30 best dropshipping products to sell in 2021

Dropshipping is a business practice that has become more popular in recent years. Its unique nature gives people the power to start a business without much initial investment or overhead.

In this post, we will talk about everything dropshippers need to know about choosing products for your dropshipping business. We’ll discuss what dropshipping is before we go through a list of the most profitable eCommerce and dropshipping business ideas.

How does dropshipping work?

Dropshipping is an innovative retail business model that involves selling products without holding any inventory of the product. In order to make this model a success, retailers must find wholesalers that are willing and able to handle distribution.

How dropshipping works is that a retailer sells the products on an online store, and the orders are fulfilled by a third-party wholesaler or dedicated distribution company. The retailer would brand and market the products the same way that they would if they were fulfilling the orders themselves.

This business model is so attractive because retailers don’t have much overhead. Since you don’t have to hold any inventory, an entrepreneur could start a dropshipping business with relatively low capital.

Keep in mind that you will have to pay the distributors a fee. But if you were to fulfill orders in-house, you’d have to pay for labor or invest your own time in fulfilling orders. Dropshippers need to research the costs associated with sourcing and fulfillment with their specific products to determine what sort of profit margins they can expect.

How to choose the best items to sell

With so many different categories of products to choose from and possible markets to serve, choosing the best items to sell for dropshipping can seem overwhelming.

As a wholesaler, you will be selling to retailers who want to start a dropshipping business. In order to make it a success, you need to look at the bigger picture and choose products that consumers want or need.

Some entrepreneurs start businesses around a product or an industry that they are passionate about, which is a valid approach. However, most start businesses to make money.

There are a few ways that you can approach choosing an item to dropship. Let’s take a look at the different ways to choose the best items to sell.

Solve a problem

The best products solve a problem. Identify a problem and do some product research to see what sort of solutions are currently available. Continue to do market research to see what sort of people you’d be selling to.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel, so choose one of these products, brand it, market it, and sell it.

Find a demand

Make sure that you choose a product that there is a high demand for. You can determine the demand for products by conducting industry-specific studies and analyzing the data. You can either hire a demand forecasting specialist to help you with this, or you can call on the help of digital tools.

Some of the best demand planning software options include Logility Demand, Infor Demand Planning, Oracle Demand, Kinaxis Rapid Response, and SAP Advanced planning.

Look at trends

Another way to determine whether a product is worth selling or not is to pay attention to trends.

Look at how long a product has been popular, and think about the future of that product.

There is money to be made in fad-related products. But choosing a product with a consistent demand will help you to ensure consistent, long-term results. Neither option is inherently right or wrong. It all comes down to what you prefer.

Consider the quality

You’re going to want to make sure that you choose high-quality products to sell. Of course, not every item has to be luxury-quality, but you have to choose items that are worth what you are charging.

You can order samples of some different products to get a feel for their quality which will help you decide which direction to go.

30 profitable eCommerce and dropshipping business ideas

Now that you have an understanding of how to choose the best items to sell, it’s time to take a look at different products for building a successful dropshipping business.

We’ve compiled a list of the trending products of 2021 with data from Amazon, Shopify, Salehoo, and Google Trends. Let’s review the 30 most profitable eCommerce and dropshipping business ideas.

1. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, personal protective equipment has become more and more important. Face masks have been mandatory in many parts of the world since March of last year.

At the start, people were desperate to get facial coverings so they took what they could get.

Now that masks are more readily available, consumers have their pick of mask styles, colors, materials, and more.

Masks and other personal protective equipment will likely be around as long as the pandemic persists, so there will be a demand for these items for a while.

2. Skincare products

Over the past couple of years, skincare has grown in popularity. More and more people have adopted regular skincare routines, and some certain products have become particularly popular.

Some of the top skincare products are jade rollers, acne patches, Vitamin C serums, and anti-aging cream.

3. Sleep aids

The past year has been stressful for many people. Stress can negatively affect sleep quality, which feeds into an exhausting cycle.

Sleep supplements, specifically sleep gummies, have been a hot item. These are something that consumers typically take long-term because once they become accustomed to a certain quality of sleep, they don’t want to turn back.

Sleep eye masks have also been a popular purchase among people seeking more restful sleep.

4. Athleisure apparel and loungewear

With many jobs going remote and people spending more time at home, comfort has become key. Since many people stopped going out, their normal clothing spending went towards athleisure apparel and loungewear rather than “going out” clothes.

Sales of comfortable clothing, such as sweatsuits, sweatshirts, leggings, seamless underwear, and sports bras, have increased.

