to break into the beauty segment and especially the hairstyling and care niche, the balayage trend and the associated products may be worth looking into.

The term balayage current has a search volume of 1.7 monthly searches, trending niches like this need to be jumped on quickly so you can sell the most beauty products.

BODY WIPES (“DUDE WIPES”)

Men’s hygiene is a niche that doesn’t get the attention it really deserves and, despite that, it’s certainly on an upswing right now. In this case, there are manufacturers that already create hygiene wipes for children and women, however, smaller vendors have recently noticed that there’s a great opportunity to supply a similar sort of product for men as well.

The “dude wipes” are targeted to men across the board—from those who enjoy camping and outdoor activities, to those who have busy urban lifestyles and commute a lot. Due to the fact that body wipes are a product that needs to be purchased regularly as it falls into the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) group, manufacturers are making “customers for life.” For a vendor, that offer the potential for subscription purchases or automated re-ordering.

FAKE EYELASHES

Fake eyelashes have been around for a while, however, in recent years they’ve experienced a massive overhaul in both style and innovation to make them more beautiful and functional than ever before.

Brands, makeup artists, and influencers have been creating their own collections of false eyelashes in recent years by using different materials, sizes, colors, and even adhesive methods in an effort to make false lash application easier and for a more worthwhile result. There’s lots of room in this niche for innovation and creativity and consumers are open to trying new things.

The product also falls into the category of products that can be upsold. In most cases, false eyelashes are bought in bulk. Furthermore, these are disposable items thus the chance of returning customers is extremely high. These are also a great product to dropship since ePacket delivery is easily available, they are extremely light and cost-efficient to manufacture and ship. To learn more about starting a false eyelash company from scratch, check out our case study with Esqido, a luxury false eyelash company.

NICHE-SPECIFIC BRANDED APPAREL & HYPER-LOCAL APPAREL

Companies like Printful are making it increasingly easy to create a clothing brand. As they continue to increase the number of ecommerce platforms they integrate with along with the apparel and customization options they offer, creating a custom apparel brand is only going to become more popular. But with apparel being such an over-saturated market already, any new businesses will have to work hard to stand out. Two ways to make that happen are to have very niche-specific branded apparel or hyper-local apparel.

Niche-specific apparel refers to clothing items that are only relevant to a certain type of consumer whether that’s because of the clothing item’s style, functionality, or even the designs on it. An example of niche-specific apparel includes the IconSpeak t-shirts that appeal to the niche of people who like to travel, which we discussed in our Nomad Gear: 10 Minimalist Travel Essentials for Digital Nomads article.

Hyper-local apparel refers to creating products that cater to a very defined audience in a certain geographical area. For example, we launched a 24-hour t-shirt business as a fun side project and targeted a hyper-local audience with creative designs that appealed to commuters that frequented local subway stations.

Here are some other examples of hyper-local apparel brands:

• Detroit vs. Everybody (Detroit)
• Drake General Store (Toronto)

ENAMEL PINS

Enamel pins seem to be one of those recurring trends that come around every few years and has been around for several decades. These days, enamel pins are trending again due to the capability and ease of designing and/or personalizing your own pins.

These pins are a great fashion accessory as they spruce up anything from bags to jackets to t-shirts, etc. They can be tiny and still be called statement pieces. Enamel pins, on the other hand, are also used by companies, NGOs or individuals that want to represent that they stand for something in particular. A tiny product like this holds great social and cultural significance as it can be a signifier or the medium of a certain message.

Ideally, to sell these in high volumes, you might want to build a strong marketing campaign and perhaps target fandoms, lifestyle groups, and pop culture enthusiasts. If you’re interested in learning more about how to start your own enamel pin business, check out this article.

FITNESS LEGGINGS

Another great product for dropshippers is fitness leggings. These have been around for a couple of years now and by the looks of it, they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. This product caters to multiple trending niches which make them a versatile commodity for anyone focusing on building a fashion, fitness, or athleisure brand.

Just like beanie hats, fitness leggings are also extremely light, come in a plethora of styles, fabrics, and colors, and are inexpensive to stock and ship. As a dropshipper, you can easily stock your inventory with multiple styles and options to test out what sells the best, while providing your customers with great options, which keeps them happy and coming back to your store.

You can promote this items to your target audience on your online shop via Facebook Ads, search ads, and by reading success stories from similar brands on how they did it.

NOVELTY SOCKS

Socks. Yep, you read that right. Socks are another one of those evergreen products that are almost always trending. In fact, novelty socks have been trending for a few years now, especially around the holidays.

They’re a perfect product: They’re comfortable, aren’t restricted to a specific gender, age, or style and are simple to coordinate with an outfit, too. The one thing to keep in mind, however, is that while novelty socks are a great niche, regular socks have far more competition and the market is saturated for them. Novelty socks are a great alternative to the more traditional ones as the market is still growing.

ATHLEISURE

Athleisure is described as activewear that is worn as an everyday look instead of for solely athletic purposes. This clothing trend emphasizes comfort, durability, and style which is exactly why it’s been trending in recent years.

As a seller, this opens a wide door for you as you can sell multiple products such as leggings, sweatpants, t-shirts, shoes, socks, headbands, sports bras, etc.

What makes athleisure great is that unlike most fashion trends, it is here to stay. This niche also gives you a great entry point into other market segments such as sports and fitness or health and holistic living.

With social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest making athleisure even more popular and influencers promoting athleisure products, the trend is going to be around for a while.

BACKPACKS

Backpacks have increasingly become very popular on Google Trends in recent years. Part of this can be credited to startups on crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and their mission to create the perfect urban backpack but carrying backpacks to work has also become cool again and now there are many types and styles that are easily accessible in shops.

The new style of anti-theft backpacks that safeguard the belongings of urban commuters, or the tracking systems and battery charging capabilities of high-tech urban packs has ushered in a new age for a product that used to just be seen as a back-to-school special. While the August to September back-to-school period is definitely peak sales time for this product, it doesn’t mean that the product won’t sell year-round, especially for a more professional crowd.

As a merchant, stock and sell different types of backpacks that could be targeted to different age groups, activities, and styles—such as to students, travelers, IT specialists, urban commuters, etc. This trend is a great way to explore the different directions that one product can take you in.

MATTRESSES

While a mattress might seem like an awkward fit on a trending products list, it makes total sense. Not only is there almost always a demand for mattresses but with the evolution of technology, mundane and everyday objects like mattresses have also evolved.

Just a few examples of the new breed of high-tech mattresses include ones that track your sleep and sleep health, ones that have auto-temperature settings that cool down in the summer and heats up in the winter, ones that are attached to automatic coffee makers, and ones that have a built-in vibrating alarm system, to mention a few.

Even the benefits of mattresses differ: Some aid in orthopedic healing and others help with sleep disorders—the choices are vast and the technology is constantly evolving. There are even mattresses that come bundled up in a box so they’re easy to move into new places, they’re compact enough to fit in elevators or to be carried up stairs. It would be a very smart idea to jump on this trending product while the market still has space to carve out your own niche.

FAIRY LIGHTS

Fairy lights are another product that has become extremely popular due to social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest. People have been using these lights for home decor, in restaurants to create a cozy ambiance, as holiday decorations, and more.

There are even entire social media pages dedicated to teaching consumers how to utilize fairy lights and style them to their taste! These lights are often bought in bundles and can be sold with other decorative products, too.

AUTO-FOLLOW DRONES & UNDERWATER DRONES

Not only are drones trending, but there are new types of drones coming into consumer’s lives. In the past few years, we’ve seen drones rise swiftly into popularity as they became a more justifiable purchase for consumers to make but throughout the years, drone technology has continued to advance and the way people utilize them in their everyday lives has continued to evolve.

This year, expect to see drones as one of the top trending products, however, expect further advancements in technology that will allow consumers to integrate drones into different aspects of their lifestyles. First, auto-follow drones are coming into trend now because their advanced technology allows users to manage the drone in a hands-free way.

Also on the rise are underwater drones which help users to locate fish and chart underwater landscapes.

Search volume for “underwater drone” have stabilized according to Google Trends since they rose in popularity showing that this product is here to stay. The search volume for the term “underwater drone” generates about 17,000 monthly searches.

ELECTRONICS ACCESSORIES

For many businesses, this is going to be the largest window of opportunity when it comes to finding the perfect product to sell online. With consumers adding more and more technological products into their daily routines there is more interest in accessorizing these devices to make them more stylish, streamlined, and functional.

These accessories can add style to the device itself whether it be a phone, computer, camera, drone, etc, or these accessories can be a more stylish version of something you regularly use in tandem with a device such as docking stations, power banks, cords, chargers, etc. Some popular accessory items include the iRing and PopSockets which add additional functionality to the smartphone devices, AirPod Skins add style and protection to the Apple Airpods, or even sweaters for drones and Airpod floss stickers. The smartphone accessories market has an abundance of products you can sell in your ecommerce business today.

Take advantage of the demand for stylish, sleek, streamlined, and functional accessories and create a new product that makes an existing device or accessory better. The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Spend some time thinking of the devices you use every day and what small accessory would make them either function or look even better. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, just think about useful, functional, quirky, or customizable additions that make existing devices better.

SMART HOME APPLIANCES

Along the same wavelength, smart accessories are seeping into other aspects of consumers’ shopping habits. Appliances such as the Google Home, Amazon Echo, and even smart toothbrushes and cutting boards are aimed at helping consumers improve their day-to-day lives, and they’re becoming more popular.

Anything and everything seems to be on the table and there’s no telling where the future will take us. These smart appliances are slowly becoming a part of the average consumer’s daily life and we expect to see them become even more normalized as they continue to improve and consumers start to see real benefits to integrating them into their lifestyle.

Pay attention to your daily life: Where can you see smarter innovations being made in your home, no matter how seemingly small the innovation might be. Smart appliances are the future and we’ll definitely see their popularity rise throughout the year.

3D PRINTING

Finally, 3D printing is on its way to becoming part of mainstream business and consumer’s daily lives. For so long it seemed like a futuristic experiment that we mere mortals could only dream of but the time has come where owning a 3D printer can be a reality.

The technology and development are finally coming to a place where it’s an approachable item for some consumers to purchase. It hasn’t become a fully justifiable purchase for the mainstream market yet, however, we expect to see leaps and bounds of growth over the course of the next couple of years. Keep an eye on its progression and start getting your ideas in place ready to take advantage of this trend as it becomes an active part of consumer’s lives.

It’s likely that you don’t have the technological know-how or the means to produce your own 3D printer, so leave that to the experts and focus on the accessories. Once it launches into the lives of the masses they’ll be eager for add ons that make the experience even more streamlined.

SMART LIGHTING

As children, we all probably wished that we wouldn’t have to get up from our comfortable position on the couch or bed to turn the lights on or off. We wished we could just clap and voila! Job done. Welcome to the future! Not only are there smart lights that respond to clapping but there is an entire universe of smart lighting systems and smart lights. A few to mention are eco-friendly lighting, automatic timing for lights, mood settings, color control, remote access to lighting systems in places with wifi, motion-activated lighting, and more. There are endless options!

As the options in the industry grow by the second, so does the consumer base. Customers have become more sustainability-centric, and have created a demand for smart lighting companies to get creative with the products that are offered.

Listen to the customers: Create a product that they’re asking for that isn’t available, or a tweaked version of an existing one. Smart lighting is the future of home lighting and it’s picking up steam now so it would be a good idea to jump into the sector when you can.

JOURNALING

Again, not a new innovation by any stretch, however, it all comes down to how it’s delivered to the end consumer. Journaling has started to rise into popularity as people are looking for ways to destress, reflect, and practice mindfulness or gratefulness in an effort to take care of their mental and emotional health.

Products such as The Five Minute Journal, The Bullet Journal, The Happiness Planner, The Anxiety Journal, The Passion Planner, and the SELF Journal have become popular in recent years. Consumers will tell you that these simple tools reap so many benefits that lead to improving their overall quality of life.

Do you have a great idea for a journal or a journaling system you want to share with the world? Start developing and refining your idea and turn it into a journal business! It’s too early to tell if it’ll last long term or be a fleeting fad, but nevertheless, there’s room for more growth in this market.

FIDGET TOYS

Every year there is this one product that turns into a phenomenon that tends to last for quite a while. The last year was dominated by fidgeting toys, years after the virally popular fidget spinner. Be it the spinner toy, the fidget cubes, or the squishy toys that you can attach to your phone or laptop, they all were selling out like crazy.

The fidget spinner, however, enjoyed cult status with its own social media challenges cropping up all over. The demand for these toys was so high that at some point the manufacturers that created the ball bearings being used in the toys were under pressure to create more than their capacity allowed.

Even though these toys were initially created for those with anxiety and/or autism and have been around for over 25 years, this now became one of the must-have office toys. Now is a good time to jump in and stock up on these items, for adults and kids alike. Is there another niche you could target fidget toys to, or is there another type of fidget toy you can create?

PLUSH TOYS

Plush toys are the perfect addition to your store if you run a home or lifestyle business geared towards products for children. These types of toys have always been popular, however, there’s always a new type of plush toy that becomes the talk of the children’s community and is a must-have for every parent and child out there.

Research into popular plush toys at the moment and consider how you can make a plush toy that’s irresistible to children, or one that has special functions or additional benefits that parents might be interested in.

Conclusion

We hope this post gives you a sense of what this year has in store for ecommerce businesses as old trends fade away and new trends rise to take their place. Take these trending products and niche ideas into account and either integrate aspects of them into your existing business or use them as inspiration to develop something new that consumers can get excited about.

The post 50+ Best Trending Products to Sell in 2022 appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

Every online store starts with a simple idea, but sometimes you need a bit of a push to turn that idea into a reality.

In 15 Ways to Come Up With an Idea for Your Online Store, we mentioned the #IdeaToStore contest that the folks over at .Store Domains created to inspire wantrepreneurs, and help them share their ideas for a chance to win great prizes and get social validation from other users on Instagram.

Over 5000 submissions for the #IdeaToStore contest rolled in (check out some of them on .Store Domain’s Instagram page) but we’re going to cover 6 great ones in this article.

So, Let’s Recap…

The #IdeaToStore contest was all about encouraging inspiring entrepreneurs to get started — and it did exactly that. It hoped to get wantrepreneurs talking about their ideas and sharing them online, so their followers could get excited for them and support them.

Plus, with .Store sharing these ideas on their own Instagram page and other social platforms, their community helped build up these inspiring entrepreneurs too.

How the #IdeaToStore Contest Encouraged These Entrepreneurs to Get Started With an Idea

Sometimes all it takes, as an aspiring entrepreneur, is to have someone else believe in your idea. Many aspiring entrepreneurs already have great ideas — in fact, some sit on their ideas for years — and a push like the #IdeaToStore contest, with its valuable prizes and high-quality mentors, gives wantrepreneurs the courage they need to pursue their buried ideas. .Store’s platform gave entrants the opportunity to get their idea out in front of an audience so others could discover them.

Here’s an example of two participants who shared their store ideas because of the #IdeaToStore contest:

And of course, every online store needs a domain name to help customers find them online. Because of the #IdeaToStore contest, every person that submitted an idea got a 99% discount on a .Store domain name, and could create their own identity for the online store they were dreaming up.

By giving aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to share their ideas through.Store’s platform, plus giving them an identity online with a domain name, .Store helped aspiring entrepreneurs take the first step towards getting started — which is often the hardest step to take.

Think of it this way: Your store’s domain name is one of the most important parts of starting your online business. Just like a brick-and-mortar business has an address for its physical location, an online store has a domain name. Without an address (or in your case, a domain name) customers can’t visit your store at all. They can’t come to browse your products, window shop, ask you questions, read customer reviews, or more importantly — make a purchase.

So, a domain name is absolutely essential for your online store. When you get one, you’ll have one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. And it’s what will help you turn your online store from just a dream, to a reality.

When you choose the .Store domain extension, you’re immediately letting customers know that you’re an online store that’s open and ready for business; so customers can come right over and shop. It also helps that .Store domain names are a lot less saturated than some other domain name providers. Making it easier to zero-in on the perfect domain name for your business.

6 Inspiring #IdeaToStore Submissions

Thanks to the #IdeaToStore contest and .Store Domains, we’ve been able to see the inspiring human stories that have been made available to everyone on .Store Domain’s Instagram page.

Out of the thousands of passionate entries, the difficult choice of narrowing down the grand prize winner and runner-up was made, and you can see the finalists here.

Amongst other prizes, the grand prize winner received:

• A $20,000 cash prize
• 1-on-1 mentorship with BossBabe and John Lee Dumas
• And a 1-on-1 Q&A with Seth Godin

The grand prize was .Store’s way of helping and enabling the winner to actually take their idea to store!

Beyond the grand prize winner and runner-up, there were so many other great store ideas shared, like…

This aspiring entrepreneur wants to create a CBD-infused period health and wellness brand for anyone who suffers from painful periods or painful sex. A self-described proud endometriosis warrior herself, she’s done being told that the only solution for her pain is to “suck it up” and wants to create a real solution instead. Her dream is to make an internationally-recognized brand that changes society’s views on period and sex health.

Ideal Domain Name: www.maryjanesflo.store

This aspiring entrepreneur has a concept to collaborate with up-and-coming artists to create unique homeware products. She wants to create homewares that are conversation starters and will add value to a person’s space. She highlights that making a house a home has a lot more to do than just having four walls and a window — pieces like the homewares she plans to make with artist collaborators will make personal spaces much more special.

Ideal Domain Name: www.whitakerandbull.store

This aspiring entrepreneur (and runner-up of the contest!) wants to make learning a new language functional and affordable. As an immigrant herself, she’s experienced first-hand the challenges that come with learning a new language in a new country — and she wants to help solve that problem! With her idea, she hopes to make learning English more easily accessible for hardworking immigrants.

Ideal Domain Name: www.inglespamigente.store

This aspiring entrepreneur has a simple “sew-lution” to a problem that many women face. Like many women, she’s experienced the unfortunate circumstance of having a small wardrobe malfunction like a tear in a skirt or a lost button on a blouse, and her simple idea will help women fix the issue easily so they can go on with their day.

Ideal Domain Name: www.sewsustainable.store

This aspiring entrepreneur wants to bring non-traditional gifts for girls to the market. She was teased as a young girl for loving toys, games, and shows that “only boys like”. With her idea, she wants to shine a light on an industry of toys and games that aren’t just for boys, and provide products that aren’t gatekept by any gender.

Ideal Domain Name: www.nerdygifts.store

This aspiring entrepreneur wants to solve feminine health issues with natural ingredients commonly used in her culture. She’s experienced feminine health issues like many other women have, and as she went through the process of trying to solve them, she came across natural healing techniques that are widely used in her culture. With this knowledge, she plans to produce products that will help women manage recurring feminine health issues better.

Ideal Domain Name: www.cupidandeve.store

Follow .Store’s Instagram page to see the video entries received from each of the participants!

Conclusion

As longtime supporters and cheerleaders of all entrepreneurs no matter what stage they’re at — whether their store is simply an idea or it’s been launched and growing — it has been heartwarming to see all of the #IdeaToStore contest entries and the participants’ willingness to put themselves and their ideas, thoughts, and aspirations out in the public domain.

Check out .Store Domains on Instagram to catch up with the contest entries, find out who the grand prize winner and runner-up were (who are now enjoying the benefits of the prizes they won, courtesy of .Store!), and follow for more great entrepreneurial content.

The post 6 Inspiring Entrepreneur Stories: How these Entrepreneurs are Turning their Ideas into Online Stores appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

Printful is a print-on-demand dropshipping company that was launched in 2013 by Latvian business incubator, Draugiem Group. The Draugiem Group has launched hundreds of businesses since its inception in 2004, with Printful being one of its most successful. At the helm of Printful, leading their global team to unicorn-level status, is CEO Dāvis Siksnāns.

