How to create a product to sell online: A step-by-step guide

Creating an ecommerce brand is a highly profitable business venture, thanks to the explosion of online shopping in the last decade.

Selling products online is highly lucrative; one popular product idea can single-handedly launch an online store if you take specific steps to ensure your success.

In this post, we've created a step-by-step guide for brainstorming ideas for products that are sure to sell in even the most saturated market. You need to know the steps to take in the process; don't worry, we're covering that too!

• Your target audience can help you determine what products will perform the best in your store.

• Leveraging a print on demand supplier will lower costs and allow you to create custom products.

• Utilizing social media marketing can build brand credibility and loyal customers.

As you brainstorm how to create products to sell online for your ecommerce business, there are a few critical things to do along the way.

When determining how to create a product to sell online, conducting market research is an important first place to start. Here are a few ways to discover trending products you can put your spin on and determine what is in demand for the ideal buyer and how you can provide something unique.

Research industry trends

Use helpful resources like Google Trends to find what consumers shop for on search engines. Google Trends measures the popularity of specific keywords and terms people may use to find products and goods to purchase online. You can use this market knowledge to carve out a few ideas on how to create and sell products online.

Utilize social media

Social media is another excellent resource for discovering what's trending online in specific niches and with various demographics. Browse the Explore tab on Instagram or the FYP page on TikTok to see what like-minded individuals are sharing to get ideas for your niche product.

Follow hashtags for trends and products you are interested in selling to see what your target market is saying, what they're missing, and how you can offer something different.

Find your niche

Pursuing something you are passionate about is your best chance at having a successful product and an online store. Whether you love music and film, are a talented photographer, or enjoy finding silly memes to send to your friends, find the niche that aligns with your interests. This way, your products will become a passion project rather than just a business. Your personality and creativity will shine through in a contagious way for potential buyers.

Creating custom products to sell online requires a few pivotal partners to make everything run smoothly. You'll need a print on demand provider to handle all the order fulfillment, including printing, packaging, and shipping the orders as they arrive.

According to IMARC Group, the print on demand market is expected to reach USD 48.4 billion by 2032 – a staggering jump from USD 7.7 billion in 2023.

Leveraging print on demand as a piece of your online business means you won't ever have to worry about inventory, shipping, or any tasks related to order fulfillment. You can design a product to sell online and let the POD service do the rest.

Print on demand shopping list

When researching print on demand companies to integrate with your ecommerce store, a few considerations should hold a lot of weight in your decision.

Be sure to consider each company's product selection so that you can serve specific customers and offer popular products in your online store.

You'll also want to look into the product quality; from t-shirts and custom hoodies to fine art paper quality, every detail matters when selling a product online.

Lastly, consider the sustainability practices of the print on demand provider. Do they partner with companies around the globe to decrease their carbon footprints or provide a break in shipping costs? These factors will significantly benefit your customers' shopping experience and can be a valuable offering for eco-friendly consumers.

If you've done your research, you probably know the most popular products being sold in major online marketplaces today. Here are a few product ideas that are sure to bring in more sales and more money than you could've ever imagined possible.

Apparel

Men's and women's clothing shops have seen massive growth in recent years, making them a fantastic product choice in your own online store.

From organic crewnecks to t-shirts and hoodies, apparel is a profitable product idea that will never go out of style. For clothing, you can derive inspiration from popular meme culture, music, or films.

Art

Since the significant shift in interest to home decor, selling art online is an incredibly lucrative business model. Whether you paint, draw, sketch, or create digital designs, selling art online is a profitable way to run your own online business and flex your creativity. From wall posters to ready-to-hang framed prints, wall art targets a vast demographic and can cater to many interests and styles.

Accessories

Sell must-have accessories like customized phone cases, coffee mugs, and tote bags in an online store that consumers will love for their individuality. If you decide to create and sell products online, putting your creative spin on products that people love is the best way to become profitable.

Once you've decided which products offer a solid profit margin and are the best route for your online store, it's time to begin the design phase!