These items are all easy to brand. If you can find a dropship supplier that does customizations, you can add your logo or other stylistic elements to make the apparel your own.

5. Watches

Watches are a popular accessory right now, especially smartwatches. Smartwatches connect to your phone and allow you to access different apps and programs. One popular feature of smartwatches is fitness tracking.

When it comes to fashion, wooden watches are in. Wooden watches retail anywhere from $30 to $300, so there is plenty of variety in what you can offer.

6. Small kitchen appliances

Since people have begun to eat in and cook more, small kitchen appliances have grown in popularity. Small blenders, electric kettles, wine fridges, and rice cookers are selling well.

Air Fryers have also been a hit, especially since Air Fryer recipes have been going viral on different platforms. This is a great example of how social media trends influence consumer behavior.

7. Tea tree oil

Over the past few years, tea tree oil has become a hot product among fans of natural beauty. Tea tree oil, which is an essential oil that comes from melaleuca trees, can be used for hair care and skincare. It’s good moisturizing, but it is also known as a natural lice repellent.

8. Fitness gear

Fitness gear is another great dropshipping product for 2021. In addition to fitness apparel, like sports bras and leggings, fitness gear like yoga mats, fitness trackers, and resistance bands are popular, as well.

Fitness is not something that will go out of style, so selling fitness gear is definitely a business that is sustainable long-term.

9. Bags

There has been an upward tick in sales of bags, especially backpacks and totes. Backpacks are both functional and fashion pieces. The backpack fashion trend may fade, but it will continue to serve a functional purpose.

10. Pet supplies

Pet supplies are another type of product that is suitable for building a sustainable business. Dog beds, in particular, have seen a rise in popularity as of recent.

Another interesting prudent that has been trending is dog toothbrushes. Dog toothbrushes are likely a trendy product that may not be popular for long, but dog beds are a safer bet.

11. Furniture

Since people have been spending more time at home, many people have shifted their spending to improve their spaces. Home office furniture has risen in popularity since more people work from home. Bedside lamps and LED lamps have also been hot buys.

Although this surge may not continue long-term, furniture style is always evolving which means that there will always be some demand in this industry.

12. Home decor

Home decor is another part of home improvement that has been booming. Blankets, throw pillows, curtains, doormats, and soap dishes are some of the hottest items. Muslin blankets have been particularly trendy.

The home decor trends will likely follow the same pattern as furniture sales.

13. Tea and matcha

With the virus spreading so widely, people have become more health-conscious. Teas and matcha are a couple of wellness products that have been selling well.

Tea is relatively cheap to buy in bulk, but when branded well, it can be sold at a much higher price. Matcha, on the other hand, is a bit more expensive but it is growing in popularity as a “superfood.” Superfoods do well with a niche market.

In addition to different teas, tea infusers are also hot buys right now.

14. Car-Related products

There are a few car-related products that have been selling well lately. These include ceramic coating, socket wrenches, digital tire-pressure gauges, and portable power stations.

These products are a little different from the other ones we’ve mentioned because they would most likely be purchased by businesses. However, since these things don’t necessarily need to be purchased in bulk, they should be able to be drop shipped with no issue.

15. Headphones

Bluetooth headphones have become increasingly popular over the past year or so. After Apple launched their AirPods, dozens of companies have made dupes available for just a fraction of the price.

This product will likely continue to grow in popularity as more advanced alternatives continue to develop.

16. Beard care

Over the past year, lockdowns have given people the privacy to experiment with their looks. Many men who would usually remain clean-shaven have experimented with growing beards. Consequently, beard care products, specifically beard oils, have been on the rise.

17. Baby products

More babies are born every day which means that there are always new parents. For that reason, there will always be a demand for baby and kid products. The list of most popular baby products is constantly changing as products continue to evolve.

Baby carriers are currently a hot product. This is a great product to start a business around, especially since “babywearing” is a growing trend. Baby carriers are a great solution for the parents and caretakers that have to multi-task.

18. Phone accessories

There has been a rise in the popularity of smartphone accessories. In particular, sales of ring lights, portable greenscreens, tripods, phone lenses, and other accessories related to content creation have been booming. This coincides with the rise in content creation on social media apps like TikTok.

These tools are also useful for improving the quality of presentations on video chats and other work or school-related projects.

USB charging docks are also trending right now. These could be good products to sell for the next couple of years, but the current models will likely decline in popularity as USB-C becomes the standard.