Siksnāns joined the Draugiem Group as an IT administrator when he was just 18 years old, and over time, his skills grew and so did his role within the Group. After four years of proving himself and his abilities, he was brought on to lead the launch of Printful, which was created by the Group when they were trying to solve one of their own pain points (more on what that pain point was later in this interview).

Now, Siksnāns runs Printful exclusively and has been a major player in the company’s growth over the last several years. Since he’s an integral part of the print-on-demand industry, we got in touch with him to see what he has to say about print-on-demand, dropshipping, Printful’s successes and failures, and where he sees the future of ecommerce heading.

Enjoy this interview with Dāvis Siksnāns, co-founder and CEO of Printful.

Interview with Dāvis Siksnāns, CEO of Printful

(Dāvis Siksnāns, Printful CEO)

Why is print-on-demand an important business model? Why should merchants choose print-on-demand over any other business model?

Print-on-demand is ideal for those who are just getting started, want to test new products, or want to add a merch component to their business. We work primarily with small- to medium-sized customers but also with enterprise-level companies that handle large volumes.

A key benefit of print-on-demand is that you can react in real-time to whatever is going on and have instantly viral products — we see designs go viral that respond to pop culture moments, politics, and memes. For example, the Bernie Sanders mitten meme from the presidential inauguration generated a lot of new merch.

Consumers are also paying increasingly more attention to sustainability, so we hope that more industries open their eyes to the environmental benefits of on-demand manufacturing. For example, when everything is printed on-demand, less leftover inventory has to end up in landfills. If you print on demand, you don’t have to buy inventory in bulk, and you’re not stuck with products that don’t sell.

When everything is printed on-demand, less leftover inventory has to end up in landfills. If you print on demand, you don’t have to buy inventory in bulk, and you’re not stuck with products that don’t sell.

Why should a merchant source from Printful rather than another drop-shipper? What advantages does Printful offer over other choices?

What makes us stand out is that Printful aims to be a one-stop-shop and not a middle man.

We own the entire production process — from product quality control and printing tech to fulfillment and shipping carrier partnerships. Printful also has in-house fulfillment centers in the USA, Mexico, Europe, and Canada, and we cover a broad geographical area with partners in Japan, Brazil, and Australia, which means faster fulfillment and shipping times to customers worldwide.

Printful supports a wide range of currencies, languages, and integrations in order to be as accessible as possible. On top of printing, we also offer many additional services like warehousing, custom branding, design, product photography and video services, just to name a few.

Dropshipping as a business model, in general, is known for having slim profit margins. Any advice for how merchants can keep their profit margins as healthy as possible so they can be as profitable as possible?

I would suggest focusing a lot on creating content that resonates with your customer base.

With Printful, one of the most important keywords that we want to rank for on Google is “print-on-demand” and its variations, and our Marketing team has always been focused on writing content with this goal in mind. And to this day, most growth coming to Printful is organic because we invested a lot over the years by producing blog posts, videos, and other content about topics that matter to our customers.

You want to think about who your customers are, what content they’re searching for, and invest in SEO very early on. This means that you will save a lot of time and money on largely ineffective advertising, which will boost your margins.

If you’ve established your brand as trustworthy and built a relationship with your customers, you can look into charging an above-average price for your garments, emphasizing their quality and exclusivity. A loyal customer base will be much more likely to pay a premium price for your hard work.

A loyal customer base will be much more likely to pay a premium price for your hard work.

Dropshipping can sometimes also be seen as an unfriendly business model in terms of scalability. How can merchants scale their print-on-demand business? What do they need to keep in mind as they’re growing?

If you’re starting or expanding your business through Printful, you don’t have to worry about outgrowing us or not being able to meet the demands of an expanding consumer base. We definitely have the capacity to accommodate the growth of our customers and aid in their global expansion efforts.

Printful has invested $50.3 million in printing equipment across 10 countries, and we have shipped 35.4 million items totaling over $848 million sold by our customers. In fact, we already work with large enterprise-level businesses that operate with large volumes. Enterprise-level customers make up an increasing share of our revenue, so we are working on strategically choosing new locations for facilities to accommodate. We’re also constantly improving internal processes and technology solutions to reinforce our capacity to work with clients of any volume. The goal is to help the fashion and retail world take full advantage of the on-demand production model globally.

Using Printful has plenty of benefits for large-scale businesses, including avoiding waste from unsold inventory, near-immediate releases of new products, and an easily accessible network of worldwide fulfillment centers. Opening your own facilities is expensive and may not always pay off. It takes a lot of work and negotiation to find the right partners and settle on the terms that would make it a worthwhile investment. If your business uses Printful, we take care of the partnerships and logistics so you don’t have to, which makes growing and scaling up your business even easier.

Are there any success stories you can highlight from Printful’s merchants? What made their print-on-demand stores so successful?

We have tons of customer success stories from all over the world, many of which are featured on our blog, but I also have some favorite examples. One great story is that of Jesus and Sergio who started Gay Pride Apparel in 2019 as a side business. After a year and a half, they quit their day jobs and decided to focus on the store full time. Another remarkable example is Jolie Noire, which stands for “Pretty Black” in French. It’s a growing elevated athleisure brand started by Keyondra and Kim — two sisters who aim to empower women, specifically Black women, by reminding them that Black is beautiful.

How can businesses that already exist, or merchants who are already selling, use Printful to grow even bigger?

It’s easy for established businesses to get stuck in a rut with the mindset of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Testing out the demand for new products involves massive upfront costs for inventory production and storage, but being able to launch a new product easily and immediately could lead to discovering an untapped market and new growth opportunities. Print-on-demand allows you to experiment with new products with little-to-no upfront cost or waiting time.

Our catalog already includes 280+ carefully selected and quality-controlled products, and we add dozens of new products every year. New additions always come with meticulous research and we believe that every product we introduce holds a lot of potential to fit right into our customers’ stores.

What can businesses do to make their print-on-demand products stand out from other print-on-demand products on the market? What are some ways they can make their brand stand out from competitors?

You really have to be willing to focus a lot of your time and energy on good branding and marketing. Many companies believe that they can make a great product and that the product is going to sell itself. I, however, disagree and believe that marketing should be one of the main priorities from day one because even the best product needs to be brought to the right people. Many companies build great products but fall short because they don’t have effective marketing teams to successfully get their products out to customers.

I… believe that marketing should be one of the main priorities from day one because even the best product needs to be brought to the right people.

This also includes investing in good photos, even on social media. High-quality pictures signal trust and great products, while poorly-done pictures actively harm the perception of your brand. We do our best to make life easier for our sellers by doing the work for them — all our products come with a variety of high-quality mockups that can further be customized in our Custom Mockup Maker. In case mockups don’t cut it, customers can also request our photography services, and then our team of in-house photographers will take professional pictures for them.

Another aspect to think about is the niche you are going into. We see our customers succeed when they pick a very distinct niche based on their knowledge of it or ability to target it using social media.

If you were to start a business right now using one of Printful’s products, what would you start selling and why?

I care about sustainability, and it’s also becoming an increasingly important factor to consumers, so I would definitely pick something from our eco-friendly product line. Maybe a streetwear-inspired eco-friendly hoodie or sweatshirt with some minimalist embroidery on it would be a good place to start. It’s something that is both timeless and trendy, especially if you get it slightly oversized.

How do you decide which products to add to Printful’s inventory? Is it driven by your own trend forecasting and/or product gaps, or is it mostly led by what your customers want to sell?

It’s definitely both; we keep a finger on the pulse of how trends move, but we also receive constant feedback from our customers. It’s a delicate balance between the insights we get from our Customer Support team and the research we do to predict trends.

We perform extensive analysis (so that our customers don’t have to) and try to make sure that new products are likely to sell in high volumes and with good margins. Ultimately, we want our customers’ products to be able to sell, so we need to think about the end buyers and their wishes.

Have there ever been any products you’ve tried to add to your inventory but haven’t been able to? Why haven’t they worked?

Yes, of course, that’s a very normal thing during product development — you test things, and not everything works out. Multiple products have been created and put through beta testing in the past but haven’t passed that stage because they didn’t fulfill our quality expectations. A great example of this was black mugs — we tried multiple ways of improving the quality, but they weren’t compatible with the sublimation technique, and we just weren’t happy with the product, so we decided to cancel it.

What’s the most popular product (or products) on Printful right now? What sells like hotcakes?

Products like t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs continue to lead the way as staple products because those are the easiest to start with. However, we have been expanding our catalog with more unique products lately, which can help our customers stand out from the crowd. Tie-dye, distressed, and vintage patterns have been a few of the hottest trends lately, so we do our best to accommodate. Eco-friendly products have also been gaining in popularity lately, and we expect this to continue.

Can you give us any hints or insider information about products or product categories that might be coming to Printful soon? Or any brand new services Printful might be adding to help merchants?

We’re constantly working on new products and services, but we’d prefer not to disclose any specific upcoming releases. You can definitely expect new additions in every product category, though. Having said that, I can at least tell you about our new locations in Texas, Poland, and the UK coming later this year. We’re also moving to a larger space in California and expanding our current capacity in Mexico by adding another facility.

Do you notice any trends in the types of products that merchants want to sell online? Do you have any idea of where ecommerce product trends might go in the future?

The big shifts over the past year and throughout 2021 have been heavily influenced by the pandemic. We’ve seen an enormous increase in demand for face masks, loungewear, and athleticwear, along with the mass shift towards working from home. We suspect that these changes are here to stay for the most part since companies are looking into making remote work the norm, and employees won’t be willing to let go of the freedom they experienced during this time. Another trend to be on the lookout for is unisex and oversized streetwear, driven largely by the growing Gen Z audience.

Overall, we’ve noticed that consumers are increasingly shifting towards sustainability in their everyday choices. After surveying our customers, 83% stated that sustainability is a must-have for the brands they choose, which leads to a shift away from seasonal fashion and more towards high-quality products that can be worn for longer. We expect this trend to further pick up in the upcoming years.

After surveying our customers, 83% stated that sustainability is a must-have for the brands they choose, which leads to a shift away from seasonal fashion and more towards high-quality products that can be worn for longer.

What’s been Printful’s biggest success to date?

We are the first Latvian unicorn, putting us on the map alongside Estonia’s Skype, Wise, and Lithuania’s Vinted. Getting a valuation of more than $1 billion confirms the strength of Printful’s position and also shows that we operate in an industry with significant growth potential.

What’s been Printful’s biggest failure to date?

In ecommerce, it’s essential to deliver goods to your customers as quickly as possible. We can see that with Amazon — they’ve seen immense success with their two-day fulfillment and by putting their fulfillment centers close to where their customers are. We are trying to follow that in our own way through strategic location choices and localization efforts, but I wish we had started these projects sooner.

What goal is Printful striving towards right now?

More than anything, we want to become a true one-stop-shop for anybody who wants to start an ecommerce business. We aim to be able to help any entrepreneur build their small and medium-sized online business without having to worry about printing, shipping, and warehousing, so they can focus on their passion and the fun parts of running their business.

We aim to be able to help any entrepreneur build their small and medium-sized online business without having to worry about printing, shipping, and warehousing, so they can focus on their passion and the fun parts of running their business.

Is it true that Printful has its own Printful store (Startup Vitamins)? What have you learned by continuing to be one of your own customers?

Yes, it’s true, and Printful was started to solve a problem that Startup Vitamins encountered.

Originally, we created Startup Vitamins to design posters with inspirational startup quotes and sell them on demand. Once we moved into designing apparel, we wanted to stick with the same on-demand model, but the only places doing that at the time were mom-and-pop print shops. They printed t-shirts, but couldn’t quite adapt to the new age of ecommerce and online stores quickly enough, which is what inspired Printful — we needed a print-on-demand service that would integrate with our Shopify backend. So the idea of Printful came from us meeting our own needs.

Finding this niche helped us understand our customers better and develop a better service. This is why all the products we sell on Startup Vitamins are still fulfilled by Printful. We use our own products and often test new features, which allows us to be our own customer with Printful.

In your opinion, where does the future of print-on-demand look like it’s going? What changes might we see, or what new things are on the horizon?

Ecommerce is only going to keep growing as more people shop online. However, the industry will have to keep up with increasing expectations for faster shipping, faster fulfillment, mobile commerce, and other factors that influence how shopping online can offer instant gratification.

Another challenge that ecommerce will have to face is maintaining the delicate balance between speed and sustainability since both of these things are becoming increasingly important to consumers.

What message would you give to merchants who are thinking about starting their first online store but aren’t sure where to start, or are overwhelmed by everything it takes to get started?

Just give it a try! You’re really not losing anything since there’s no stock to buy and store. Play around with the designs that you have in mind, watch some YouTube tutorials, subscribe to A Better Lemonade Stand for some regular marketing wisdom, and order a sample to see if it’s something you would wear yourself. If yes, share it with the world.

Conclusion

Big thanks to Dāvis Siksnāns for sharing these insights with us — we hope his wisdom taught you a little something about dropshipping, print-on-demand, and Printful.

Curious to start your own ecommerce store now? Start it with Printful! It seriously couldn’t be easier and like Siksnāns said, “just give it a try!” What do you have to lose?

To get more from Siksnāns, follow him on Twitter. To learn more about why we think Printful is worth the hype, check out our Printful Review. For more advice and inspiration on how to make the best products with Printful, check out Printful’s YouTube channel and Printful’s blog.

The post Starting & Scaling a Print-on-Demand Business with Printful CEO Dāvis Siksnāns appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. – Bertrand Russell

Introduction to Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome is said to affect about 70% of the population at some point in their lives, according to a study in the International Journal of Behavioral Science. The term was first coined in the ’70s by psychologists Dr. Suzanne Imes and Dr. Pauline Rose Clance and “Refers to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”, despite external evidence of their competence.” (Source) People who exhibit Imposter Syndrome remain convinced that their own success and achievements are attributed to luck, timing, or because they were able to fool others into thinking that they are smarter and more competent than they actually themselves believe they are.

Even though Imposter Syndrome isn’t listed as an official diagnosis in any of the manuals about mental disorders, psychologists and healthcare professionals do acknowledge it as a crippling form of intellectual self-doubt. What’s interesting is that even though the syndrome isn’t an official diagnosis in itself, the feelings associated with it usually go hand in hand with other recognized mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

It’s so important to understand that statistically, 7 out of the 10 people around you may actually be facing emotions of Imposter Syndrome, or at least are likely to at some point in their lives, just like you. Even though it was initially believed that women were more affected by Imposter Syndrome than men, recent studies have shown that this is not a gendered experience.

Oftentimes, the root of these fraudulent feelings can be traced back to our childhood. Growing up in a family where parents or other influential role models oscillate between over-criticism and over-praise—wherein success and achievements are of the utmost importance—can prompt the child into becoming a highly ambitious over-achiever who is at risk of experiencing Imposter Syndrome as they mature. Of course, society’s standards of success and the pressure that accompanies them, only adds fuel to the fire.

Other factors that lead to fuelling this sense of being a fraud are the way we differ from the majority of our peers, be it our appearance, gender, sexual orientation, race, or other defining characteristics. Millennials are also at a higher risk of facing feelings of Imposter Syndrome, as their time of entering the workforce is occurring during some remarkable technological and socio-economic developments that require constant learning and adaptability due to the rate that mankind is excelling at.

While some people may see adaptability as a good trait to possess, it can also make others feel like they aren’t equipped with the expertise they should have to begin with, rather than learning and adapting to situations. Perfectly curated social media feeds don’t help either—in many cases, people base their self worth on another’s Facebook or LinkedIn page and are severely critical about the way they perceive themselves in comparison. At this point, their perceptions are often not aligned with the reality of things.

One attribute that commonly occurs in high-achieving people and often accompanies Imposter Syndrome is perfectionism. Perfectionism typically leads a person to take one of two routes: Procrastination or over-preparation. Someone dealing with imposter-like feelings is very likely to put off tasks until the very last minute due to a sometimes irrational fear that they may not complete the task at high enough standards, or on the flip side, they may spend way too much time on the task when it isn’t required.

Criticism, failure, and mistakes seem to be the only thing that people with Imposter Syndrome dwell upon. This trait often translates into a deep-running fear of the person’s failures being exposed and can limit the chance to explore and take a leap of faith.

Although it is possible to ease the feelings related to imposter syndrome, the best way to deal with it is to address it while it’s taking root. Transparency about such feelings with someone you look up to, or in a safe environment, can really help. However, this method of management works best when there is two-way communication; When mentors open up about their experiences with imposter syndrome, it brings light to the fact that others also face the same feelings of inadequacy. This may help others from victimizing themselves as it no longer feels like a negative experience that is limited to only them.

Another great reflective tool that many people use includes making lists of their own successes, accomplishments, and positive experiences where they stood out or felt like they truly deserved the accolades they received. This helps to reiterate the fact that one may not be an “imposter” after all. Of course, having a strong support system that is open to discussing these feelings while providing feedback regularly, is one of the best ways to cope with the syndrome.

You Aren’t Facing Imposter Syndrome Alone

In the name of cutting out the isolation that comes with the infamous Imposter Syndrome, here is a list of 10 highly successful individuals in their respective fields who at some point have or still experience these crippling insecurities.

Albert Einstein

Even a man of Einstein’s caliber and genius was not immune to feeling like a fraud. Perhaps one of the most influential scientists of the last 5 centuries, Albert Einstein was known to have faced Imposter Syndrome later in life. He was once quoted saying to a close confidant:

The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler. – Albert Einstein

It’s extremely surprising and a little hard to understand how someone as brilliant as him may have had insecurities about his own achievements, but it only goes to show that it’s all a part of being human.

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou’s list of achievements is one that can hardly be replicated by someone else. She was a poet, civil rights activist, memoirist, actor, director, producer, and author who published 7 autobiographies, 3 books of essays, countless books on poetry, has an extremely impressive literary career wherein she is credited with writing a long list of plays, screenplays for movies and television—over the span of 5 decades—and has over 50 honorary degrees along with several other impressive awards and accolades—all while facing her own personal hardships. A woman of such substance and grit, yet Angelou was once quoted saying:

I have written eleven books, but each time I think, “Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.” – Maya Angelou

John Steinbeck

Another brilliant author, Steinbeck was the winner of two of the most prestigious awards in the world: The 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature and the Pulitzer Prize for his famous work, The Grapes of Wrath. Not only are his literary works inspiring generations even after his death, his books are also being adapted to movies, namely the 2016 film, In Dubious Battle, which starred James Franco and Selena Gomez. Contrary to how successful others thought he was, Steinbeck wrote in his journal:

I am not a writer. I’ve been fooling myself and other people. – John Steinbeck

He also famously admired the characters in his works for being “So much stronger and purer and braver,” than he was.