Start creating

If you're a designer, get to work! If design isn't your specialty, hire a graphic designer to design a product to sell for you. If you have a Gelato+ Subscription, you'll have access to the Gelato Design Editor, where you can easily create unique, eye-catching product designs.

Design best practices

Whether you're doing the designing or providing guidelines for a graphic designer, remember to focus on a clean, simple design that packs a punch on its own.

Avoid using too many colors or visual elements because they can appear distracting and take away from the design. Stick to complementary colors and fonts to keep your visual elements harmonious and cohesive.

Test various design ideas and experiment with color schemes, fonts, and imagery. Testing all your designs with different color families and graphics will ensure your product is unique and looks clean printed on anything.

Order samples

Once you've finalized your designs, order samples from your print on demand supplier so you can experience each product firsthand.

Samples allow you to feel each item's quality, fabric, and texture, whether a hoodie or a piece of photo paper. Pay attention to these details; you'll need them later when you list each product in your online store.

You can also take high-quality photographs of each product you decide to sell so you can include photos in product listings and use them to promote your store on social media

It's time to set up your online store, but first, you'll need to choose a sales channel to use for listing your products.

The leading platforms for selling online are ecommerce platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce, online marketplaces like Etsy or eBay, or creating a store through your own website.

Ecommerce platforms

Ecommerce platforms are beneficial for several reasons, mainly due to the customization opportunities they provide for sellers. You'll have total brand control over your online store, from the templates you use to the look and feel of your store. If brand image and identity are essential to you, an ecommerce platform may be the right direction.

Ecommerce platforms also create unique marketing opportunities through custom tools and features that support product promotion. It's not all butterflies and rainbows, though. Ecommerce platforms charge high upfront costs and require technical expertise to set up shop.

Online marketplaces

An online marketplace like Etsy or eBay is a great place to create and sell products online. Marketplaces offer a massive customer base worldwide, increasing your potential reach. Marketplaces also require minimal upfront investment and are relatively easy to set up and get started, mainly if you aren't tech-savvy and want to start listing products.

However, marketplaces have some drawbacks as well. You won't have nearly the customization freedom you do on an ecommerce platform, nor will you be able to showcase your brand's identity to the same level. Marketplaces also typically charge fees for listing products and when you make a sale. If you have a small number of items to sell in your online store, this may eat into your profit more than you're comfortable with.

Your own website

Hosting your own website is another excellent option for running an online store, where you'll have total control over every aspect of the customer experience, customization, and branding. You'll never have to worry about paying transaction fees or upfront costs (aside from setting up your website with a host).

The downfall of running your own ecommerce website is the technical aspect of it all. You'll need a domain, a hosting provider, and significant coding knowledge to get your shop off the ground.

Set up your store

Once you've decided on the platform, it's game on to get your store up and running! Here are a few essential steps you'll need to take:

1. Brainstorm a store name and create a logo that is eye-catching and memorable.

2. Customize your store to fit your brand with colors, fonts, messaging, and other elements.

3. Add your products to your store.

   • Upload the high-resolution images you took from the sample order from your print on demand partner.

   • Add detailed product descriptions and include helpful details about each product's fabric, materials, sizing, fit, and any other info that may help potential buyers as they shop

   • When listing your products, use relevant keywords for all titles and descriptions. This search engine optimization strategy will help you rank higher and gain visibility with a broader audience.

4. Enable different payment options in your shop for your customers.

5. Select desirable shipping rate options for customers

Product pricing is next on your To-Do list and is pretty essential. When pricing a product, consider the following:

• How much does the item cost to produce? (both designing and printing)

• What do other brands charge for similar products?

• What is your desired profit margin?

Once you've determined these factors, adjust your pricing as necessary for a reasonable, optimal price that your target market is comfortable paying.

Consider offering discounts and promotions on digital products to attract potential customers to your store effectively. Discounts are an effective sales strategy because they increase visibility and visitors to your site, even if they don't make a purchase right away.

Now is the fun part... it's time to market your online store! Social media marketing and email are two of the most significant drivers of sales and visibility in the digital landscape.