19. Smoking equipment

eCigarettes and Vape rigs have become more popular as people become more aware of the harmfulness of smoking cigarettes. There is a lot of variety in these products, so you have a lot of options on what you could offer.

One thing to beware of is that some countries, including the United States, are putting restrictions on these products since they became trendy among underage users. However, if you have the means to meet these compliances, they are totally viable dropshipping options.

20. Gaming accessories

Video and computer gaming are popular hobbies around the world. Gaming-related equipment and accessories are selling very well right now. Some examples of these products include gaming monitors, gaming mouse pads, gaming headsets, and ergonomic chairs.

These are high-ticket items, so there is definitely money to be made.

21. Massagers

As we mentioned, times have been tough for many, so stress levels have been at an all-time high. Stress can lead to tension buildup in muscles that causes physical pain.

Massage guns are selling particularly well right now as a solution to this widespread issue. It is not clear whether this type of product is a current trend or if it will be around long term.

22. Printed socks

Printed socks are a novelty item that is quite popular. As a seller, this is a product with a ton of possibilities since there are so many styles to sell and markets to sell to.

You can buy pre-printed socks or you can customize your own. You can sell special socks to different fandoms and interest groups. Printed socks might go out of style eventually, but they are definitely popular right now.

23. Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a type of product that will likely be around forever. In some regions, sunglasses are a more seasonal item, but they are sure to sell every year when the sunny, summer months roll around.

Although this product has a long-term demand, sunglasses are both functional and fashionable. The fashionable nature of sunglasses causes the styles that are popular to constantly evolve. That regular evolution creates even more demand making it a great product to build an eCommerce business around.

24. Home hardware

Home hardware sales have been up to as people continue to work on home improvement. Ceiling fans and security systems have been two of the best sellers.

“Smart” hardware, including smart lights, smart plugs, and smart locks, are also pretty popular. These will likely continue to grow in popularity as people invest in more “smart” home systems to automate and digitalize things around their houses. That means that there will continue to be opportunities to sell “smart” hardware going forward.

25. Anti-dandruff shampoo

Dandruff can be embarrassing, and a lot of people struggle with it. This is a problem that you can sell a solution for.

Anti-dandruff shampoo is certainly a solution for people with those issues. You can buy an anti-dandruff product in bulk and have it packaged and distributed with your own branding. As long as you can find a reliable product, you should be able to find success with this type of product.

26. Calligraphy pens

Over the past year, people have picked up more unique hobbies. The increase in sales of calligraphy pens shows that calligraphy and penmanship are among these hobbies.

Due to the nature of this product, it is a safe assumption that calligraphy is a current trend that dropshippers could make a quick buck on. However, there is no telling what the longevity of this trend could be.

27. Ukuleles

Increased sales of ukuleles indicate that learning this instrument may be another hobby that was born of pandemic boredom. The sustainability of a business built around this product would be similar to that of calligraphy pens.

28. RFID wallets

RFID is short for “radio-frequency identification.” It refers to the credit card function that makes it possible to pay by tapping the card on a reader.

Since credit cards can be used with a tap rather than a swipe or chip insertion, it is possible to charge the card through a wallet. RFID wallets were created to protect people against these crimes.

More people are getting credit cards with RFID payment capabilities, so the need for these wallets is growing.

29. Toothbrushes

Dental care is another trend this year. Bamboo toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes, and interdental toothbrush sales have all been up.

Bamboo toothbrushes have become a popular alternative to the plastic ones that most people use. Bamboo is much more eco-friendly than plastic is, so earth-conscious people are the target audience for this type of toothbrush.

Electric toothbrushes and interdental brushes, on the other hand, are options for deeper dental cleanings.

30. Artificial flowers

Artificial flowers are becoming more popular since they are a cheaper alternative than fresh flowers. People are buying them for home decor, events, art projects, and more.

There are a lot of varieties of artificial flowers that you can sell, so there are a lot of different ways you can go with your business.

Selling to dropshippers on Alibaba.com

Alibaba.com is a wholesale site, not a retail site. This means that sellers on Alibaba.com are looking to sell large quantities of products to other businesses rather than small quantities to consumers. That said, wholesalers can sell to dropshippers on Alibaba.com.

Some wholesalers on Alibaba.com handle order fulfillment for dropshippers. This means that as a wholesaler, you can hold stock for retailers and fulfill their orders from your warehouse.

Final thoughts

Dropshipping is a very innovative business model that presents a lot of opportunities for wholesalers and retailers alike.

If you’re looking to enter this realm, you can do so by selling on Alibaba.com. You can use our platform to connect with retailers from around the world.