Sheryl Sandberg

The first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors, Sandberg is currently the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), however, even before Facebook, she has been linked to an impressive number of organizations. In the past, she has also been the Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google and had an active role in launching Google.org, which is the company’s philanthropic vertical. Her long list of achievements further include serving as the United States Secretary of Treasury’s Chief of Staff, being named in the Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list, and, more recently, establishing the Lean In Foundation and becoming an author. Sandberg is said to be worth over 1 Billion US Dollars, thanks to her stocks in Facebook and several other profitable companies. Even after achieving what would seem like the epitome of success to many career-oriented people, she states:

There are still days when I wake up feeling like a fraud, not sure I should be where I am. – Sheryl Sandberg

Meryl Streep

Often hailed as the best actress of her generation, Meryl Streep is hugely famous for her ability to adapt to different accents and for the versatility of the roles she plays. Streep is said to be one of the only six actors who have won 3+ competitive Oscars for acting and 20 nominations, has had 30 Golden Globe Nominations, of which she won 8, which is more nominations or competitive wins than any other actor. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2010 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 by President Obama and has managed to secure accolades and fame internationally too, wherein even the Government of France made her the Commander of the Orders of Arts and Letters in 2003. Even after smashing records and winning the highest and most prestigious awards possible across the globe, Meryl Streep still has been quoted as saying:

You think, “Why would anyone want to see me again in a movie? And I don’t know how to act anyway, so why am I doing this?” – Meryl Streep

Tina Fey

Given how remarkably tough it is for female comedians to make it an industry renowned for sexism, Tina Fey has truly carved a niche for herself, all while silencing naysayers. She is an actor, comedian, writer, and producer, has won 9 Primetime Emmy Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, 5 Screen Actors Guild Awards, 4 Writers Guild of America Awards throughout her career so far and has also been awarded the Associated Press Entertainer of the Year Award in 2008. Furthermore, she surpassed any remaining glass ceilings when she was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2010, making her the youngest ever recipient of the award. She talks candidly about her encounter with Imposter Syndrome:

The beauty of the imposter syndrome is you vacillate between extreme egomania and a complete feeling of: “I’m a fraud! Oh God, they’re on to me! I’m a fraud!” So you just try to ride the egomania when it comes and enjoy it, and then slide through the idea of fraud. – Tina Fey

Cheryl Strayed

Anyone who knows of Cheryl Strayed can tell you that the woman is the definition of grit and determination. She has had a tumultuous past ever since her mother died of lung cancer and she took to heroin to deal with the grief. This eventually led to the end of her first marriage. Strayed’s journey to healing and self-discovery led her to hike solo along the 1,100 mile-long Pacific Crest Trail without any prior knowledge or experience of hiking at the age of 26. She was able to beautifully capture the parallel narratives of the experiences during the hike and her personal challenges in life, in the book. She is a memoirist, essayist, podcast host, and the author of 5 bestselling books. Even though she was triumphant in the face of adversity and difficult situations that she got through all by herself, she has also dealt with Imposter Syndrome in some ways:

Writing is always full of self-doubt, but the first book [Torch] is really full of self-doubt, and it was much more of a struggle to keep the faith. By the time I wrote Wild, I was familiar with that feeling of doubt and self-loathing, so I just thought, “Okay, this is how it feels to write a book.” – Cheryl Strayed

Emma Watson

Emma Watson is an actor, model, and activist with an estimated net worth of 70 Million US Dollars—all at her current age of 27. Her accomplishments include graduating from Brown University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, all the while handling a professional acting career as well. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts honored Watson with the British Artist of the Year title in 2014 and in the same year she was also appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. With her role at the UN, Watson launched the HeForShe Campaign that actively encourages men to take up the role of gender-equality advocates. Reaching such heights of success at a young age sometimes made her feel like an imposter. She once said:

When I was younger, I just did it. I just acted. It was just there. So now when I receive recognition for my acting, I feel incredibly uncomfortable. I tend to turn in on myself. I feel like an imposter. It was just something I did. – Emma Watson

Natalie Portman

While most people know of Natalie Portman as a brilliant actress, her genius isn’t just limited to the arts. She is well known for her affinity towards foreign languages since childhood and has thus subsequently studied Hebrew, French, Japanese, German, and Arabic. A lesser-known fact about her is that she co-authored two research papers that were published in scientific journals—”A Simple Method to Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar” which she co-wrote in high school and was entered into the Intel Science Talent Search, and worked on the “Frontal Lobe Activation During Object Permanence: Data From Near-Infrared Spectroscopy” paper, during her time studying Psychology at Harvard. Yet she stated:

When I got to Harvard just after the release of Star Wars: Episode 1, I feared people would assume I had gotten in just for being famous, and not worthy of the intellectual rigor here. – Natalie Portman

Lady Gaga

Gaga is known to be one of the best selling musicians of all times, with over 27 million albums and 146 million singles sold. Her talent and hard work have paid off in the form of 3 Brit Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, awards from the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and even several Guinness World Records. She was voted to be one of VH1’s Top 5 Greatest Women in Music, Time’s Most Influential People of the past decade (2011), and has also been on Forbes’s Power and Earning Rankings. Her efforts towards LGBTQ rights and social activism has led her to start the Born This Way Foundation in order to combat bullying and empowering LGBTQ youth. Lady Gaga’s philanthropic work stems from her own experiences as a young person and sometimes those feeling do resurface. She once was quoted saying:

I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school and I just have to pick myself up and tell myself that I’m a superstar every morning so that I can get through this day and be for my fans what they need for me to be. – Lady Gaga

This list of prominent personalities opens up a small window into the minds of some well known successful people and helps cement the fact that no matter how alone you think you are when it comes to Imposter Syndrome, the reality is that you aren’t. Celebrities can feel like imposters, successful people can feel like imposters, and anyone else can as well. It’s important to remember that the feeling of being a fraud doesn’t actually make you one.

How Do I Know if it’s Imposter Syndrome?

People who experience Imposter Syndrome lose out on some great opportunities because of their lack of faith in themselves and the feeling that they may not be qualified. Here are some situations that arise or pointers that can be noticed that can become detrimental to a person’s mental health over a long period of time:

• Having a marginally higher level of stress.
• Anxiety about even the smallest of tasks.
• Procrastination that leads to more anxiety.
• Constantly living in the fear of someone finding out about their lack of experience or skills.
• Feeling like they don’t belong.
• Always either understating or completely disclaiming their achievements and experiences.
• Shying away from asking for a raise because they feel that someone else may deserve it more than them, thus implying that their own worth isn’t as much.
• Not applying for jobs or promotions, even when it’s an appropriate position for them.
• Extreme nervousness and sometimes even anxiety when they have to talk to someone in their own field due to the fear of being “found out.” Can hamper some great networking opportunities.
• Over-preparing for tasks.
• Looking for perfectionism in everything and everyone and when expectations aren’t met, it causes anxiety.
• Even going to the extent of becoming a people-pleaser to keep up the “perfect” image thus never being able to say a firm “No” to anybody.

I Think I Know Someone Who May Have Imposter Syndrome

Firstly, kudos to you for recognizing this pattern in someone else. Unfortunately, the chances are that they may not even be aware that Imposter Syndrome is a real thing. So, what are the steps that you could take to support them?

• Have an open line of communication with the person before you delve into the nitty-gritty details of what they are going through.
• Share your own experience of having these fraudulent feelings if you have been through them, too.
• Maybe start a blog and help even more people connect to a community of supporters.
• Encourage the people that you care about to apply for a job, raise, or promotion that you know they deserve, but back it up with why you think they qualify for the position.
• Don’t let the people around you underplay or misrepresent their success or experience as any less than it is. Empower them by letting them know that it’s okay to own it!
• Maybe even write a LinkedIn recommendation for someone you know who deserves it.
• Ask questions about them and drop little compliments that aren’t superficial, but actually relate to what they are insecure about. It may help them see themselves in a different light.

I Think I May Be the One Dealing With Imposter Syndrome

The fact that you recognize that you might be experiencing Imposter Syndrome is a big plus. It is understandable that you may want to prove yourself but feel that you aren’t equipped with reputable skills or abilities, but oscillating between the fear of failure and fear of success can be self-sabotaging. This constant internal struggle can prevent you from reaching your full potential. Here are a few tips and tricks to deal with Imposter Syndrome when you notice its effects:

Own Your Achievements

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. – C.S. Lewis

Learn to take a compliment. When someone says that you did a good job, instead of being modest and rejecting what they said, say a simple “Thank you,” or “I appreciate you noticing the effort I put in, thanks!” Not only is it good manners and makes others feel like you know how to graciously accept a compliment, but it also makes you feel good about yourself. Being humble is a good thing but while you may think you are being modest by not accepting accolades, it may actually come off as insulting to the person who gave you the compliment as it makes them feel like you don’t value their opinion.

You have to realize that even if you were given an opportunity that others didn’t get a shot at, you may have done something to actually deserve it. Our inability to internalize our success may sometimes make us feel like we don’t deserve it but in reality, there are other factors than just luck and timing: The way you present yourself, your personality, your ability to pick up skills fast, or communication skills can all play a role. It could be the smallest thing, or a combination of things, that landed you the opportunity, but it was all you. Own it.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Everyone Around You

So you log into Facebook and you see that one individual who is traveling the world and living the good life. You log onto LinkedIn and you see that person from your high school who is now the CEO of a successful start-up. You check your Instagram feed and you see that friend who is now getting their third Graduate Degree.

Here’s the thing: Just as you’re thinking about how you wish you were one of them, they, and probably several others, are probably wishing they were you. Think about it: Do you post a selfie of your 3 am mental breakdown on your bathroom floor, or do you post about the marathon you ran last week and the fun Saturday night out? The perfectly curated and filtered out feeds on social media are only the best version of the life that others want you to see. In the kind of connected world that we live in, it’s too easy to fall down the comparison rabbit hole. As Emerson once wrote:

Envy is ignorance. – Waldo Emerson

There will always be someone doing what you do or what you want to do, but that doesn’t make your unique skills and abilities lesser than theirs. Respect your own experiences and just be you. Stop focusing on your neighbor’s grass and water your own.

Make a physical note of every nice thing that someone says about you

A visual reminder can be very reaffirming. Make a note of the compliments you receive on a daily basis, no matter how small it is. When someone compliments you, it gives you a glimpse into how others perceive you. It can be easy to forget all the positives about yourself because you live with it every day, so turn to these notes whenever you feel like a fraud and they will help lift your spirits.

Remind yourself of the value that you provide

Instead of asking yourself “Why me?” ask yourself “Why not me?” In a professional environment, it can be easy to doubt your skills and experiences, and that may cause anxiety. However, you belong in the position you do, because your boss or someone at another senior-level hired you, as they think you have what it takes. The value you add can be anything from doing the actual work or even just keeping the team morale up.

Remember, everyone is just as clueless as you are

Honestly, no one knows what they are doing. Everyone is just putting their best foot forward, trying as hard as they can, and hoping things work out. The future is uncertain for everyone, not just you. Most success stories you hear about only actually happened after multiple failures such as inventions that didn’t work, millions of dollars that got lost, or start-ups that didn’t make it. Thomas Edison famously said:

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. – Thomas Edison

The point is that if Edison had given up the first time, or even the hundredth time, that something didn’t work, he wouldn’t ever have come to be known as one of modern-day America’s best inventors. It took a lot of bravery and constant failure, but also perseverance in the face of the unknown, which led to his success. One wouldn’t call him an imposter for trying to add value to the world and the same logic also applies to everyone else, including you.

Stop giving yourself so much importance

Perfectionism may be the cause, or the unfortunate side effect, of Imposter Syndrome. The truth behind perfectionism is the stress we put on self-importance and perfection that may have never been there. To be human is to err. When you constantly try to put forth the image of being the poster child of success and achievements, you risk doing things that make you feel less like you and more like a fraud. Take yourself off that pedestal and watch a bit of the stress evaporate.

Be Vulnerable

Vulnerability can be liberating. What fuels Imposter Syndrome is our misconception that others may not be able to deal with the “real us”. This again relates to putting yourself on a pedestal. Not only is it self-inflicted intellectual torture, but it stops you from connecting to others. Our vulnerabilities are part of what allows us to form true human connections, so be open to being vulnerable so you can share your “real” personality with others.

Being vulnerable can also be achieved by just writing down your deepest, darkest thoughts and fears, no matter how taboo they are. This process helps you push these thoughts and feelings out and externalizes them—you may then be able to see them from a more organized and sane perspective. If you feel that you’re able to express yourself through some other art form better, do that instead. The more you write or create the more you’ll be connected to yourself and eventually, you’ll be able to be your most vulnerable self around others as well.

Find Your Confidant

Finding someone with who you can openly discuss your feelings of Imposter Syndrome can be so therapeutic. Being able to tell them that, “Hey, I feel like a total fraud and don’t deserve any of this,” can help relieve you of the emotional and mental burden that you carry. Your confidant may be able to talk you through your feelings and help point out why they think you deserve your success, even when you can’t see it yourself.

Say it out loud

Acknowledging a problem is usually the first step towards dealing with it. If you are in denial, the problem will only fester and the eventual consequences may be worse. So say it out loud and accept the responsibility of addressing the issue.

Realize how it affects those around you

When you let Imposter Syndrome take over your life, it not only affects you but also the people around you. When you hold yourself back it can make you emotionally stunted and unavailable for those who actually need you. Those who have always supported you and/or look up to you may feel disappointed in the fact that you don’t see yourself the way they see you. Not only that but on a daily basis, even your mood can rub off on others and create a negative environment around you, which is harmful to yourself and the others around you, too.

Messing up does not make you a fraud

Why would you glorify your failures if you don’t also glorify your successes? Making a mistake or being wrong about something that you think you know well does not make you an imposter. Everybody is wrong about stuff all the time. Big deal. Just look at the number of goof-ups that people on your social media platforms have made: Celebrities say stuff that they shouldn’t have, people make mistakes about technical stuff, and even famous writers have typos and grammatical errors. Heck, even we started from the bottom here on A Better Lemonade Stand, eventually improved our website, and built a dedicated audience of entrepreneurs eager to build, launch and grow their own ecommerce businesses.

Look at the sports team that you support or your favorite athlete. I can guarantee that they won’t have a 100% track record. They are bound to lose some games and it’s absolutely normal, in fact, if they won every time, what would be the fun in watching them play? Losing does not make them any less of an athlete, it’s just part of the game. The same goes for you—making a mistake does not make you a fraud. Learn from your mistake and move on.

Fake it Until you make it

It works more often than you think. The term “neuroplasticity” means that you can shape and train your brain by pretending. That’s how babies learn to walk and talk and also why sometimes smiling when you’re upset, can actually make you feel better. So even if you feel like you’re fake right now, that may not be true forever.

The point here is that most of the people who have made it big have definitely imitated others and picked up on different skills and mannerisms by faking it. There’s nothing wrong with it and it also doesn’t mean that you are an impostor for doing so.

The “Real You” is subjective

Think of who you were two years back and think of who you are today. Are these two versions of yourself EXACTLY the same? No? That’s because you are constantly growing, changing, learning, and shaping into a better version of yourself. The experiences you have, the hardships you face, the people you meet, all have a lasting impact on your life thus changing you bit by bit. So when you say that you want to be yourself, what does that even mean? Is it a solid and attainable version of you that will never change, no matter what? That actually sounds scary as it takes away the zest for learning and prevents you from opening up your mind to new ideas.

You will also never be the same with any two people. Your interactions will be based on the kind of relationship you share, the situation you are in, and the experiences you have had with them individually. Everyone gets a different version of you and that’s alright. It doesn’t make you fake, just a normal human being.

Your title and credentials DO NOT define you

Focusing on the titles you’ve earned instead of the good you’ve done is a fast track way of driving yourself crazy. No matter how many credentials you obtain, you may not feel like you’ve achieved enough if you are dealing with Imposter Syndrome. However, focusing on the minute details of all the good things that you have done may help ease the feeling of not being good enough. Truth be told, even the “experts” are people who are constantly learning new things and may very well be proved wrong in the near future. That doesn’t make them an imposter and also goes to show that titles can often be just empty shells.

You Won’t Live Forever

As morbid as it sounds, it’s true. Essentially, everyone is going to die. Just because Shakespeare created beautiful literature and Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, did not excuse them from eventually meeting their fate. Success doesn’t guarantee anything. So instead of wasting all your time worrying about the fact that people will find out about your apparent “fakeness”, just do your best and move on. At the end of it all, you don’t want to be left with regrets; “I should have applied for that job!” “I shouldn’t have wasted my time trying to be perfect!” Accept yourself just as you accept and recognize the efforts and achievements of others.

Conclusion

In conclusion to this article, I’m going to leave this excerpt from a blog post by the bestselling author Neil Gaiman, in response to a fan reaching out for help to beat Imposter Syndrome:

“The best help I can offer is to point you to Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence. She talks about Imposter Syndrome (and interviews me in it) and offers helpful insight.

The second best help might be in the form of an anecdote. Some years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to a gathering of great and good people: artists and scientists, writers and discoverers of things. And I felt that at any moment they would realize that I didn’t qualify to be there, among these people who had really done things.

On my second or third night there, I was standing at the back of the hall, while a musical entertainment happened, and I started talking to a very nice, polite, elderly gentleman about several things, including our shared first name. And then he pointed to the hall of people, and said words to the effect of, “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.”

And I said, “Yes. But you were the first man on the moon. I think that counts for something.”

And I felt a bit better. Because if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did. Maybe there weren’t any grown-ups, only people who had worked hard and also got lucky and were slightly out of their depth, all of us doing the best job we could, which is all we can really hope for.”

The post Imposter Syndrome: Am I Actually Successful or Just a Fraud? appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

However, when I look back at some of the most challenging times in my life, I’ve always found myself gravitating towards inspirational content to help me power through those times or to provide a bump of courage needed to make hard decisions.

I thought it was about time I did a roundup of some of my favorite quotes and inspirational videos that have helped me throughout my life. The quotes and videos below all have an important message in them that has motivated me to make an important decision in my life. We all have different things that motivate us, but I hope that maybe some of these quotes or videos will speak to you the way they have to me.

Attitude

Attitude is everything. It took me a long time to realize that but you can dramatically and instantly change any situation you find yourself in just by changing your attitude. While you won’t have control over every situation every time, you will have control of your attitude, every time. The following quote was introduced to me in my final year of college by a professor and it helped transform the way I see situations:

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church….a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes. ― Charles R. Swindoll

No More Zero Days

Back in college, in just one summer, I added over 25lbs of muscle to my 150lbs frame. My secret? Every single day I worked out. Without fail. There was nothing that would hold me back. Sometimes, I would be sick, exhausted or hungover but I forced myself to drive to the gym. Many times I would be so tired or sick that I would do one pull-up and leave the gym and drive all the way home. It was kinda silly but it worked. It forced me to keep moving forward and never lose momentum.

This method was summarized really well by the user “Ryans01” on Reddit when he was giving advice to a fellow entrepreneur. He listed several rules but the most important one, and the one that blew up on Reddit, was called “No More Zero Days.” It has become so popular it now has a subreddit dedicated to it and a cult-like following.

Here’s Ryans01 rule:

Rule numero uno – There are no more zero days. What’s a zero day? A zero day is when you don’t do a single fucking thing towards whatever dream or goal or want or whatever that you got going on. No more zeros.

I’m not saying you gotta bust an essay out everyday, that’s not the point. The point I’m trying to make is that you have to make yourself, promise yourself, that the new SYSTEM you live in is a NON-ZERO system.

Didn’t do anything all fucking day and it’s 11:58 PM? Write one sentence. One pushup. Read one page of that chapter. One. Because one is non zero. You feel me? When you’re in the super vortex of being bummed your pattern of behavior is keeping the vortex goin, that’s what you’re used to.

Turning into productivity ultimate master of the universe doesn’t happen from the vortex. It happens from a massive string of CONSISTENT NON ZEROS. That’s rule number one. Do not forget. ― Ryans01

I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not. I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

Rise & Grind

Next up is a motivational video from Nike and it’s pure poetry. There are a few quotes in this monologue that I feel are pretty powerful and re-energize me every time I start to feel lazy.

Never forget that momentum is a cruel mistress, 
She can turn on a dime with the smallest mistake.
 She is ever searching for that weak place in your armor
, that one tiny thing you forgot to prepare for
.

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You’re a lion in a field of lions, all hunting the same elusive prey with a desperate starvation that says VICTORY is the only thing that can keep you alive
.

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Luck is the last dying wish of those who wanna believe that winning can happen by accident, sweat on the other hand is for those who know it’s a choice.

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Talent vs. Greatness

In the next video, Will Smith talks about talent vs. skill and his thoughts on them. Again, the theme is really about working hard and hustling. He explains how talent — while great and all — can fail you. It’s hard work and never giving up that will stand the test of time and make you truly great at your craft.

