Top 5 products to sell online in 2022

1. Wall art

During lockdown, for many, the home became a refuge and office. The growth in popularity of wall art during 2020 and 2021 reflected a desire to make our living spaces more personalized, inviting, and tranquil. It was also a recognition of how video conferencing allowed colleagues and strangers to view - and make judgments about! - our domestic environments in ways which would have seemed unimaginable before WFH. Sales of wall art have skyrocketed, and because of the various aspects of wall decor, it’s the perfect item to have in your store throughout the year. Beyond wanting to make the domestic space more pleasant, don’t underestimate the desire on the part of home-workers to have a compelling background during Zoom calls! This accounts for why, in a recent study by Technavio, the value of the wall décor market in the US has been projected to grow by USD 10.78 billion during 2021-2025.

When you’re thinking about which styles of wall art to sell, don’t be afraid to stick to the tried-and-tested trends and favorites such as pop art, creative and architectural photography, vintage prints, and minimalistic art. Also consider that 2022 might be the year that international vacations return, so anticipate demand for wall art linked to destinations visited (or soon to be visited) by those who have endured two years of wanderlust. Expand your selection (and profit margins!) by selling art in multiple mediums - posters, framed posters, canvas, and aluminum or acrylic prints. As you know, Gelato locally produces each order, so no matter what your customers choose, they’ll have their homes enhanced in no time. Check out the full wall art selection here.

2. Mugs

A kitchen cabinet stocked with mugs is truly the sign of a welcoming home or office.

Mugs are also one of the most popular gifts, so it’s a good idea to offer a wide variety of designs, as well as keep up with seasonal trends. As with all of your products, knowing your customers and what excites them is key. If a particular design of another product sold well - mug it! Keep a close eye on pop culture reference points which cross into the mainstream as well as viral memes to spot possible designs and bestsellers.
Remember that the return to the workplace, after an extended time close to family and friends, means that personalized design options will really strike a chord in 2022. Customers will want a piece of home on their desks.

We offer a wide selection of drinkware, from classic mugs to magic mugs to water bottles - explore all options in the catalog to launch your next bestseller.

3. T-shirts & Hoodies

It pretty much goes without saying that the t-shirt will never go out of style. And thanks to current fashion trends, the t-shirt has become a mainstay of streetwear and haute couture alike.

According to Grandview Research, the global custom t-shirt printing market size was valued at USD 3.64 billion in 2020 and, between 2021 and 2028, is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. So the opportunities are near-endless when it comes to the trusty tee.

If your customers are young and trend-conscious, have a look at fashion influencers and see what they’re wearing: there’s no shame in capitalizing on the now and being in-sync. If your brand is more upscale, position your t-shirts as a comfortable yet unique way to complement a fancy ensemble. By offering a multitude of options, from vintage logos and scenes - to trendy slogans and sharp graphics, you can link to this most evergreen of wardrobe staples. Check out our full t-shirt selection here.

When it comes to other casualwear that was a mainstay of the lockdown wardrobe, and isn’t going to go away, give a thought to the ever-versatile hoodie. In a hybrid working world, the pressure to put on a different outfit each day has gone, and comfort-wear options define the new working world: from home office to the commute to the traditional officeWe’d recommend sticking with the t-shirt rules when it comes to choosing what you put on your hoodies.

Keep it trendy, go with what you know your customers like, and remember versatility - the hoodie is synonymous with casual comfort, it can be dressed up (or even worn in the boardroom, as Mark Zuckerberg has championed) so remember that keeping it plain and basic is not necessarily a bad thing. Or consider letting customers unleash their creativity and customize their hoodies with text and images. You can easily add customization to the products in your store with Gelato+. Explore the hoodies we offer here.

4. The year of personalization

Yes, we admit this isn’t technically a product, instead a form of customization, but it is a trend that should be in mind for 2022. It wasn’t easy to switch from the familiar rhythm of commuting and office life to an entirely domestic arrangement, but for many, the return to old habits and workplaces is not going to be that simple.

Our prediction is that, after spending so much time with family and friends, customers are going to want to have visual reminders of loved ones (and loved places) more than ever: from mugs to t-shirts to calendars, the new office environment is going to feature more photos through personalization - on more products - than ever before.

Consumers now truly appreciate the important people and things. Help celebrate them.

You can offer personalization to customers with Gelato+ - start your 30-day free trial to use all features.