Social media

Create your store's social media pages (if you haven't already) so potential customers can follow along. You can promote products, run paid advertising campaigns to increase visibility and give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.

Reach out to influencers in your niche and see if you can partner with them. Send a free tote bag or framed poster that they can promote to their audience.

Email marketing

Collect email addresses on your website or through your social media profiles to create an email list. When it's time for a product launch, send a curated email that promotes new products, offers discounts, and engages with your audience in unique ways.

Creating a product that sells requires establishing a few core business values you never let fall by the wayside.

If you sell online, product quality should be your number one priority. Make an effort to find a reliable manufacturer or supplier who offers a product catalog with the items you want to sell with the quality you stand behind. Anything less will lose you customers after the first order, and you can be sure they won't return for a second purchase.

In the online world, branding is king. A memorable brand helps you to connect with potential customers and build rapport based on shared interests and passions. If consumers feel connected to your brand, they will become loyal, life-long customers.

Through email and social media, encourage customer feedback so you can understand their pain points and make critical improvements to your products and customer experience.

Ask for reviews on your website or social media pages to build social proof and maintain your brand's credibility.

Not only is selling products online a highly profitable business venture, but it also doesn't take much heavy lifting to get started.

This step-by-step guide provides everything you need to create a lucrative online store with unique products that customers can't wait to purchase.

Ready to create products to sell online? Utilize Gelato's sustainable, reliable print on demand services as you launch your online business.

Market research is essential when you're learning how to create a product to sell online. It allows you to understand what your potential customers want and need, which helps design a product to sell that meets those demands. Through various methods such as surveys, focus groups, and analyzing market trends, you can gather valuable insights. This information guides you in creating products to sell that are more likely to succeed in the marketplace. By knowing your audience, you can tailor your offerings to fit their preferences and increase the chances of your product being well-received.

Platforms like Google Trends, social media analytics tools, and ecommerce sites such as Amazon and Etsy can provide insights into what is currently popular. These tools help you identify patterns and shifts in consumer interest, which is crucial when figuring out how to create products to sell. Also, using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can give you a better understanding of keyword trends related to your niche, helping you create products to sell that are in demand.

Finding a niche is crucial when learning how to create products to sell because it allows you to target a specific group of customers more effectively. When you design a product to sell within a particular niche, you face less competition and can better cater to the unique needs and preferences of that demographic. This targeted approach helps you create and sell products online with a clearer marketing strategy and a stronger brand identity. By focusing on a niche, you can build a loyal customer base that values the specialized products you offer.

Choosing the right print on demand provider is vital when you want to create products to sell. You should consider factors such as the quality of the products, the range of customization options, pricing, and the provider's reputation. Gelato, for example, offers a comprehensive platform for creating and selling custom products with various print options, faster shipping times, excellent customer service, and integration capabilities with your online store. This helps ensure that you can create products to sell that meet your quality standards and deliver an awesome customer experience.

When you're figuring out how to create your own product to sell, choosing the right platform is key. Some of the best platforms for selling custom products online include Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon. Shopify provides a comprehensive ecommerce solution with customizable store options. Etsy is great for handmade and unique items, catering to a niche market. Amazon offers a vast customer base and powerful logistics support. 

Since each platform has its strengths, consider your specific needs and audience when choosing.

Gelato can integrate with these platforms to help you create products to selland manage orders without breaking a sweat.

Product quality is paramount when you're learning how to create a product to sell online. High-quality products lead to satisfied customers, positive reviews, and repeat business. When you design a product to sell, focusing on quality ensures that your customers receive value for their money. This is crucial for building trust and a good reputation. Gelato, for instance, helps creators maintain high standards with their print on demand services, so you can create products to sell that consistently meet customer expectations. On the flip side, poor quality can lead to returns, negative feedback, and damage to your brand.

Customer feedback is a valuable resource when you want to create and sell products online. It provides direct insights into what your customers like or dislike about your products. By actively seeking and analyzing this feedback, you can make informed adjustments to your offerings to meet customer needs. Listening to your customers and acting on their suggestions helps you create products to sell that are more aligned with market demand, ultimately leading to greater success.