The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be out-worked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me, you might be all of those things, you got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple.

I Am a Champion

This is a popular speech a coach gave to his football team before a big game that has made its rounds on the internet. The intensity and word choices he uses are powerful and there are several really great quotes in this video that I feel stand out.

Some of my favorites are:

No one will deny me. No one will defy me. And no one will tell me who and what I am and what I can be. Belief will change my world. It has moved continents, it has moved countries. It has put man on the moon.

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My heart and my mind will carry my body when my limbs are too weak.

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History will remember me. I will not have to worry about him being kind. I will define myself. I will write my own praises.

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Who Do You Want To Be In Life?

There’s no denying Arnold Schwarzenegger’s success. The guy moved from Austria to America with nothing, became one of the most famous bodybuilders of all time, ran several successful businesses, went on to become one of the most successful movie stars of all time with one of the most successful quotes in movie history (“I’ll be back”), went on to become the Governor of California and married a Kennedy. Like he says in the video below, “If I had listened to the naysayers, I’d still be in the Austrian Alps yodeling.”

Here are some of the quotes from the video below, which I believe originally came from a University commencement speech):

Don’t be afraid to fail. Anything I ever attempted I was always willing to fail. Don’t be afraid of making decisions. You can’t be paralyzed by fear of failure or you will never push yourself.

Too many people are afraid to start their first ecommerce business because they aren’t sure if they have chosen the right product or niche or they don’t know which ecommerce platform to use. I searched for months for my first ecommerce product. When I felt like I was going to give up on the dream of starting my own ecommerce business I randomly choose a product to sell just so I could keep going instead of letting the dream die. I wasn’t afraid to fail, in fact, I was sure I probably would fail but I knew I had to take a shot.

You keep pushing because you believe in yourself and in your vision. And you know it’s the right thing to do. Success will come.

Your vision may change over time but you should always have a vision of where you want to be and your path to get there. Stay steadfast on that path and every day take one step forward.

You never want to fail because you didn’t work hard enough.

I don’t work a 4-hour workweek. My weeks are closer to 80-100 hours. When I take trips and vacations I work. In fact, I am writing this post from Paris right now. At the end of the day even if I fail, no one — but most importantly, me — will be able to say I didn’t work hard enough.

Arnold also breaks down his 6 rules for success which are noteworthy:

1. Trust yourself
2. Break some rules
3. Don’t be afraid to fail
4. Ignore the naysayers
5. Work like hell
6. Give something back

Rocky’s Speech

I use to blame other people for not being where I wanted to be in life. It sounds weird, right? Well, growing up — and working part-time jobs and, right up until a few years ago, working corporate — I would blame the company for not paying me more. I’d blame my manager for not recognizing my talents, abilities, and efforts and rewarding me more. It was always their fault.

The next quote from the Rocky movie is a popular one but hit me especially hard (no pun intended).

You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!

The key line here that impacted me was, “If you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth.” You can’t blame anyone else for not being where you want or expected to be in life. If you are worth more money or respect, then go and get it.

Conclusion

There you have it: My favorite quotes that have all—at some point in time—inspired or motivated me to make a big decision or take action. Do any of these inspirational quotes speak to you?

The post Quotes and Videos that Will Inspire & Motivate You to Take Major Action appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

If this sounds appealing, you might want to focus your travels on places that attract communities of like-minded digital nomads who are also working as they travel the world.

So, this raises some questions: Where are the best places to enjoy life as an ecommerce digital nomad and what are the best remote working locations in the world?

We’ve rounded up 20 of some of the best worldwide locations for working remotely. To be honest, no one destination is our top pick, so in the interests of fairness, we’re going to take an alphabetical approach.

As we’ve put together this roundup, we’ve taken the following into account:

• Popular spots for travelers
• The cost of accommodation
• The price of food
• Access to co-working hubs (Like the ones we mentioned in our Top 10 Best Co-Working & Co-Living Spaces Around the World article)

However, we haven’t excluded popular destinations just because they’re more expensive. After all, it’s up to you where you and your laptop go, and where you choose to work.

With all that being said, here are the destinations we’re going to cover:

• Auckland, New Zealand
• Bengaluru, India
• Budapest, Hungary
• Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Hanoi, Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
• Krakow, Poland
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Marrakesh, Morocco
• Medellin, Colombia
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Portland, Oregon
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Sanur, Bali
• Seville, Spain
• Taipei, Taiwan
• Thessaloniki, Greece

So, let’s look at each one in a little more detail…

Best Remote Working Locations #1: Auckland, New Zealand

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If you’re traveling around the world and you’re determined to see the dramatic scenery New Zealand has to offer, Auckland is an excellent starting point.

It’s an exciting city—in fact, it’s New Zealand’s largest—but despite that, it’s safe and easy to walk around.

There’s also plenty to do there in your downtime like visiting Waiheke Island, the Bay of Islands, hiking in the Waitakere Ranges, touring Shakespear Regional Park or even visiting spectacular coastlines and quirky local art galleries. Wherever your passions lie, you won’t be short of things to do.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: With an average speed of 28 MBPS and plenty of free Wi-Fi spots across the city—including libraries and cafes—getting online shouldn’t be a problem
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, it’s $1.55 New Zealand Dollars (NZD) to $1 USD
• Weather: The warmest months range from November to April when temperatures average between 22-26°C. Between May to October, it’s colder, with temperatures sitting between 15-19°C
• Accommodation: Airbnb prices vary depending on the time of year but for a private room you’re looking at spending around $50-60 USD per night. A basic hotel, however, will cost you roughly $80 per night. If you think you’ll base yourself in Auckland for a while, it may be cheaper to rent a studio for a month which costs roughly $760 per month
• Food: The typical cost of a basic dinner per person is about $13 and a beer will set you back around $6 USD
• Coworking Spaces: There are a fair few coworking spaces dotted around the city which are definitely worth checking out. For example, Generator, SharedSpace, Think Space, and The Workshop—just to name a few

Auckland’s Roundup

Auckland has lots going for it, as does New Zealand in general, however, it’s worth pointing out that the cost of living is pretty high so it may not be suited to every digital nomad’s budget. If you’re already making good money, however, and aren’t worried about living costs, it’s definitely worth going. Especially if you plan on using Auckland as a base for visiting other areas of New Zealand.

Best Remote Working Locations #2: Bengaluru, India

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If you plan on traveling around parts of India while you’re working, then Bengaluru—also known as Bangalore—is an excellent place to stay. Not least since it’s the tech center (or “Silicon Valley”) of India but it’s also home to beautiful temples, gardens, and old palaces. It’s truly a feast for the eyes! It’s also a curious mix of old and new, and worth exploring for those reasons alone.

So, if you want a well-connected base from where you can visit nearby hills, forests, and coffee estates, then look no further.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Fast—an average of 14 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, the exchange is 70.57 Indian Rupee (INR) to $1 USD
• Weather: Bengaluru has a moderate climate and avoids some of the more extreme temperatures experienced by other parts of India. With an average of 30°C, April is the hottest month of the year whereas December is coldest, with an average of 23°C
• Accommodation: While Airbnbs average around $27 per night, hotels, hostels, and guesthouses are also cheap. You can get away with as little (or less than) $30 per night, or if you plan on staying longer and want to rent a studio, it’ll cost you about $223 per month
• Food: Prices are really cheap, with the average dinner costing as little as $1.40 per person, and $0.70 for 0.5L of beer
• Coworking Spaces: There are literally dozens of coworking spaces in this city. It’s hardly surprising given its pedigree for tech. Hubs like Cowrks, Innov8 CoWorking, WeWork, and Commune Coworks are some of the more notable coworking spaces

Bengaluru’s Roundup

Here’s a city that isn’t necessarily on the tip of every digital nomad’s tongue, but if you’re adventurous, tech and opportunity curious, and happen to be traveling India, Bengaluru’s worth a visit. It’s cheap, it’s busy, and it’s full of possibilities but it’s also noisy, has fewer things to do for travelers, and the air quality can be poor. However, English is commonly spoken, it’s also a safe and cosmopolitan city, and has fast Wi-Fi—so there are plenty of advantages, too.

Best Remote Working Locations #3: Budapest, Hungary

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This grand Hungarian city has it all: There’s culture, historic spas, pretty parks, warm summers, and it boasts a low cost of living.

The city is split into two: Buda and Pest, which are intersected by the River Danube. Buda is full of history—it’s the older part of the city—whereas Pest is more contemporary, where all the nightlife happens.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: The average internet speed is 41 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 307 Hungarian Forint (HUF) to $1 USD
• Weather: Budapest has a varied climate, with January and December experiencing temperatures as low as 2°C and June, July and August hitting 30°C
• Accommodation: The closer to the center, the higher the prices. Airbnb is the most popular apartment rental provider for shorter stays. You can find prices as low as $26 per night, although taking into account the busier summer periods, those prices will go up. Hotels are also a cheap option (especially out of season), with an average price of $514 per month. Or if you rent a studio inside the city center, it’ll set you back roughly $500 per month
• Food: There are plenty of cheap places to eat in Budapest. The average dinner for one person will cost you just under $5 per person, adding in just over a dollar for a 0.5L of beer! Don’t forget to visit Budapest’s Karaván food-truck court—there’s no better place to dine on a warm summer evening
• Coworking Spaces: There are plenty. Some of the most central ones are Colabs, Forrás Jóllét Stúdió, UrbanFood Cafe & Coworking, and Impact Hub

Budapest’s Roundup

Overall, Budapest is a cheap and beautiful city to live and work in, with a friendly vibe. There are plenty of different nationalities in Budapest, and tons of exciting and fun things to do in your downtime, from visiting historic buildings and museums to hanging out in the ruin bars at night.

Best Remote Working Locations #4: Buenos Aires, Argentina

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The Argentinian capital is hard to miss off your South American travel wish list. It’s a lively city with a population of 15 million boasting an exciting mix of South American and European influences. It’s a vibrant, creative, and noisy city that never sleeps with tango at its heart. There are parks and palaces to visit, an inspiring art and music scene, and of course, tango to learn in your spare time.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Average speeds are around 20 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 61.78 Argentine Peso (ARS) equals $1 USD
• Weather: October to April are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching 30°C in January. May to September are the colder months, with temperatures ranging from 14-19°C
• Accommodation: The average price of a nightly Airbnb is around $25, and if you want to rent a studio for a month, it’ll cost you about $140 per month. A hotel will cost an average of $30 per night, although prices go up during high season and holidays
• Food: Argentina is, of course, famous for its beef. The average cost of a basic meal for one person is $4, and beer costs about $1.20 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: There are plenty to choose from, including Cespedes, Central Coworking, Urban Station, WeWork, and Loop Coworking

Buenos Aires’ Roundup

Although there are tons of amazing things about Buenos Aires, it doesn’t have a reputation for being overly safe, and pickpocketing is rife.

It is, however, cheap to live and work there, and there’s plenty of great fun to be had. Internet speeds are good, and there are tons of digital nomads which is hardly surprising when you consider that coworking spaces are smart and plentiful.

Another plus is that Buenos Aires is home to Start-Up Buenos Aires. For those who don’t know, this a free startup community where you can access classes, resources, events, and support for your ecommerce endeavors. How cool is that?!

Best Remote Working Locations #5: Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Chiang Mai is a must on any working nomad’s travel list. It’s easy to get around this vibrant UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s cheap. There’s plenty of veggie and vegan food and, of course, tons of stunning temples.

It’s also a great base if you want to take day-trips to one of the elephant camps, the Tiger Kingdom, or the Golden Triangle.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Average Wi-Fi speed of 23 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing it is 31.20 Thai Baht to $1 USD
• Weather: It’s hot and humid, with average temperatures at around 30°C, rising to 38°C. Because of the humidity, it often feels as high as the 40s. The rainy season starts from May and runs through to October, with the highest rainfall in June with an average of 153mm. As Chiang Mai is located at a higher altitude than most Thai cities, it feels a little less humid than other parts of the country
• Accommodation: It’s pretty cheap to stay in Chiang Mai. If you plan on locating yourself there for longer than a few days, then a rental studio will cost you just over $300 per month. Airbnb costs an average of $37 per night, while a month in a hotel (assuming you haggle a long-stay discount) will come in at about $500 per month.
• Food: As with most south-east Asian spots, the food is cheap. There are high-end places, but an average meal will cost you around $1.90 per person with an extra $1.90 for 0.5L of beer.
• Coworking Spaces: We found lots of coworking spaces in Chiang Mai including Punspace, Hub53, Starworks, In The City Coliving and Coworking, and The Brick Start-Up Space

Chiang Mai’s Roundup

The main downside is the humidity but if you find a coworking space with air conditioning, it’s bearable. Outside, however, the air quality is inferior, as there’s lots of traffic. You’ll notice that as with other south-east Asian cities, locals often wear masks to protect themselves from pollution.

On the plus side, it’s a great location to work from because the Wi-Fi speeds are decent. Not to mention, it’s cheap, and there are lots to do. Not only that, as Chiang Mai is on the traveler trail, you’re sure to find other like-minded nomads to chat with—win-win!

Best Remote Working Locations #6: Dubrovnik, Croatia

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This Adriatic stonewalled city is a popular stop-off point for tourists and travelers of all ages. Its UNESCO sites alone are reason enough to spend time there, as well as all its museums, including the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art or War Photo Limited, a chronicle of the city’s siege in the 1990s during the Balkan war.

You’ll also find markets, bars, and beautiful buildings just about everywhere you look. There are also fun places to visit outside the city like Lokrum island. That’s in addition to loads of festivals during the summer months, beaches to visit, and sites featured in Game of Thrones.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Internet speed there is an average of 18 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: Currently, 6.75 Croatian Kuna (HRK) equals $1 USD
• Weather: The summer months are scorching, with average temperatures hitting between 23-31°C. The winters are colder, with temperatures around 9-19°C between November and April
• Accommodation: It’s cheaper to stay in a basic hotel, with rates of around $44 per night whereas Airbnb prices are higher, presumably because the city has many weekend visitors. Prices for a private Airbnb room come in around $70 per night
• Food: It’s cheap enough to eat there, with a basic dinner costing around $11, and beer just $1 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: While coworking places are popping up in Split and Zagreb, we couldn’t find many there. That said, there are plenty of cafes with free Wi-Fi, and if you’re in an Airbnb, you’re likely to have access to your host’s internet connection

Dubrovnik’s Roundup

Dubrovnik is undoubtedly beautiful, cultured, and full of life. The downside is that the city is full of tourists, and even more so when the cruise ships dock. However, if hot weather isn’t high on your must-have list, then visit Dubrovnik out of season, when things are a tad cooler and calmer.

Compared to other Croatian spots, Dubrovnik isn’t cheap, prices aren’t aimed at locals or working nomads but well-heeled tourists and cruise ship visitors. That said, it’s pretty much one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and hard to miss.

Best Remote Working Locations #7: Hanoi, Vietnam

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The Vietnamese capital city is like no other place on earth. It’s bustling, vibrant, and never seems to sleep. There’s much to do and see in this famous city, not least the tomb of Ho Chi Minh himself, where the former Communist leader lies embalmed.

There’s also Hanoi’s Old Quarter, museums, markets, the Mekong River, hill tribes, day-trips to Halong Bay, and street food you’ll never forget. If you land in Hanoi from another country and plan to work your way south to Ho Chi Minh City, then work and rest awhile in Hanoi first. The city is full of tourists and travelers, including digital nomads, so you’ll be in good company.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Average speeds are around 9 MBPS, slower than many cities on this list, but workable nonetheless. But, one thing to bear in mind is that internet censorship exists in Vietnam. So, any news sites critical of the government or anything the Vietnamese government doesn’t agree with, are banned
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 23,247 Vietnamese Dong (VND) equals $1 USD
• Weather: It’s humid. The hottest months are April to October, with temperatures ranging from 31°C-33°C and the colder months being November, December, and January, with temperatures around 24°C
• Accommodation: Prices are cheap with central Hanoi studio rentals costing around $400 per month, and the average nightly Airbnb about $40. You can also haggle for lower hotel rates if you’re there out of season or planning to stay longer, with average nightly prices around $28 for a basic hotel
• Food: It’s really cheap to eat out—and like many Asian and south-east Asian countries, many travelers and nomads eat out every night. An average dinner will cost you about $2 per person, and an extra $1 for 0.5L of beer
• Coworking Spaces: We found plenty of coworking opportunities including Hanoi Hub, Up Coworking, Toong, Moonwork, Hatch Nest, and The Click

Hanoi’s Roundup

Hanoi is an exciting city to be a part of, even for a short while. It’s home to 7.6 million people, who all seem to be on the go at the same time! Its air quality is poor, it’s noisy, and it’s in your face. It’s also cheap, friendly, young, full of life and a great base to work, live and travel.

Best Remote Working Locations #8: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh was named after its communist leader after the fall of Saigon in 1975. It’s a city full of rich history and memories. The city is a mix of pagodas, skyscrapers, temples, and reminders of its communist past and present, including the Vietnam War.

There’s plenty to do there, including visits to its war museums, historical sites, tunnels, French colonial architecture, and of course, its dynamic markets.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: The average internet speed is around 17 MBPS but it’s often faster, with lots of free Wi-Fi spots dotted around the city
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 23,247 Vietnamese Dong (VND) equals $1 USD
• Weather: It’s humid and hot! The year-round average temperature is around 33°C. Still, because of the humidity, the temperature often feels like it’s in the high 40s. The rainy season runs from May all the way through to October, with monthly rainfall averages between 122mm in October to 366mm in August
• Accommodation: You’re going to want somewhere with air conditioning! Otherwise, it may be tough to get a good night’s sleep. An Airbnb monthly rental will cost a nightly average of $32. In contrast, a month in a hotel will be around $500. However, rates are often negotiable and cheaper during the low (rainy) season
• Food: It’s really cheap—you shouldn’t have to pay more than $3 for dinner for one, and it can be even less expensive if you eat street food. Beer is around $1 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: Ho Chi Minh seems pretty tuned into the digital nomad spirit. There are tons of coworking spaces, including Spiced, The Hive, Dreamplex Nguyen, Saigon Coworking, Circo Hoang Dieu, and Workyos

Ho Chi Minh’s Roundup

Be prepared for the traffic—there’s lots of it and its accompanying noise. It’s also expensive compared to other Vietnamese cities and towns, although you can pick up bargains at Ben Thanh and Bin Tay markets.

If you like the heat, Ho Chi Minh delivers, but beware of the humidity which can feel stifling. However, compared to Western nomad spots, it is still cheap, and there’s plenty of beautiful and exciting things to see and do.

Best Remote Working Locations #9: Krakow, Poland

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This Polish gem hits the spot with its beautiful old town center, small cobbled streets, infamous history, its proximity to the mountains for skiing and hiking, friendly locals, and the cool Jewish Quarter brimming with trendy popup bars and galleries.

With a population of 762,500, it’s a small city that’s easy to walk around, or you can travel by bus or tram pretty cheaply. It’s a university city as well as a popular place for traditional tourists—which accounts for its energetic and young vibe, despite some of its traumatic histories.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Its average internet speed comes in at 25 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 3.91 Polish Zloty (PLN) to $1 USD
• Weather: Krakow is cold in the winter, with average daily temperatures in January and December at around 1-3°C, but it can feel much colder. In the summer months, we’re looking at average temperatures between 25-27°C in June, July, and August
• Accommodation: There are plenty of Airbnbs to be had for shorter or longer-term stays, with an average nightly rental of around $40. Or, you can rent a studio, for example, via Gumtree, for about $500-$600 per month. But, the hotels are more expensive, catering mainly to the tourist market. A month in a hotel will average around $800
• Food: There are plenty of cheap eateries across the city with dinner costing you around $5 per person, and beer prices about $1.80 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: There are lots of coworking spaces across the city. One popular haunt is CoLabs. We also came across Project People, Kalafiornia, OffOffice Virtual Office, and Cluster CoWork

Krakow’s Roundup

Here’s a city that’s cheap to work in, making it a viable base for many a digital nomad for longer than just a few days. It’s affordable, has fast wifi, it’s easy to get around, and the locals are friendly. Less significant is that the winter months can be super cold, and the language can be tough to get around. However, many people speak English, especially the younger generation, so you shouldn’t have too many problems communicating.

Best Remote Working Locations #10: Lisbon, Portugal

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This sunny capital has a great deal to offer digital nomads, despite not being the cheapest place to be. Built upon seven hills, Lisbon is beautiful, coastal, and green, with an abundance of terrific cafes and quirky yellow trams.

Lisbon’s buildings are every traveler’s dream photo opportunity, with colorful tiles and boldly painted properties everywhere you turn. Not just that, but there’s art and culture abound, and importantly, an active and plentiful digital nomad community so you won’t be alone.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Speeds are an average of 32 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: 0.91 Euro (EUR) for $1 USD
• Weather: May to October are the warmest and sunniest, with temperatures ranging between 24-27°C. November to April are cooler with some rain and temperatures between 15-19°C
• Accommodation: There’s plenty of choices, but it doesn’t always come cheap. The average nightly cost of an Airbnb room is around $50 and the same for a basic hotel room. If you plan on staying for a bit, a typical studio in the city center will cost about $700 per month
• Food: An average meal will cost you around $6-7, and a 0.5L beer roughly $2 USD
• Coworking Spaces: There are plenty. We found Cowork Lisboa, Avila, Cowork Central, and Rocket Hub

Lisbon’s Roundup

Rent is expensive, but the cost of living is low. You’ll find your biggest expense is accommodation, especially in the summer months. The city is definitely a tourist destination, and you’ll find that this inevitably pushes prices and availability of affordable rooms right up.

However, Lisbon is an excellent base for exploring nearby coastal locations or taking off for a long weekend, either north or south Portugal, and of course, there’s plenty to do in the city itself.

It may be warm in the summer, but it’s definitely cold in the winter and not all accommodation offers heating, so be prepared! However, you’ll get a warm welcome from the locals at any time of the year—the Portuguese are famous for their friendly hospitality.

Best Remote Working Locations #11: Marrakesh, Morocco

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We’ve listed Marrakesh here because although there are other amazing places to visit in this North African country (Essaouira, Fes, and the Atlas Mountains, just for starters), this former Imperial city is the perfect stopping point before traveling further.

It has grown and developed in recent decades and is the perfect spot for a week or longer. It has decent enough Wi-Fi, and there’s plenty to see and do during your free time. Whether it’s visiting the famous souks, the Jardin Majorelle, Bahia Palace, Maison de la Photographie, or hanging out in rooftop bars and riads across the city—there’s something for everyone.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Although Wi-Fi is slower than most of the places we’ve listed, it has an average of 9 MBPS, which is sufficient for basic needs
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, it’s 9.47 Moroccan Dirham (MAD) to $1 USD
• Weather: It’s pretty hot there, and from May to October, temperatures remain between 30-35°C. The colder months aren’t exactly frosty, with average temperatures between November and April in the low to mid-20s. It tends to rain in December and early spring
• Accommodation: Prices vary—there are lots of upmarket hotels popping up, and they’re expensive. However, you can get an Airbnb private room for around $90, which is costly compared to other locations. There are, however, cheap hotel rooms to be had for approximately $40 per night. Marrakesh, like many cities, is popular with weekenders, and this inevitably drives accommodation prices up
• Food: It’s cheap to eat out there with average meal prices around $4 and beer around $2 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: Creative Lab, Cowork in Marrakesh, The Spot, and The Emerging Business Factory are all popular co-working hubs

Marrakesh’s Roundup

Here’s a fabulous spot to base yourself for a few days or a week or two. There’s nothing better than soaking up the vibrant and colorful Moroccan atmosphere. Marrakesh is a city that feels alive both day and night. Plus, it’s easy to get around and great for accessing other parts of the country; the transport links are second to none.

Best Remote Working Locations #12: Medellin, Colombia

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Medellin is fast becoming a popular destination for digital nomads and with good reason. Not only does it have fantastic scenery and plenty of lovely places to visit in and around the city, but it also has fantastic nightlife. Think festivals, music, bars and nightclubs, Medellin is an incredibly friendly place to be.

Two fantastic places to visit if you get a chance are the Parque Arvi and Botanical Gardens. The city’s metro cable and Medellin Metro gets you to many of the city’s neighborhoods.

Medellin, known as “The City of Eternal Spring,” with a climate that’s never cold, it seems perfect. But, don’t be fooled—it does rain and quite a bit! Located in a bowl within the Andes mountains, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views wherever you are in Medellin, so rest assured, there are photo opportunities galore!

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: An average speed of 15 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing the exchange is 3,430 Colombian Peso to $1 USD
• Weather: The temperature there is consistent throughout the year at a steady 27-28°C. It does rain, and the most torrential rainfall is during May, June, October, and November. However, you should expect rain all year round
• Accommodation: A private Airbnb room will cost you around $19 per night and a basic hotel room the same. For a studio, you’ll pay about $450 per month
• Food: A simple meal will cost you around $4, and 0.5L of beer is about $1.50
• Coworking Spaces: Some of the more popular spots include Espacio, FrendaColectivo, WeWork, Selina Cowork, and Tinkko

Medellin’s Roundup

Colombia is fast becoming a go-to digital nomad destination and, at its heart, is Medellin. It boasts a beautiful landscape, warm climate, friendly locals, a thriving digital nomad community, and a cheap cost of living.

These are all great reasons to base yourself and your ecommerce business there. Do your research thoroughly before heading there and find a neighborhood that’s popular with other nomads or travelers.

Best Remote Working Locations #13: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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When most people think of Cambodia, they imagine the Angkor Wat temples in Siem Riep but there are several reasons why you should add Phnom Penh to your digital nomad list. Aside from it sitting on the banks of the Mekong River, the city is full of history, culture, street life, and noise.

Just outside the city, you’ll find beautiful countryside, fishing villages, luminous green rice fields, and floating houses. Plus, you can’t go to Phnom Penh without visiting the Foreign Correspondents’ Club for happy hour cocktails.

That, as well as the National Museum of Cambodia, the Royal Palace, and rest assured, there’s no shortage of temples to explore. As for new culture, check out Factory Phnom Penh, a former Levi’s factory turned creative hub that includes galleries, workspaces, a craft brewery, and cinema.

Sobering visits have to include Tuol Sleng, a former school in the city center formerly used as a torture camp and Cheoung Ek, also known as The Killing Fields.

You’ll also find authentic southeast Asian street food and markets in this city. There’s plenty of places to grab a delicious yet cheap dish.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: This is slow in comparison to other destinations on our list with an average speed of 7 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 4,082 Cambodia Riel (KHR) equaled $1 USD
• Weather: It’s hot all year round, with temperatures averaging 32-34°C. It’s also very humid, especially during the rainy season between May and October
• Accommodation: The cheapest places to stay are hotels, with average prices for a basic room as low as $15-18 per night. Airbnb’s are more expensive, averaging $50 per night, and studios about $460 per month
• Food: It’s certainly cheap to eat out with the average price of dinner between $3-4 and beer around $1.90 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: Yes, there are a few coworking hubs, including Co-lab Cambodia, Workspace 1, and My Khmer Coworking

Phnom Penh’s Roundup

Yes, the Wi-Fi is slow there, but if you’re traveling and working, a few days there likely won’t slow you down workwise. That’s providing all you have to do is write and answer emails or catch up with customers.

This city is more than its grim Khmer Rouge past. Today, you’ll still find reminders of its bloody history, nevertheless, you’ll also find a thriving city, new buildings alongside old, the beautiful Russian market, and an emerging digital community… despite the Wi-Fi restrictions.

Best Remote Working Locations #14: Portland, Oregon

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Much is written about this city and its alternative take on life, and we all know about the Netflix series Portlandia, right? It has a reputation for being a chilled, hipster haven and offers a very accepting vibe as it embraces all walks of life.

It’s easy to walk around the city, it’s full of great bars and cafes (that can easily double up as a workspace), and there are plenty of places to visit. Don’t forget it’s home to 70+ breweries, so if you’re into your craft beer, Portland is a great place to be.

You can also cycle everywhere, eat well, hike in the beauty of Forest Park, take a trip to Mount Hood Volcano, and just absorb the laid-back atmosphere.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Fast Wi-Fi with average speeds of 42 MBPS
• Weather: It can get pretty humid there, and it rains nine months out of the year
• Accommodation: An average night in an Airbnb will cost you about $70, and a hotel more around $80, with monthly studio rentals about $1,650
• Food: An average dinner will cost you around $10, and beer around $5 for 0.5L. Be sure to check out Portland’s abundance of pop up food carts and food trucks around the city
• Coworking Spaces: There are plenty of cafes and bars for you to occupy but if you’re after an actual coworking space, we found plenty including WeWork, and Hatch Labs

Portland’s Roundup

There are plenty of reasons to work on your ecommerce business from Portland but be prepared for the rain—it’s part of Portland life. However, the city’s cafe culture and all-round friendly atmosphere will surely compensate. It isn’t the cheapest place to be, still, it’s certainly exciting and if you can cut your costs with shared living and working spaces that offer Wi-Fi included, then all the better.

Best Remote Working Locations #15: Prague, Czech Republic

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If you’re in Europe and touring around Eastern Europe, then Prague or the “City of a Hundred Spires,” as it’s also known, will inevitably be on your list to visit. It’s a popular tourist destination and can get crowded, but it’s also steeped in history, art, culture, and boasts a lively nightlife.

The Czech Republic capital has much to offer, such as its Baroque architecture, Prague Castle, the old town and its famous astronomical clock, plus plenty of gorgeous places to eat and drink. It’s also a convenient base for exploring nearby locations in your free time, such as the spa town of Carlsbad.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Speeds average around 28 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, 22.90 Czech Koruna (CZK) to $1 USD
• Weather: The warmest months are June to September, with temperatures ranging between 21-29°C, although it often feels like it’s hotter. The winters, in contrast, can be chilly, with average temperatures for January and December as chilly as 2°C or lower
• Accommodation: The average cost of a private Airbnb room is $55, with hotels coming in cheaper at about $42 per night. If you plan on staying for a month or more, a monthly studio rental will cost you about $685 in the city center
• Food: Food is plentiful and cheap, with the average cost of a dinner at $6, and 0.5L of Czech beer costing $1.70
• Coworking Spaces: There are many coworking spaces as well as welcoming cafes with free Wi-Fi. We like the look of the following co-working hubs: Impact Hub, Locus, K10, Opero, and Paper Hub

Prague’s Roundup

Prague parades a low cost of living and is, therefore, an excellent base for digital nomad life. It has a great social life, plenty of culture, and a heritage that goes way past just a few old buildings. There are also lots of expats and foreign visitors in the city and English is spoken widely. The city is also effortless to walk around or you can just hop on a tram or bus—travel is very cheap. The downsides are that Prague can get pretty cold in the winter and the city can sometimes be overrun with weekend visitors from all around the world.

Best Remote Working Locations #16: Santa Fe, New Mexico

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In the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, at 7,000 feet sits the creative and artistic city of Santa Fe. The city has an eclectic mix of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo heritage. Santa Fe is the oldest capital in the United States and America’s second oldest city, having been founded between 1607 and 1610.

Interestingly, UNESCO awarded it Creative City status in 2005, making it the first US city to achieve such an accolade. If you’re traveling around New Mexico, or if you’re on your way to Mexico, then Santa Fe is certainly a great getaway if you love art, nature, and culture.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Average speeds are 29 MBPS
• Weather: June, July, and August are the sunniest months, with temperatures around 28-30°C. November, December, January, and February are the coldest months, with temperatures ranging between 6-11°C. But, it can be as cold as -4
• Accommodation: Accommodation is always cheap, with an average Airbnb private room costing $66 per night and a hotel room around $77. If you plan on staying for longer, then a city center studio will cost you an average of $1,265 per month
• Food: The average price of a basic meal costs around $13 and beer $4 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: Co-Fe and Liquid Space are both hubs worth checking out

Santa Fe’s Roundup

It’s a beautiful and creative place with an excellent quality of life, fantastic scenery, and lots to do. But, it’s also expensive and not necessarily a typical nomad destination. That said, Wi-Fi speeds are reasonable, and there are tons of things to immerse yourself in during your free time.

Best Remote Working Locations #17: Sanur, Bali

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If your travels take you to Indonesia and Bali in particular, we think Sanur is a great spot to sit down and do some work while you enjoy the sunsets.

It’s less popular than some of the busier places—such as Kuta, Jimbaran, and Ubud. That said, Sanur has plenty of attractions, including museums, temples, and beachside walks. It’s less touristy with fewer resorts, with a reasonably quiet pace of life.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: An average speed of 11 MBPS, which is still fast, although not as quick as some of our other listings
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, the exchange is 13,960 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp) to $1 USD
• Weather: It’s hot and humid! Average temperatures remain at a near-constant 30°C. Still, because of the humidity, it can feel as if the temperature is in the high 40s. It’s worth noting, January and February receive the highest amount of rainfall
• Accommodation: The average nightly Airbnb rental is around $15, although there are way cheaper hostels. You can rent a studio for about $200 per month, or if you fancy hotel life, it’ll cost you an average of $433 per month. Bear in mind, you can always haggle for a cheaper rate if you’re staying longer
• Food: Eating out is incredibly cheap, with an average dinner price of $1.45 per person, plus $1.40 for 0.5L for a beer
• Coworking Spaces: If you don’t want to work in noisy cafes, then there are a few coworking spaces available. We found CoHive, Livit Hub, and The Sanur Space

Sanur’s Roundup

If you fancy a quiet spot to chill and work, then Sanur hits the spot. It’ll be kind on your nomad budget too. Of course, the humidity can be severe, still, if you find an airconditioned living and working space, you won’t suffer much.

Its biggest advantage is that it’s incredibly cheap, and while its Wi-Fi speed isn’t the highest, it’s good enough. If, however, you’re looking for something lively to do in your downtime, you may be disappointed. There are fewer digital nomad communities there, so if you’re after like-minded company, you may not find it in abundance.

Best Remote Working Locations #18: Seville, Spain

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This Andalucian gem is Spain’s fourth-largest city and is full of history, great food, flamenco, sunshine, and warmth. If you’re working your way around Spain, we think Seville is a fantastic stopping point for a week or even longer.

There are loads of places to visit in your free time, such as the Alcázar of Seville, the cathedral, the historic narrow streets of the old quarter, and of course, the tapas bars. You can also quickly get to Granada from there and the Sierra Nevada mountains—which is a fab place to be if you fancy skiing or hiking.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Speeds average around 25 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing, it’s 0.90 Euro (EUR) to $1 USD
• Weather: Seville is one of Spain’s warmest cities, and even in December and January, the temperature averages at around 17-19°C. The sunnier months, especially from June to September can be sweltering, with temperatures ranging between 31-33°C
• Accommodation: The average cost of a night in a private Airbnb room is around $57, whereas a basic hotel is cheaper at $33 per night. If you’re planning on staying longer, then a studio rental in the city center will cost you around $600 per month
• Food: The average cost of dinner is around $11, with beer priced at $2.17—although prices can be lower than this if you shop around
• Coworking Spaces: We found WorkINcompany, Arcadia, and Thinking Company, and there are plenty of cafes that offer free W-Fi which perfect for digital nomads on a budget

Seville’s Roundup

Because Seville is on the tourist trail, there are times when it does feel crowded. Still, if you’re there for longer than a few days, you’ll have plenty of time to link up with other digital nomads and find a working space that fits your needs.

Seville is a cultured city where much of life is spent outdoors, eating, drinking, and meeting friends. The food is excellent, you can hop from tapas bar to tapas bar as the locals do. Or just sit back and people watch, absorb the Spanish culture, and marvel at its rich language… and of course, find the time to run your ecommerce business in between.

Best Remote Working Locations #19: Taipei, Taiwan

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It’s easy to get to, effortless to get around, it’s cheap, and it’s a safe place to be, especially if you’re traveling alone. Taipei is a perfect spot if you’re a food lover and love street food and night markets. There are tons of hiking opportunities there, most notably at Tiger Mountain or Qixing Mountain. Or you can take a gentle walk in the city’s Daan Forest Park.

If hiking isn’t your thing, you can just chill at the Wulai Hot Springs before heading to any one of the city’s many night markets for a taste of delicious street food. Popular night markets include Ningxia, Shilin, Raohe, and Tonghua.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: An average speed of 19 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: 29.59 Taiwanese New Dollar (TWD) is equivalent to $1 USD
• Weather: It’s hot and sticky, with April to September reaching between 29 to 34°C, but it often feels as high as 50°C or higher. October to March is more refreshing, with temperatures between 20-28°C, but humidity is high all year round
• Accommodation: Airbnb and hotel prices are around the same, costing an average of $50 per night. You can also find rental groups on Taipei Facebook pages that may be a bit cheaper
• Food: Street food is the cheapest way to eat and will cost you around $3-$4, and 0.5L beer is around the same price
• Coworking Spaces: There are masses of areas for you to work in if you decide not to operate from your accommodation. Most reputably, CLBC, The Hive, Makerbar, and Hun

Taipei’s Roundup

While Taipei is cheap in terms of food, accommodation there isn’t the most affordable. However, if you’re planning on spending just a few days in the city before moving on, it’s not going to bust your budget, and it’s really easy to get around.

Temperatures are scorching there, which can be somewhat of a disadvantage. Still, it’s definitely on the traveler and nomad trail so you’re sure to bump into other like-minded digital nomads, especially if you plan on spending a week or two there.

Best Remote Working Locations #20: Thessaloniki, Greece

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No review on digital nomad working locations is complete without featuring at least one place in Greece. There are so many areas and islands to choose from, however, we decided to go with Thessaloniki because it’s accessible, affordable, full of history, and even has its own International Film Festival!

It’s also a port city, so there are plenty of ferries to facilitate island hopping during your free time. It’s Greece’s second-largest city and a university location, so there are plenty of young people and trendy places to hang out. The nearby Meteora Monasteries, Halkidiki, and free walking tours of the city are all fabulous things to visit and do while you’re there.

So, what are the practicalities?

• Wi-Fi: Speeds are fine at an average of 12 MBPS
• Currency Exchange: At the time of writing the exchange was 0.91 Euro (EUR) to $1 USD
• Weather: As with much of Greece, you’ll find heat during the summer months, May to September, with temperatures ranging between 25-32°C. But, it’s still lovely in October, with an average warmth of 21°C. The cooler weather is between November and April, with December, January, and February being the coldest, with temperatures around 9-11°C. Those same months are when Thessaloniki gets most of its rain, with an average of 4-5 days rain a month, although in common with much of Greece, there’s never a lot of rain!
• Accommodation: A private Airbnb will cost you around $36 per night, and a hotel room averages at $60
• Food: Food there is really cheap, you can eat dinner for just under $6 per night and beer costs $4 for 0.5L
• Coworking Spaces: There’s Coho, i4GPro, and plenty of cafes with free Wi-Fi, which should meet all your basic internet needs

Thessaloniki’s Roundup

While Thessaloniki may not be the most beautiful Greek island, it’s practical if you’re planning on island hopping and moving around. It’s also cheap, so you can spend plenty of time there without breaking your budget.

The weather can’t be faulted, and although it’s not a traditional digital nomad hot spot, it’s a great location to access more of Greece including Chois, Crete, Samos, Lesvos, or, if you’re heading to Athens, the port of Piraeus.

Ready to Kickstart Your Adventure as a Digital Nomad?

So there you have it, our suggested top 20 remote working locations to visit while traveling and working as a digital nomad. While the list is entirely subjective, we hope it gives you a little sense of just how big the digital nomad community actually is.

Traveling while you’re working isn’t always easy, it can be lonely and feel unstructured if you don’t plan your time well, but there are ways of making it work for you. There will be places you stay just a couple of days and others where you think, “Oh, I really want to live here for a while.”

For example, you could base yourself in a European city for a month and travel from there to other European remote working locations just for a few days. This especially feasible since train connections are so fast and often really cheap!

There’s no reason why you can’t combine your love of travel with your need to earn a living. If this intrigues you, being a digital nomad could be the perfect way to go. You don’t need to get the travel bug out of your system; instead, make it part of who you actually are and get paid while you’re doing it—win-win!

The post 20 Best Remote Working Locations Around the World for Digital Nomads appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

This can make it problematic for small online businesses to compete against big-box ecommerce retailers that have the time, power, and money to invest in creating an excellent ecommerce website for their users. It can also be difficult for entrepreneurs starting their very first online business to know what it takes to create a beautiful ecommerce store, and how to actually make it functional for their users.

While ecommerce website design might not seem important when there are so many other aspects of building a business that requires time and effort as well, it’s crucial to remember how pivotal of a role your website plays in your conversion strategy. It’s one of the first points of contact between you and your customers, it’s the home base that all your social platforms and ad channels link back to, it’s a visual representation of the value your business brings to your customers, and it gives your brand credibility. Websites that are poorly designed, haphazardly put together and unimpressive overall often deter customers from placing orders because they don’t look legitimate. If you don’t enjoy shopping on dodgy-looking websites it’s likely that your customers don’t, either.

It’s no longer sufficient to quickly throw together an ecommerce website with no style or personality if you want to engage customers and encourage them to make a purchase. We’ve rounded up 50 ecommerce websites that have made an effort to create beautiful and functional websites that attract consumers and inspire them to convert, and we hope you can take inspiration from them to infuse in your own ecommerce website design.

Take note of how they structure their homepages, their use of imagery, the typefaces they pair together, and their calls-to-action that lead customers to their products or other pages on their website. Try to understand why these ecommerce businesses made the choices that they did when it comes to design as it was likely all created with an intention behind it. Consider each website’s unique style—how they communicate their personality through photos and copy—and think about how you could do the same for your brand.

Get ready to be inspired by these creative, beautiful and functional ecommerce websites that successfully convert their visitors into paying customers.

50 Beautiful & Creative Ecommerce Website Designs

41 Watch

An elegant, clean-cut website that draws the viewer’s attention directly to the company’s products. There are no fancy gimmicks here—just a classic color scheme and a mix of serif and san serif fonts throughout the website that hint at a line of contemporary watch designs with a touch of the old world charm.

FiftyThree

This company’s website aims at a sale right off the bat. The visuals of the product are large and stand out against the subdued background. There is also a direct link to the Amazon shopping page for the product, which is highlighted in a brighter orange color than the rest of the homepage in order to attract attention.

Aether Apparel

Notice the stunning visual of low-hanging clouds and a winding path that virtually leads you into the website itself—it’s hard not to! Consider how this image (which is actually a moving picture on their site) communicates what type of clothes Aether Apparel sells to their customers and what kind of interests they have that this image appeals to.

Allbirds

This website has a casual yet sleek feel to it, which is what the brand aims to promote its products as. It uses a brilliant mix of gifs, images, and illustrations along with videos to showcase the brand’s youthfulness. The playful vibe speaks to the kind of consumers they’re targeting—adventurous and active ones—and you can’t miss their unique value proposition that’s right in the center of the page in a large, clear font.

Bastide

It can be challenging to sell products online that customers usually prefer to touch and smell before they buy, such as the fragrance, bath and both products Bastide sells. In order to help customers connect with the products through the screen, the brand creates a scene that tells a story about the product so customers can connect to that instead. The image on the left is known as a “lifestyle shot” where the product is shown in motion to communicate how the customer will feel or look when using the product, and the image on the right is a “product photo” that shows the actual product in detail to show off specifics like size, color, and branding.

BeardBrand

On Beardbrand’s homepage, they put a lifestyle shot front and center to communicate to their customers how their products look in action. On the focal image, they intelligently have placed a call to action, “What type of beardsman are you? Take Quiz.” to encourage visitors to interact with their site and ultimately, to encourage them to buy and try some of their products. Below the main lifestyle shot, but still “above the fold”, they include images of their merchandise, product photos and a snapshot of their tutorials to show visitors what other content their website has to offer.

Bellroy

Bellroy’s minimalist and modern homepage image directly reflects the style of the brand’s products. They, too, have a strong call-to-action front and center encouraging visitors to “Shop Now,” for products they say will, “enhance their everyday”.  Notice how they showcase the range of products they offer by giving a glimpse of them in every corner of the image leaving the center free for the call-to-action to be displayed.

Bill Blass

You can immediately tell which product Bill Blass sells based on the imagery they feature on their homepage. Notice their use of punchy, bright colors on an otherwise muted background and their lack of call-to-action. In their case, the images are their call to action and they let them guide customers to other pages on their website rather than written copy and “Shop Now,” or “Learn More,” buttons. A picture’s worth a thousand words and they let them do all the talking.

Caran D’ache

This website has a beautiful design with a playful feel to it. Both the typeface used for the logo as well as the product placement of the notebooks in this particular stylized product photo demonstrate the quirky personality of the brand. Note the call-to-action cleverly placed overtop the open notebook to make it look like it’s written inside it. Also, consider how they’ve made use of the bright pop of their red brand color to both frame the call-to-action and draw the eye up to the logo.

Chumbak

“Chumbak” literally translates to “magnet”—which is the exact effect that this website aims to produce. A mix of pop colors, GIFs, symmetrical and asymmetrical grids are used to showcase products—which play up the quirky persona of the brand. The colors, the products, and the website’s design definitely make it hard to take your eyes away.

Commander Deer

Almost everything—from the logo to the product photography—has a very western-rustic feel to it which plays into the brand’s identity as they produce and sell “American Made Goods”. They showcase lifestyle shots of the products in action in a rotating image carousel (see those two small dots underneath the image? Those indicate that there are two images on a slide show that changes every couple of seconds) so customers get to see as much of their product offering as quickly as possible. Also, note how they include information about their shipping right at the top of the page so customers don’t have to dig around their website for it.

Cord

The company describes itself as “Modern + Classic: A radical core intertwined with non-standard elegance”—which is exactly what the website design reflects. It has the sleek design, artistically framed pictures with models and products like a high fashion magazine, asymmetrical photo grid placements and a mix of contemporary fonts to enhance the effect. The website gives off a cool, light and airy vibe to it while the models and products exude a certain confidence about them.

Death Wish Coffee Co.

The website for Death Wish Coffee Co. embodies the company’s spirit. The website claims that their brand of coffee is the strongest in the world due to its unique blend and roasting technique, while also being smooth to taste. The web design is robust and uses colors like red, large bold letters, and imagery that is consistent with the brand name and logo. Due to the product being one of the focal points of the entire business, the homepage opens to a large image of it with an option to buy/subscribe to it. There is no lag in getting to the product page, which makes this a very “in-your-face” approach, but it suits the brand very much and definitely works for them. Additionally, the black, white & red color scheme is classic and complements the product packaging theme as well.

Di Bruno Bros.

Di Bruno Bros website opens to large scale images of some mouthwatering spreads, cheese, and bread that rotate through a carousel. The presentation in the pictures is impeccable and adds to the rustic feel of the brand and its website. The background of the banner almost looks like a chalkboard and adds to the charm. The basic linear navigation and use of subdued colors in the website theme ensures that the product photos do all the talking like they rightfully should.

Drybar

The Drybar website opts for an inverted greyscale color theme with pops of yellow to keep its look stylish and model—much like the brand. While not a typical ecommerce store, the website still maintains the classic format of one. The little white silhouettes above each menu option are a lovely touch to the otherwise simple website and give it a little extra style. Notice the clear call-to-action front and center that pops against the grey backdrop and their unique value proposition displayed right beneath it.

Fangio

Using Fangio’s website is a unique experience altogether. Right from the little details on the buffering page to the “choose your language page” that plays a little black-and-white classic looking montage of cars and bikes that are reminiscent of the 50s—everything about the site makes the visitor want to explore it a little further. This website truly uses HTML5’s advanced multimedia features to its fullest potential. The way the products are presented, the linear navigation that feels different than any other website, the little details that are revealed every time the user explores another part of the website—they all go a long way in providing a fantastic user experience.

Flambette

This website has a lot of little quirks that really grab the user’s attention—from the slight movements of the words to the product carousel being a part of each picture frame that changes only when the user scrolls. The menu options stay perpetually on the right-hand side as the user scrolls, which is useful to jump to other pages from anywhere on the home page. These smaller features make a big difference in user experience.

G-uld

Yet another visually stunning, dynamic and interactive website, this Danish brand’s website design does all the talking for it. The home page opens to a flat lay picture that has a slight movement when the cursor hovers over it. Each element of the picture transitions to include a pop-up description of the product when cursor scrolls by which is an interactive UI feature that brilliantly achieves the feel of immersive storytelling. Coupling the finished products beside the raw materials in the image plus informative pop-up descriptions and the beautiful ecommerce website design, it shows off the brand’s authenticity and very likely appeals to their target market’s tastes.

Glitty

A full-page product carousel with bright and bold text and a strong “Shop Now” call-to-action, this is a classic, fail-proof ecommerce website format. That, along with some well-shot pictures of the brand’s product integrated into everyday life, this website design is bound to grab some eyeballs. The pictures are placed in a mosaic grid-like format on the homepage and highlight the finishing of the product. Even the models, who are representing the brand in these photos, give off an urban, stylish and young vibe—which is likely very similar to the company’s target market.

Greats

The home page opens with a quirky message that’s likely to grab the attention of visitors and appeal to their target market. The quirky copy reflects the fun nature of the brand and the types of products you’ll find there—fun and quirky ones. Their calls-to-action are prominently placed on the page, with one at the center of the page for the promoted product, plus collection pages for both men and women clearly placed directly below.

Grovemade

The company really believes in design and finding inspiration everywhere. The website reflects just that. The home page opens to a beautifully curated picture of a desk (the product). Scrolling down shows you more pictures of stunning flatlays and other products, a video explaining the company’s process and beliefs, and the most interesting part—a “wall” of seemingly normal pictures of the entire team. When the cursor hovers over the images, they reveal a quirky picture of the same person that makes you want to know more about what’s going on—so when you do click on the image of a person, you get the role, a funny/interesting personality trait of the person and probably an anecdote to go with it. Integrating this feature into the web design truly makes the viewer feel like they know the brand a little more and it helps make that instant connection. A great strategy!

Haikure

Haikur’s website relies heavily on visuals rather than text. The home page opens to a full-screen image of models wearing the products and as you scroll down, the image changes to an even more prominent, full screen one. It’s visually impressive and demand’s the visitor’s undivided attention to the product.

Happy Maps

The home page for Happy Prints is designed to make you feel nostalgic about moments dear to you. The text and language of the site invoke memories that you would love to capture in their product. The design itself is very engaging—the text and pictures don’t just load but appear through beautiful transitions as the user scrolls through the homepage. The examples of the personalized products and the way they can be framed and presented in the user’s personal space is quite attractive. The muted black, white and pastel shades on the homepage allow the brightly colored call-to-action, “Create Your Own,” to stand out.

Heaven Sake

This website design is both visually stunning and unique. The product itself is very well designed and the company’s website just elevates the brand. Due to the nature of the company (it only sells two exclusive products) they have really enhanced the user experience by indulging the viewer with an interactive UI. What truly stands out is the fact that the entire website is just one page—no links to other web pages (except at the footer—the standard privacy policy, terms, and conditions, etc.). The juxtaposition of the product itself, which is an alcoholic beverage, the way the product is branded as the world’s purest alcoholic drink, and the ethereal look of the website is extremely captivating. The website encapsulates the tradition of the Japanese Sake and the high fashion consumers it targets very creatively.

Helm

The company proudly boasts that it caters to “hipsters” and that’s exactly what was kept in mind while designing the ecommerce website. The warm colors, the image carousel featuring outdoorsy pictures of the product as well the product juxtaposed in an urban setting, gives the website an offbeat yet nostalgic feel. The website constantly reaffirms the brand’s identity, although subtly. As the company caters more to men, the website also leans toward a more rugged appeal. The company stresses the importance of craftsmanship when it comes to their products, which they reflect through the design of the website as well.

Ikka Dukka

Ikka Dukka’s website isn’t as fancy as many other websites on this list, however, the reason it still belongs here is due to its superb product photography. Be it for a stand-alone product or a collection, the images truly make the entire aesthetic appeal of the website. It’s a standard ecommerce website by all other means, but the photos spin all the magic.

Jack Erwin

This website is designed to cater to the modern gentleman. The font is classic and clean, the lines and grids are straight and symmetrical, the colors are muted and the products are the focus of the website. The brand aims to create high quality and thoughtfully designed products, which is exactly what the website reflects. This is a great example of a well-designed site that focuses on catering to its niche.

JM & Sons

This company creates products that are a result of woodworking and product design. The website definitely reflects both of these aspects. There is a certain degree of craftsmanship and tradition that the user is faced with as soon they open the website. There is a mixture of classic product photos along with some candid photos of the work the company exhibits, as well as their ambassadors.

John Dalia

A high fashion brand that is worn by celebrities, John Dalia’s website is nothing less than highly fashionable either. The homepage opens to a lifestyle shot of the model wearing the luxury eyewear, but when the user scrolls down, they are greeted with an interesting mix of backgrounds and foregrounds, as information and images are layered over each other. This ecommerce website presents an innovative way of showcasing the products by themselves while also giving featuring them in context.

Karmic Cold Pressed Juice

Karmic Cold Pressed Juices’ ecommerce website is vibrant and alive with color, and they allow the majority of the color to come from the product itself. The array of colors depicted by the range of juices gives the website a fresh feel, which reflects the fresh nature of the products. The font remains consistent throughout the website and apart from the product pictures and social media images, the website leans more towards text. The website is designed to keep in mind that there is a lot of information about the products that the customers are interested to know so there’s no fancy transitions or multimedia integrations—the focus is all on the products.

L.Novum

This company describes its products as being meticulously crafted, and their website is no different. Their products cater to men and so does the theme of their website—dark colors, primarily black and grey, carefully curated and selected product pictures, some great motion, and graphics—all add to the persona of the website and the identity of the brand. The linear navigation brings a new full-screen image or large text on screen while scrolling, thus maintaining focus on small chunks of information that are easy to absorb. Another great example of a well built HTML5 site, using the advantage of multimedia integrations.

Lane

The website for Wear Lane is heavily influenced by the ocean currents, street style, and active lifestyles, and they produce swimwear for men which is perfect for all occasions. The website is exquisite with a mix of full-screen multimedia and fantastic imagery—the products are presented well and the colors are muted to make the text and product photos stand out. Navigation is simple and the cutting edge website is scattered with information—a great ecommerce website overall.

Langly

Langly specializes in camera bags that are fashionable and functional and is made for adventurers and travelers, therefore the website is heavily influenced by this. The homepage opens up to some beautifully photographed images that are described as “Pack and Go” and “Adventure Begins Here”, etc. There are slight transitions and the homepage seems to be layered over other images. All in all, the website’s design relies on the beautiful imagery and illustrations of products, enhancing the feel of it.

Leather Head

A company that specializes in handmade leather sports goods, Leather Head has designed the website in such a way that their products do not clash with the theme, thus it’s kept to a minimal black and white color scheme and enhanced with beautiful imagery. The website has a classic, “All-American” look to it which complements the look of their products.

Leif

Pastel watercolor brush strokes make up the header and the footer of Leif’s ecommerce website. Muted colors highlight the dainty font and give the website a delicate feel. In contrast, the product photos are bolder; they truly stand out and draw the user’s eye to them. The handwritten logo style and banners give a personalized feel to the web design. This website is beautifully simple yet eye-catching.

LivSo

LivSo’s website is simple, delicate and gorgeous! The color scheme bends towards pastels and subdued tones which reflects the same choices made for the product packaging. The image that first greets the visitor is of the product and the ingredients that they are made of, which is pleasant to the eye. Simple navigation, large product images, and a boldly displayed user proposition value make this an effective and aesthetically appealing website.

Collage Crafting

This is one of the more innovative web designs on this list. Elements keep morphing, pictures are fluid and the color of the product photos stand out against the black background and white text of the website when the cursor hovers over it. The site definitely wants to engage the user and make the experience stand out amongst the other billions of websites out there. Even the transitions to the different web pages are so unique that exploring the different products just seems more interesting!

Nameless

This company’s website is one of the most attractive and vibrant on this list. Nameless is an Italian shoe company that sells concepts rather than the brand name. Just like the company is aimed towards those who want to express themselves and their personality, the website also expresses the brand’s personality through bold colors, designs, and asymmetrical photo grids. A mix of quirk, style, and strong company ethos reflects very clearly through the website’s design.

Nappa Dori

Nappa Dori brands themselves as a “tribute to the quintessential Indian sensibilities” which is blended perfectly with contemporary interpretations in design. Their website reflects the mysticism and romance of the vibrant culture the brand is inspired by. The beautiful products are portrayed through stunning visual imagery that highlights the craftsmanship and eclectic modernism. The ecommerce website incorporates many different aspects such as collaborations, social media integrations and the various collections on sale. A beautifully designed website for the modern romantic.

Pan Africa

This website’s design is incredibly unique. The homepage opens up directly to the product display page and the products are all named after different countries from the continent of Africa. Each product is also made from materials sourced from the country that it’s named after, therefore the designs are culturally influenced and have some vivid patterns. The “Manifest” section of the website has a linear navigation with an interesting map-like structure on the left of the page that shows how much of the page has been completed. This is an extremely refreshing website design with an interesting product concept.

Paolita

Paolita is a brand that has products with a lot of character and cultural influence. The swimwear label incorporates designs and colors from various different countries that the designer finds inspiring which is why the website has been designed in order to make these statement pieces stand out. High fashion photos of the product worn by beautiful models is a surefire way to attract attention to the products, but that along with the dynamic movement of the photo grids and the well-placed text is a great aspect of the web design.

Patagonia Provisions

This may seem like a typical ecommerce website full of lots of information, however, it’s the placement of the text along with the images that make the website’s design effective. These attributes, along with the call-to-action, help pack a punch for the brand.

Pipsnacks LLC

Following the standard ecommerce website design, Pipsnacks LLC incorporates its own charming fonts, colors, and designs while highlighting their products with large imagery and text. The product packaging complements the website’s theme and is very appealing to the eyes.

Playcharms

Playcharms has an elegant website design. The theme incorporates asymmetrical photo grids, complementing colors and beautifully photographed images. The brand also incorporates multimedia elements such as video right on their homepage to make it more engaging for the visitors.

Snowe

Snowe’s mix and match theme works for their website. Incorporating several different elements into their home page, it almost gives the feeling of looking into a magazine—even the images are photographed in that format. Eye-catching illustrations, a mix of different fonts and varied images on the product carousel make for an eclectic aesthetic.

Soap Co.

Soap Co.’s ecommerce website opens up to individual images of the products that look like one large photograph of them beautifully placed on a table alongside their key ingredients. The theme of the website has been designed to merge beautifully with their product packaging. The design has a luxurious feel to it and integrates color beautifully into the landing pages, on the otherwise monochrome theme.

Storq

Storq’s ecommerce website aims to make pregnancy clothing stylish yet comfortable. Thus, the website’s design is airy, clean and has a simple linear navigation that highlights the products and their features. The website opens with a video of a model donning the products and the text beside the image brands them as “essentials.” Even though most of the products listed on the homepage are in black and grey tones, the website, due to the models and the way they are photographed, come across pleasantly which likely appeals to their target market.

Tangle Teezer

Tangle Teezer’s website is uniquely British: The design, the colors, the models and of course even the products. The web design incorporates pops of color, banners and geometric cutouts to bring out the wild personality of the brand effectively.

Tinker

Tinker’s ecommerce site is visually stunning and portrays its products beautifully. The brand describes itself as “clean and timeless without being too serious, thoughtfully-detailed without overt branding, honestly-priced and well-constructed, without unnecessary features or superfluous detailing”—and this would be a great description of their website itself! Clean and timeless.

Two Chimps

Two Chimp’s ecommerce website has playful content and illustrations that live up to the name of the brand. The design, even though it’s monochromatic grey-scale tones, really does reflect the brand’s personality and character. Unlike typical websites, the brand completely abandons the typical structure of ecommerce websites and plays on a completely different format: it doesn’t show visitors the product immediately.  The website is fresh, innovative and funky, just like the brand.

Conclusion

There you have our roundup of 50 of the most beautiful ecommerce website designs on the market at the moment. We hope you gain inspiration for your own ecommerce website and implement some of the ideas so you can ultimately engage your audience on another level.

The post 50 Beautiful and Creative Ecommerce Website Designs appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

By sharing these results, our aim is to demystify some of the assumptions people might have about entrepreneurship and to help budding and experienced entrepreneurs measure their progress against others who are building, launching, and growing their online businesses.

If you’re signed up to our email list, you probably saw us send out this year’s Ecommerce & Entrepreneurial Insights Audience Survey. If you were one of the hundreds of people who submitted your answers to the ecommerce survey, we thank you! It’s participation like yours that makes informative articles like this one possible.

We hope this article will show all entrepreneurs, or “wantrepreneurs,” out there that although the entrepreneurial journey can feel lonely, you are not, in fact, alone. There are other entrepreneurs out there who want to start but don’t know how, there are some who have started building a business but aren’t sure if they’re doing anything right, and there are also many who want to grow their business but aren’t sure what steps to take.

Whatever stage you’re at, you aren’t alone and this article can help you understand where your entrepreneurial journey stands amongst those of your peers and can help you manage your expectations as you start, launch or grow your business further.

So whether you want to start an online business but aren’t sure how or if you’re just ready to jump in headfirst and start something, the results of our survey will give you a glimpse into what others are doing and how they’re doing it so you can compare your progress and plan for your future.

Let’s jump into it.

Ecommerce & Entrepreneurial Insights: Audience Survey Results for 2019

Audience Information

First of all, here’s some information on our audience demographics so you have some context as to who these survey results are coming from.

AGE RANGE

The majority of our audience is made up of adults in the 35-44 age range, which has evolved from our last survey because the majority of our audience then was in the 25-34 age range. Our next-largest audience age group is people aged 45-54 so that means that 50% of our audience is between the ages 35-55! Plus, a whopping 22% of people aged 25-34 consume our content, which means that 72% of our audience is between the ages of 25-55.

This is a large part of the working population so it makes sense that this age range of people is most interested in learning how to start a business or have already started their businesses.

Only 7.9% of our audience is made up of people aged 18-24, and an even smaller percentage of adults—2.1% to be exact—are 65+. These parts of the population are, in general, less likely to have the time, interest, or funding to invest in starting or growing an online business, so these results come as no surprise.

We’ve discussed previously why it’s so important for those who are part of the working population to strongly consider building their own businesses now, as jobs are evolving to become more automated and companies are moving to minimize their workforce in favor of cheaper, less volatile alternatives such as machines and artificial intelligence. It’s encouraging to see that the people who are likely to be the most affected by the reduction of human job positions in companies in the decades to come are also the ones who are taking action to build their own businesses—whether they’re full-time businesses or side hustles—so they can take charge of their future job security.

HAVE A BUSINESS VS. DON’T HAVE A BUSINESS YET

In similar fashion to last year, the majority of our audience is in the planning stages of building their online business, while a healthy percentage of our audience is already operating their businesses and selling to consumers at large.

This year, however, we have seen a slight increase in the number of people who have a business up and running! In last year’s survey, 34% of our audience had a business up and running and in this year’s survey, nearly 38% of respondents cited having an operating business, which is a win in our eyes!

Our aim here at A Better Lemonade Stand, as we discuss in further detail on our About Page, is to inspire, educate, and support entrepreneurs in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey, so we’re happy to see the percentage of people who have a business rise as people who are currently in the planning stages of building their business eventually make their way into launching their business.

We also asked the entrepreneurs who already have an online business what their most important reason for starting an ecommerce business was, and this is what they said:

For the entrepreneurs who want to start an online business but haven’t yet, we asked them the same question. This was their response:

As you can see, the results between the entrepreneurs who have an online business versus those who don’t mirror one another. Their intentions for having started an online business versus wanting to start an online business are very similar and are likely very similar to many entrepreneurs out there who have already or want to start an online business.

For those who haven’t started an online business yet, we also asked them what’s holding them back from doing so. The results are pretty even across the board, with most people lacking or being intimidated by the monetary investment, others lacking the knowledge to invest in building an online business, and nearly just as many others lacking the time and product ideas to get started.

If you’re one of the people who fall into the lack of knowledge category, we encourage you to stick around our website and try out the various resources we have for people who want to start their own online businesses but aren’t sure how yet.

• Check out our ecommerce blog for informative advice, resources, and tips
• Download our START Guide to get a complete overview of the entrepreneurial process so you know what to expect
• Check out our One Page Ecommerce Business Plan for a comprehensive guide to building and launching your online business without missing a step
• Participate in our free video webinars to get starting building businesses from scratch
• Download our free guides & PDFs to find suppliers, niches and other important information to help you build and launch your online business
• Read the ecommerce business case studies to learn how others have built their businesses from scratch
• Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter to get new content & information sent straight to your inbox
• Use our Instant Product Evaluator Tool to get advice on your product ideas’ strengths and weaknesses

Beyond the resources we offer, there are other great places online that can help you learn more about ecommerce and starting your own online business. We recommend checking out:

• The Shopify Blog for articles covering everything you might need to know about starting your online business
• Skillshare for educational classes taught by leading professionals in many different industries. Find our roundup of the Best Skillshare Classes for Entrepreneurs here
• The Bench Accounting Syllabus for information and advice on bookkeeping and accounting for your online store
• The Indie Hackers website for support from all different kinds of founders creating profitable online businesses and side projects. The Indie Hackers Interviews section has lots of helpful case studies as well
• The Sumo Blog for comprehensive, in-depth and high-quality articles about entrepreneurship and business
• The Ahrefs Blog for information about SEO and marketing

PHYSICAL VS. DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Out of the entrepreneurs in our audience who do currently have an online business, the vast majority of them sell physical products rather than digital products. This comes as no surprise to us as our content primarily focuses on helping entrepreneurs start ecommerce businesses that sell physical products, but we’re noticing a rising interest in people wanting to learn more about what kind of digital product options exist and how to get started selling digital products rather than physical products.

For example, even since our last survey, the amount of entrepreneurs selling digital products has almost doubled! In last year’s survey, only 6% of our audience responded saying they sell digital products but in this year’s survey, 11% of our audience sells digital products. That’s already a big jump in just one year, so we’re interested to see how the results to this question change in the coming years.

BUSINESS MODEL

The type of business model merchants use to sell their products is important to know because it dictates how so many other aspects of their business will operate, so we love observing the results of this question—especially as merchant sourcing method trends come and go.

A small majority of our audience dropships their products, and we see that this has grown slightly since last year when just 32% of our audience dropshipped their products. This comes as no surprise as it’s one of the most accessible ways to acquire products to sell online, and it’s one of the most efficient ways to start an online business, especially if a merchant is starting their very first online business.

The next most popular sourcing method is merchants who make their own products. This is a common sourcing method because the merchant has more control over their products and branding, but it can be difficult to scale your business if you’re solely in charge of making your products as it’s usually quite labor-intensive and takes a fair amount of time. So this is a great sourcing method if you’re running a side hustle or small business, but not so ideal if you’re looking to sell en masse.

A small amount of our audience also sources their products via manufacturing which again, makes sense. Manufacturing can be a difficult way to acquire products to sell online because there are often MOQs that need to be met, inventory that must be managed, and it’s just generally a much more expensive and time-consuming business model to get started with. It can be a very rewarding business model, though, because the margins are generally much more generous than any of the other business models, and it also typically allows for total brand and product control.

And finally, wholesaling is the business model that the fewest merchants in our audience use. This comes as no surprise because the dropshipping business model is similar, however, it’s usually much more easily accessible, less costly to get started with, and offers a little bit more brand control. Wholesale still requires some startup funding because there are usually MOQs to be met and when you sell wholesale products, you’re selling on behalf of another brand, which isn’t as on-trend in the entrepreneur ecosystem at the moment.

We also asked the part of our audience who don’t have a business up and running where they plan to source their products from. Here’s how they responded:

Much more of this part of our audience plans to manufacture their products, which we find interesting and in alignment with some of the responses in the Financing a Business section of this article. In that section, a significant part of this audience report that they plan to have a medium-to-large sized budget to finance the launch of their business, which would be necessary if they’re planning to manufacture their products because that usually requires much more upfront investment than any other product-sourcing method.

No matter which business model you choose, besides making products yourself, you’re going to have to find the right supplier for your business to source products from, so if you’re looking to get started sourcing your products via dropshipping, wholesaling or manufacturing, we recommend checking out our curated supplier directories:

• Drop Shipping Suppliers Directory
• Manufacturer Directory
• Clothing Manufacturer Directory
• Wholesale Suppliers Directory
• Private Label Manufacturers Directory

INDUSTRY

This is a great question you can use to get an overview of which industries other entrepreneurs currently sell in so you can understand what the most popular, and potentially profitable, niches are. Businesses don’t survive in niches that aren’t thriving, so the top niches on this list are likely to be the ones where consumers are most active and willing to purchase products.

If you’re looking to start your ecommerce business, consider which of these industries you’d be most likely to sell in and look to this list for a glimpse into the size of customer base you’d likely have and how many competitors you might be up against. The more popular it is, the more customers and competition you’ll probably have.

YEARS IN BUSINESS

The vast majority of our audience who have online businesses are just in the beginning stages of operating them! Most entrepreneurs have only had their businesses for less than one year and almost just as many have had their business for 1-3 years.

Remember these numbers when we get to the final section of this article on Financing a Business. The numbers in that section primarily exist within the context of new businesses that have been active for 0-3 years, which is very important to keep in mind. Especially if you’re just starting your ecommerce business, those numbers can give you a good understanding of what the first 3 years operating your ecommerce business could look like.

Running a Business

Next, let’s dive into the data on what our audience is doing and using to run their ecommerce businesses.

For those who haven’t started an online business yet, this section can give you valuable insight into tools, tactics, and information you can use to build your future business more successfully, and for those who already have an online business up and running, this section can give you a glimpse into where you stand amongst your peers who also have online businesses on the go.

Let’s jump into it.

ECOMMERCE PLATFORM OR MARKETPLACE PROVIDER

It comes as no surprise that the majority of our audience has built their online business on the Shopify ecommerce platform. Shopify is one of the top ecommerce platforms in the industry and is often the most highly recommended because it’s inexpensive to get started on and offers a host of useful features and reliable support.

When we conducted this ecommerce survey last year we noticed that a large part of our audience has built their online businesses not only on an ecommerce platform like Shopify but also on ecommerce marketplaces like Amazon eBay and Etsy. Online marketplaces can be a lucrative way for new businesses to launch into the ecommerce industry because there are already customers browsing and shopping on these marketplaces, which gives more exposure to brands listing products on the marketplace and makes it easier to get initial sales.

Plenty of ecommerce businesses have their own online store set up on ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce or Magento and then also sell on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. This way they can have the best of both worlds: They can own their own store on an ecommerce platform which means they don’t have to abide by marketplace rules but they can also benefit from the footfall that marketplaces attract to help their products be more discoverable and easily shoppable by consumers around the world.

BUILDING BUSINESSES AROUND A PASSION

This is one of our favorite questions to ask entrepreneurs with ecommerce stores because we love seeing entrepreneurs passionate about the products they sell and the market they serve. We’ve discussed this on the blog before, but being an entrepreneur isn’t always easy and being passionate about what you do can really help see you through the challenging times.

It is by no means necessary to only start an online business because you’re passionate about the products you sell or the market you serve, however, it can be helpful in the long run to love what you sell and whom you sell it to.

Merchants who are passionate about their products are more likely to stick through the tough times that come with running an online business such as months of low traffic, minimal conversion rates, and high abandoned cart rates. It’s also useful to be passionate about the market you serve because you’ll be more in-tune with their wants and needs and will be more likely to create better products and shopping experiences that suit their interests.

It’s still very possible to create great products and a great shopping experience for your customers even if you aren’t passionate about your products or niche but it just might take more effort or research to achieve the same results as someone who’s passionate about the market.

SOLE FOUNDER VS. PARTNERSHIPS

As you can see, the vast majority of our audience is made up of entrepreneurs who are the sole founders of their ecommerce business. For anyone who hasn’t started an online business yet, use this as inspiration to know that you, too, can start an ecommerce business on your own without the help or support of someone else.

Support and guidance from others can be helpful when it comes to starting and running an online business, but just know that it’s not necessary to get started.

Out of interest, we added another question this year that will hopefully be helpful for those of you who might be thinking about starting a business with business partners. Sometimes, working with a business partner can be an excellent experience—they might be able to run the aspects of the business you have no interest or skills in and they might really round-out your team and build the business to a place that you couldn’t have done on your own. However, not all business partnerships are like this.

Some business partnerships don’t work out and can leave you wishing you just did everything on your own in the first place. We caution you to really vet your business partners and take the results of the following survey question into consideration.

If our audience members who started an online business with business partners today were to do it over, 40% wouldn’t work with business partners again. That’s a pretty vast chunk, so maybe it’s something to think about.

BUILD A BUSINESS WHILE WORKING OR QUIT YOUR JOB

This is perhaps a question that every entrepreneur has asked themselves before starting their online business, and the truth is that it’s really up to each individual person’s unique circumstances and risk tolerance to decide which option is right for them.

This, however, is what our audience had to say about it:

Since it typically does take some time to bring a business to life and generate a sufficient level of traffic and sales to make it a viable way to earn a living, it’s generally best to work on an ecommerce business as a side hustle first while working your regular job. This way, you are less likely to put yourself in a compromising position should your ecommerce business not work out or be as profitable initially as you may have expected.

Ecommerce businesses also require a fair bit of monetary investment, whether that’s because of the inventory required to stock the virtual shelves or to fund the ecommerce platform, apps, marketing channels, etc. required to get the business up and running, so it helps to have a reliable source of income that can help cover the initial startup costs.

Again, it’s totally up to each entrepreneur how they choose to approach this part of the startup process, but as you can see, the majority of our audience chose to start their ecommerce business while working their typical day job.

In last year’s survey, however, 29% of our audience quit their job to start their online business and in this year’s survey, we notice that number jumped to 34%! We find that quite interesting, and are intrigued to see how the responses to this question change in the future.

MOST EFFECTIVE SALES/ADVERTISING CHANNELS

Interestingly enough, the majority of our audience uses SEO to attract visitors to their online store followed by Facebook Ads and organic social media. These results are comparable to last year’s so we’re not surprised.

We have noticed a decline in the number of merchants who use Facebook Ads to drive visitors to their store, however. In last year’s survey, 45% of respondents reported Facebook Ads as being their most effective sales/advertising channel whereas this year, only 32% said the same. That’s a 13% drop which is pretty significant and possibly something to take into consideration as for the future of Facebook marketing.

Since last year, the amount of our audience citing SEO to be an effective sales/advertising channel has grown by 7% and the effectiveness of Instagram Ads has also grown by the same amount.

ENTREPRENEURIAL STRUGGLES

Typically product and niche selection is the area that we notice entrepreneurs struggle with the most, however, this doesn’t seem to be the case with merchants who already have a store up and running! A huge majority of our audience struggles to get traffic to their online store, and we don’t blame them. That can be one of the most challenging and time-consuming areas for entrepreneurs to deal with when starting and growing their online business, and it’s clearly one that many, many entrepreneurs are struggling with right now.

If this is something you’re struggling with, take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. If it’s something you really want to work on, check out these resources to help you get started:

• Getting Traffic:
  • How to Increase Website Traffic
  • How to Build Backlinks
  • How to Cheat at Ecommerce

With this year’s survey results, we’ve noticed that difficulty surrounding Sourcing Suppliers seems to be on the rise. In last year’s results, 17% of our audience struggled with it, but this year, 26% are finding it difficult. That’s a huge jump so if it’s an area of business development that you’re running into roadblocks with, you might want to check out these resources:

• Sourcing Suppliers:
  • The Ultimate Guide to Safely Sourcing Your Products From Alibaba
  • 10 Best Shopify Dropshipping Apps to Acquire Inventory for Your Business
  • The Untold Secrets to Cutting Manufacturing Costs & Lead Times

For the other problem areas, these resources can be great places to seek information from:

• Conversion Optimization:
  • How to Get Your First 100 Sales
  • Conversion Rate Optimization: Ways to Increase Sales
  • The Complete Guide to Conversion Rate Optimization for First-Year Stores
  • The Complete Guide to Reducing Cart Abandonment
  • 6 Website Optimization Tactics: Neuroscience Principles to Increase Conversion Optimization
  • Facebook Retargeting Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide to Sending Website Visitors on a Facebook Retargeting Journey
• Strategy & Analytics:
  • Social Commerce: How to Drive Social Media Sales
  • SEMrush Review: How We Increased Organic Search Traffic by 532%
  • Shopify Google Analytics: The First Steps To Enhanced Ecommerce
• Finding the Perfect Product:
  • 500 Ecommerce Niches
  • Reverse Engineering the Perfect Ecommerce Product
  • How to Find a Product to Sell Online: The Definitive Guide
  • 31 Ecommerce Products You Can Make Yourself
  • How to Start an Online Business When You’re Not Ready to Start an Online Business
  • How to Make Custom Phone Cases to Sell Online: The Complete Guide
• Accounting, Finance & Legal:
  • Small Business Accounting & Bookkeeping: A Guide For Ecommerce Entrepreneurs
  • Small Business Recordkeeping 101: A Guide for Ecommerce Entrepreneurs
  • TaxJar Spotlight: Simple Sales Tax Returns for Ecommerce Businesses
  • Where To Get Legal Business Advice
• Branding & Design:
  • A Better Brand: Ecommerce Branding Guide
  • 200+ Curated Graphic & Brand Design Resources
  • The Top 10 Facebook Post Templates for Ecommerce Businesses
  • 25 Gorgeous Instagram Templates for Your Online Business (+ 10 Bonus Story Templates)
  • Product Photography: The Ultimate DIY Guide
• Shipping & Fulfillment:
  • How to Offer Free Shipping & How to Calculate Your Free Shipping Threshold
  • The Ecommerce Guide to Shipping Boxes: Shipping Boxes & Mailing Envelopes 101
  • The Ultimate Shipping Strategy Cheat Sheet
• Accessing Resources & Tools:
  • 9 Insanely Valuable & Ridiculously Inexpensive Services for Your Business 
  • 10 Essential Productivity Apps for Entrepreneurs & Business Owners
  • How to Cheat at Ecommerce: 50+ Powerful Tools, Apps & Resources for Your Online Business
• Operations & Customer Service:
  • Ecommerce Launch Checklist
  • How To Bulletproof Your Online Business
  • How to Price Your Products: An Easy-to-Use Guide
  • FAM Review: Smart Email Marketing for Busy Entrepreneurs

FAILING AT BUILDING A BUSINESS

Look at these numbers: Over 95% of entrepreneurs failed at least once before they achieved their definition of success. 95%! That’s huge.

Out of that 95%, most of them considered to have failed 2-3 times before they achieved success and 13% failed at least 7 times or more.

This data just goes to show that trial and error is part of the entrepreneurial process and even if you’ve failed in the past when starting a business it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in the future.

Of course, everyone’s definition of success is different and there’s no concrete way to define it, but take these results as reassurance that even if things don’t work out the first time, try again. The vast majority of entrepreneurs don’t create a successful business the first time, so don’t be too disheartened if you finding yourself starting and failing.

Financing a Business

The funds that it takes to start an online business can be a huge deterrent for new entrepreneurs wanting to build, launch, and grow their own online business so this section is particularly important as it gives a true representation of what our audience has spent in the past—and do currently spend—on their online business to get it running and keep it running.

If the monetary investment of starting an online business is holding you back, pay attention to the data in this section to see what funds you can likely expect to budget to start your online business. You might be surprised!

STARTUP & LAUNCH COSTS

First, we asked current entrepreneurs who have a business up and running what they initially spent to build and launch their online business.

There was quite a diverse range of responses, however, many people were able to build their business with $0-$250 in monetary investment! This goes to show that it’s possible to start an ecommerce business on a bootstrapped budget.

Next, we asked those who don’t already have an ecommerce business up and running what their budget is to build and launch their business when they do start it in the future. While the results were again, varied, many people reported setting aside a budget of $0-$250 or $2,501-$5,000 to spend on building their business.

Based on the results between the people who have started an online business versus those who haven’t, it seems that those who haven’t are planning to spend much more to start their business than those who already have. This discrepancy shows the illusion that an entrepreneur must invest a fair amount of funds into their business to build and launch it, when in reality that doesn’t seem to be the case.

There are many factors that can play into the startup costs of a business, including initial costs like inventory which can really eat into the overall budget, so an entrepreneur’s startup budget really depends on the business model they choose. Since a significant part of our audience operates under the dropshipping business model which requires less upfront investment initially because there’s no need to purchase inventory, it makes sense that many entrepreneurs in our audience started their business on a low budget.

BUSINESS’ MONTHLY REVENUE RANGE

Now compare this data with the previous section’s data: A significant portion of our audience started their business with a low budget, and a significant portion of our audience’s ecommerce stores are earning low levels of monthly revenue.

Take these points into consideration:

• A significant portion of our audience operates their businesses via the dropshipping business model which is well known, in general, for having low revenue earning potential and slim profit margins
• The majority of our audience’s businesses are between 0-3 years old, which means they’re relatively young and are still finding their feet within their industry and are building their reputation
• For our audience members who do have a business, they’ve reported that getting traffic and conversions are the two main struggles they deal with on an ongoing basis. This is likely to directly impact their sales and their monthly revenue range

For those who are looking to start an ecommerce business, this data can demonstrate to you what to expect over the few years after launching your online business. Take the above points into consideration and think about how you can combat the struggles other entrepreneurs are facing which potentially have a direct impact on their bottom line.

For those who do have an online business, use this data to see how you measure up amongst your peers! Think about where your monthly revenue range would place you in relation to others in our audience.

APPROXIMATE GROSS PROFIT MARGIN

This year, we added a new question to get an idea of our audience’s gross profit margin, for the members who have online businesses up and running.

Considering that the vast majority of our audience reported that they source their products via dropshipping, seeing 36%-45% and 55%+ as the top two results is surprising. Dropshipping is notorious for having slim profit margins, so from these results, we’re guessing that our audience might primarily be working with high-quality dropshipping suppliers who compensate the merchants they work with in a fair way.

Regardless, it’s encouraging to see that our audience of entrepreneurs with businesses have such healthy profit margin percentages.

MONTHLY MARKETING & ADVERTISING COSTS

The results for this answer are fairly varied as well, but overall they show that ecommerce business owners in our audience don’t spend a large amount of their monthly budget on advertising their online business.

A large section of our audience, 35%, spends $0 on advertising, indicating that they likely rely on free advertising methods such as SEO and social media to get the word out about their business and products.

Here are some other findings we’ve noticed from the data:

• 15% of our audience spends between $151-$300 per month on advertising
• 15% of our audience spends between $26-$75 per month on advertising
• 7.5% of our audience spends between $1-$25 per month on advertising
• 7.5% of our audience spends between $301-$600 per month on advertising

This data shows us that the majority of our audience isn’t spending a huge amount of funds on advertising every month, but it seems like merchants are either spending virtually nothing on advertising or a few hundred dollars—there isn’t much in between.

MONTHLY APPS & SERVICES COST

Since a very small percentage of our audience spends $0 on apps and services every month to run their ecommerce business, the data from this question shows that apps are useful, helpful and worth the investment when it comes to running an online business.

Almost 86% of our audience spend at least some part of their monthly budget on apps for their online business, so clearly apps are necessary and essential for daily operation. The types of apps used for ecommerce businesses can vary from customer service support systems to recurring payments for subscription service business models to email marketing providers or even dropshipping suppliers.

There are so many different apps available for online businesses and especially for merchants selling on the Shopify platform—which is the majority of our audience—as it has the best and most diverse pick of apps on the market.

Interested in learning more about which apps you can use to help run your business? Check out these articles:

• 10 Essential Productivity Apps for Entrepreneurs & Business Owners
• 20 Smartphone Apps to Manage Your Online Business on the Go
• 10 Best Shopify Dropshipping Apps to Acquire Inventory for Your Business

Conclusion

Even though you might feel alone on your entrepreneurial journey, we hope that this article has shed some light on the struggles other entrepreneurs face and the choices they make to build, launch, and grow their online business. Use the data in this article as a jumping-off point to help you understand what it takes to start an online business if you haven’t already started one and if you have, use the results to measure your progress and benchmark your success.

There’s a lot to take away from the insights learned about our audience in this article, so we hope you can use it to build, launch, and grow a better ecommerce business.

The post Ecommerce & Entrepreneurial Insights: Audience Survey Results for 2019 appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.

That’s why these 11 posts from the Shopify Blog are so great. They are industry-specific articles designed to give you focused insight on one specific type of business, with the intention of helping you learn exclusively about that business and industry, so you can learn more about the finer details. Use these 11 posts to dive deeper into each of these vastly different industries and understand more about what it’s like to sell their kinds of products online whether it be fashion, food, electronic accessories, jewelry, art, enamel pins or vintage clothing.

If you’re interested in learning more about what it takes to start up one of these 11 industry-specific businesses then read on for our excerpts and check out the Shopify articles for the full details.

How to Start a Fashion Line: Secrets from a Project Runway Designer

Starting a fashion line has to be one of the most popular businesses that people always seem to want to know more about. How to start one for themselves, how to manufacture clothing items, where to source clothing suppliers from, and just general information regarding how to start a clothing line. This post by Shopify has caught up with the designer, boutique owner and Project Runway contestant Sarah Donofrio to get her insight into the fashion industry.

Donofrio discusses skills and training, branding and trends, inspiration, design and development, production, fabric sourcing, textile design, ecommerce stores, social sales and more, plus her own insights and experiences having worked in the fashion industry for over a decade. She started out working as a retail buyer, moved into product development and now owns her own boutique and runs an ecommerce store through Shopify. Her skills range from design, production, teaching, ecommerce, wholesale, consignment, and retail.

If you’re interested in starting your own fashion line, the information shared in this article will put into perspective the realities surrounding this seemingly sought-after industry. Donofrio discusses her experiences candidly and doesn’t glaze over how she’s managed to achieve success with her fashion business. For an interesting glimpse into the fashion industry and to gain insight into what a fashion designer needs to take into consideration to operate a successful clothing line, check out this article.

How to Start a Phone Case Business: The Ultimate Guide

Starting a phone case business is definitely one of the most accessible types of businesses to start. Based on the advantages shared in this post, there are an astronomical amount of mobile devices in the world, nearly half of mobile phone users upgrade their devices every two years and phone cases are a fun way for people to accessorize their phones while adding extra protection.

This article discusses exactly why a phone case business is an accessible option for new entrepreneurs: The inventory is small and thus easier to house, they’re pretty low-cost to produce, you can sell them online or offline, you can print, package and fulfill them through a drop shipper, you can create an infinite amount of prints on the same type of phone case, and every time a new phone model comes out you get to sell a new product.

Selling accessories is one of the best ways to get in on the electronics game; you don’t have to have any technical experience or knowledge and you can easily play into trends and help your customers increase the functionality of their devices. This article will help you understand aspects of the mobile phone device market that will help you to create a successful business around selling accessories for it. It discusses the different types of phone cases that exist, where to get designs for phone cases, how to know which designs will be popular and where you can sell phone cases.

If you’re interested in starting a business in a low cost, fast-paced, constantly evolving industry, then check out our custom print-on-demand phone case guide to learn more about starting a phone case business or Shopify’s article linked below.

How to Start a Jewelry Making Business: The Ultimate Guide

If you’ve ever been one of those crafty people making friendship bracelets or beaded necklaces when you were younger, maybe you want to try your hand at starting a jewelry business. It’s a booming industry with lots of niche markets and room for businesses to lead by their brand, and this article discusses exactly how you can do that for your own jewelry making business.

To learn about jewelry design, inspiration, branding, product design, materials, tools, education and more, this post provides detailed explanations of each topic, an interview with Corrine Anestopoulos (founder of online jewelry boutique, Biko) and useful resources to help you source materials, tools, and further guidance. You’ll learn about different production methods to create jewelry pieces (craft them yourself or outsource to a manufacturer), why branding is an integral part of a successful jewelry business, and different aspects of the business side of a jewelry company (like safety, hiring, and product photography).

The best part of a jewelry business is that you can most definitely start small and scale your business to fit your labor capacity and goals. You don’t need to be a metalsmith or a gemologist, and you can still create quality pieces yourself without having to outsource to a manufacturer. A jewelry business can truly be as small or large as you want it to be.

To learn more about how you can turn a passion for jewelry into a business, check out this article.

How to Start an Online Food Business: The Ultimate Guide

In many cases, starting a food business is a lot like starting any other business: There are trends to be mindful of, niche markets to be catered to and materials to be sourced (but in this case, they are ingredients). There are, however, a few big differences when it comes to starting up a food business: You’ll have to be more mindful of your production space, rules and regulations surrounding your product, as well as perishability. It can be overwhelming to try and source all the necessary information about this type of business — especially if this is the first business you’re starting up — so this article by Shopify has made the effort to bring all the necessary information into one streamlined place to help you consider every aspect of what it takes to start a food business.

This article goes into depth on topics such as food business ideas, sourcing ingredients, food production, packaging, branding, labeling, pricing, inventory, food law, ethics and more, plus it also includes interviews from food business experts who share their experiences and tips.

The article acknowledges that food laws and regulations differ around the world, but this article is a good starting point for people who are new to the industry and just need some initial information to guide them in the right direction. If you’re interested in starting your own food business — maybe you’ve got an awesome family recipe or a killer secret sauce — then check out this article to help you get started.

How to Sell Art Online: The Ultimate Guide

There’ll be no need to be a starving artist once you understand the lesson that to succeed in art means you must also succeed in business — at least, that’s how the author of this Shopify post puts it! As an artist, someone who is able to create compelling drawings, designs, illustrations, graphics, paintings, sculptures, etc, you have so much creative freedom and power that once you realize how to execute it strategically, selling your art online can be possible and profitable.

The article discusses the strategies behind selling art online. It starts off describing the trade-off between selling as a side hustle versus full-time, then moves into the discussion between selling your own art versus selling art created by other artists. Then the discussion moves to the art itself: Should you be selling prints or originals, photographing or scanning your artwork for product photos, open versus limited edition artwork, and how to create prints of your work. Finally, the article discusses the logistical side of an artwork business: Gallery shows, pop-ups, offline events, working with galleries, packing and shipping art, plagiarism, and copyright.

This article strongly emphasizes that creators need to embrace the non-artistic side of the business in order to achieve success. It’s not about creating art and expecting it to sell online, it’s about building an audience and then developing a business strategy to suit your audience that happens to get your artwork sold. This may mean selling your artwork via other mediums than canvas or prints, such as clothing pieces, homewares or even tech accessories, or it may mean adapting your artwork to suit your audience.

How to Make Enamel Pins: The Ultimate Guide to Selling Enamel Lapel Pins Online

Enamel pins are a small accessory that has managed to stand the test of time. Due to their playful appearance and ability to personalize an outfit, enamel pins are an appealing accessory to wear for many people. They’re typically worn on jackets, bags or backpacks and are often found to be paired in groups of two or more pins for added individuality. Enamel pins are also an excellent business idea for new entrepreneurs interested in a low cost, low-risk business venture as the size of the business can really be scaled to fit the business owner’s preference.

In this article, Shopify discusses the enamel pin business from how to turn designs into enamel pins, how to make pins that people will actually want to buy, how to find the right customers and how to sell enamel pins online. The article walks you through how to find a niche market, what resources you can utilize to make designs or find a designer, how to manufacture your pins, the difference between soft enamel pins and hard enamel pins, the factors that influence pricing, manufacturing specifications and more, so you’ll know the general enamel pin making process from start to finish once you’re finished with this article.

If you’re interested in starting a business at the beginner level or have artwork or designs you’re interested in turning into tangible products, this may be an appealing business option to pursue. For more information on how to start an enamel pin business, check out the Shopify article.

How to Sell Vintage Clothing Online: The Ultimate Guide

Selling vintage clothing online is a popular business idea, however, it certainly isn’t for everyone. Selling vintage clothing takes a lot of time, patience, and curation in order to be successful and it’s best kept to those who are passionate about vintage and the process of finding and reviving vintage pieces. In this article, Shopify discusses what it takes to sell vintage clothing online.

First of all, what’s your angle? How are you going to take the massive industry that is vintage clothing and bring it down to a bite-sized morsel your audience can digest? Next, the article discusses sourcing: How you’re going to get your hands on the vintage clothing itself. Then it discusses the care and keeping of the clothes: How to store it, manage the inventory, cleaning and repairing it. Finally, we move into the logistics of a vintage clothing business: How to take product photos of the items, how to curate collections, make product pages, answer FAQs, figure out pricing, and marketing to your audience.

As the article is quick to point out, selling vintage clothing online has a lot to do with the personal taste of the buyer, curating the products into a meaningful selection and marketing the pieces in an appealing way in order to operate a successful vintage clothing business. If vintage clothing is your passion and you think you have a knack for sussing out great finds, check out this article to learn more about how to turn it into a business.

How to Make a Terrarium: Turning Tiny Ecosystems into a Blooming Business

Terrariums are a trendy home decor item that’s proved to be very popular in the last few years as they’re compact, aesthetically pleasing and easy to take care of. They’re typically small plants that are planted into glass jars, bowls or bottles, and they’re generally used in the same way that houseplants are used: For decoration and adding a touch of greenery to an indoor space.

They’re an ideal product to sell both online and in-person as they’re low maintenance and low cost. Depending on what you use to build a terrarium such as the plants, housing, and additional materials you use, you can control the cost of each terrarium. Their small size makes them portable which is advantageous for shipping and selling at markets, building them yourself is relatively easy, you don’t have to be super crafty or have a green thumb, and they’re also completely customizable, as long as you include the core basic elements you can add whatever else you want.

This article will teach you all you need to know about terrariums: The different types, the best plants to use, how to construct them, how to market them and how to sell them offline. If you’re interested in selling a low cost, low maintenance, trending product to people looking to add an element of greenery to their space, check out this article.

How to Make Bath Bombs: Build a Retail Beauty Business From Scratch

Bath bombs are a tried-and-true product that have stood the test of time. While many well-known retailers sell their own versions of these bath products, they’re also relatively easy to make from scratch using conventional kitchen tools and common ingredients. They’re also a fun product that’s easy to customize into different scents and shapes that customers of all ages and interests can get a kick out of. Depending on the ingredients used to make them, they can also help combat a host of skin ailments as they’re known for being soothing, hydrating, and relaxing.

This article discusses the different types of bath bombs, such as basic spherical bath bombs, jeweled bath bombs, glitter bath bombs, and shaped/themed bath bombs and it also discusses how to make bath bombs, the necessary ingredients and supplies, and how to sell bath bombs both online and offline.

Your own bath bomb business can be an easy-entry business to start as it can be low cost, easy to source ingredients, easy to market, and just requires a little time and crafty-ness. Since it’s a fairly well-saturated market (no pun intended) you’ll need to focus on what your angle will be and how you’ll tap into your niche market. Why will your customers buy from you rather than well-known retailers who have the ability to sell many different types and variations of bath bombs?

If you’re interested in getting to know more about a bath bomb business, how to make them, what sort of ingredients you’ll need to use and more about marketing, selling online and offline, check out this article.

How To Start An Online T-Shirt Business: The Ultimate Guide

One of the most accessible entry-level businesses for new entrepreneurs to start is a t-shirt business. There are so many services and resources anyone can use to make their t-shirt business low cost, automated and low maintenance while still being high quality. Using the right resources you can have a t-shirt business up and running in a very short amount of time.

This comprehensive article shares all the right resources to use. When it comes to designing, branding, printing, and shipping, this article details all the best services to use to bring your ideas to life. Beyond that it also discusses the four critical elements of any t-shirt business (niche, design, quality and brand), as well as the pros and cons of different t-shirt printing methods, how to create your t-shirt designs, how to validate and mockup designs, and which t-shirt drop shippers you can use to source and sell your t-shirts.

Everyone is capable of creating their own t-shirt business, all it takes is a little information and knowing which resources to trust. This article shares all the pertinent information and includes links to suppliers, other detailed blog posts, online courses, design resources and more so you know exactly where to look for what you need. For all the information on starting your own t-shirt business, check out this article.

How to Sell Photos Online and Profit From Your Pictures

Do you have a passion for photography? Have you considered turning it into a business? This article shares all the information you’ll need to know about turning your passion for photography into a revenue stream where you can share, sell, license, and get credit for your work. Why keep your images to yourself if they’re good enough to share?

This article starts by covering all the technical licensing jargon so you’ll be on the same page with everyone else in the professional photography industry when it comes to things like commercial use, retail use, editorial use, public domain, royalty-free, etc. This is really helpful for you when you start to sell your images as each of these technical terms describes a specific way in which your images are able to be used by the people who purchase it. The article immediately then jumps into what to do when someone else steals your photos either without paying for them or for breaching the limits of the license they purchased. Unfortunately, this is a common problem in this and other creative industries, and one you’ll want to be fully aware of how to deal with before you jump into creating your own photography business.

The article also discusses how to sell your photos online by defining a niche and building an audience, how to integrate ecommerce into your portfolio, websites you can license your images as stock photos through, different physical items you can get your images printed onto and finally how to sell your photography skills as a service.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to turn your passion for photography into a business then check out this article.

Conclusion

There you have it, 11 articles about industry-specific businesses you could potentially turn into businesses yourself if you feel that they’re worth pursuing. While the best way to start a business is to just start one and learn as you go, these articles are filled with ideas, tips, information, and interviews that will help guide you on your journey, and probably help you avoid some mistakes along the way. Each of these industries is so different from one another that while the main approach of setting up the business side of things is generally the same, it’s the small details that each of these articles delves into that is useful information for those wanting to specifically pursue these industries. If you’ve ever thought about pursuing one of these specific businesses, make sure to check out the corresponding article to get a deeper look into requirements, rules, regulations, and just general knowledge. You may be surprised at what you learn. Happy reading!

The post Step-by-Step: How to Start 11 Different Types of Ecommerce Businesses appeared first on A Better Lemonade Stand.