How to Find an Ecommerce Niche for Your Online Store + 100 Niche Examples

So you want to make money from home but aren’t sure where to start. Or maybe you’re already running an ecommerce business, but have a feeling that something’s just off with your storefront.

One of the keys to small business success is targeting the right people and finding a niche.

What truly separates one niche from another is the people who buy the products. For that reason, approach the niche-searching process with this in mind:

• It’s not the product or service, it’s the people who use it that defines a niche. 

• There’s a person behind every purchase, so think of your niche as a group of people who have at least one common interest, problem, or need.

In this post, we’ll cover the 4 steps to finding a niche for your online store. And if you stick with us till the end, you’ll also get a free list of more than 100 ideas you can use in your brainstorming sessions!

What’s an ecommerce niche?

An ecommerce niche (pronounced as neesh or nitch) is a distinct market segment with specific interests and needs that an ecommerce business caters to. Ecommerce niche examples include zero-waste lifestyle, urban gardening, and retro gaming. To find a profitable niche, look for a niche with high demand and low competition.

Niche marketing vs. selling everything to everyone

A niche only focuses on a fraction of the market, so you might wonder, “Why would I want to target just a small section of the population? Wouldn’t I get more sales if I targeted everyone?” These are valid questions; after all, there are companies like Amazon and Target that can sell everything to everyone and still be successful.

Learn More: How to Develop an Effective Marketing Strategy

These companies, however, are an exception, not the rule. By targeting everyone, you end up targeting no one, and your sales suffer.

Aim to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a little fish in a big pond.

For example, office supplies is a broad niche with countless sub-niches like office supplies for left-handed people or notebooks from recycled materials. Or, custom t-shirts are a broad niche, but you can narrow it down by designing custom tees for moms with triplets.

Consider these benefits of narrowing your niche down:

• Better search visibility. Targeting a specific niche will get your store in front of online searchers who are almost ready to buy a specific product.

• Less competition, higher profit margin. If people have fewer options to choose from, they’re less price-sensitive.

• Lower advertising costs. Since you’ll be targeting a specific portion of the population, you won’t have to compete with giants with unlimited advertising resources.

• More dedicated audience. You’ll get more email subscribers and social media followers because a niche audience is more passionate about the product you’re selling.

Before you start building your online store, you need to know who you’re building it for. This first step will help you understand which niche you belong to as a customer and help you make more informed decisions when you choose a niche for your store.

How to find an ecommerce niche in 4 steps

Step 1: Identify your interests and passions

Choosing a niche that aligns with your passions or interests increases your chances of success. Now, it’s not just about what you’re interested in. You must also do research to find out if there’s a demand and assess the competition, but picking a niche that interests you will make it much easier to succeed.

When you’re emotionally connected to your business, you’re more likely to get through challenges, stay motivated, and connect with your potential customers. A genuine passion for your niche also leads to creativity and authenticity, which customers value.

Here are the steps to reflect and figure out how to combine your interests with your business.

1. Consider your hobbies and interests

• What activities or topics are you drawn to in your free time?

• Is there a hobby you’re particularly knowledgeable or passionate about sharing with others?

2. Identify pain points you’ve experienced

• Have you ever felt underserved by products or services in a specific area?

• If so, could you create a business to fill that gap?

3. Reflect on your values

• Are there causes or values you strongly believe in? What are they?

• Consider niches that align with those beliefs (e.g., sustainability, inclusivity, etc.).

4. Ask for feedback

• Talk to friends or family about what they see as your strengths or passions.

• They might offer insights you haven’t considered.

After you’ve answered these questions and shortlisted a few interests, you can move on to the next step: researching if your niche markets have a demand. There’s no business without demand. So this step is crucial to finding a niche that fuels your business and personal fulfillment.

Step 2: Research market demand

Now it’s time to identify market demand. We’ll walk you through actionable steps, tools, and methods so you can choose the right ecommerce niche. You must explore the search engines that you’ll be using, whether it’s Google or social media search engines.

Valuable read: 32 Useful Market Research Tools for Startups and Established Businesses

Use Google Trends

Source: Google Trends

Google Trends is a free and user-friendly tool to gauge interest in specific search terms over time. It shows how popular a keyword or topic is across different regions, which is invaluable for identifying trends and determining earning potential.

How to use Google Trends:

• Start broad, then narrow down. Begin by entering broad keywords related to your industry (e.g., “vegan clothing”). Once you get the results, try narrowing them down to more specific terms (e.g., “vegan workout clothes” or “plant-based fashion”).

• Check the “Interest over time” graph. See if the topic is gaining or losing popularity, and look for a stable or growing trend over time to indicate long-term demand.

• Review regional interest. Find where the demand is highest and target specific geographic markets where your niche is popular.

How to identify relevant keywords:

• Think about the core problems or desires your niche product addresses. If you’re Starting a clothing brand with sustainable apparel, keywords like “eco-friendly clothing” or “organic cotton custom hoodies” may be relevant.

• Use a combination of keywords (broad terms like “fitness gear”) and long-tail keywords (more specific phrases like “yoga gear for beginners”). Long-tail keywords typically indicate higher purchase intent, especially when they include modifiers like “best,” “buy,” or “affordable.”

Pro tip: Google Trends also allows you to compare multiple keywords side by side, so you can refine your list of options and choose the most relevant terms.

Valuable read: 20 Trending Products to Sell Online in 2024

Perform keyword research

Keyword research helps you understand the search volume and competition for keywords related to your niche. The goal is to find high-demand, low-competition keywords that signal an underserved market.

How to do keyword research:

• Use tools like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords for your niche. Enter a few keywords related to your niche (e.g., “vegan skincare,” “eco-friendly activewear”) and review the search data.

• Look at the search volume. Aim for keywords with decent monthly search volume. A good range to target for niche products is between 1,000 to 10,000 searches per month.

• Analyze keyword difficulty. Check the competition level. For a new store, prioritize keywords with lower competition to have a better chance of ranking in search engines.

  Source: Ahrefs

How to identify the best keywords:

• Look for keywords that solve a problem or address specific needs within your niche (e.g., “back pain relief yoga mat” or “eco-friendly running shoes”).

• Pay attention to buyer intent keywords—those that indicate the user is close to making a purchase (e.g., “best vegan skincare products” or “affordable organic cotton shirts”).

Once you have your keyword research, you can do search engine optimization to attract more people to your store and make more sales.

Valuable read: What Is SEO and How It Works—a Beginner’s Guide

Check social media engagement

Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are invaluable for identifying niche trends and gauging interest from your target customers. Monitoring engagement levels can help you assess how interested people are in specific topics or products.

How to research on social media:

• Hashtag search. Look for relevant hashtags on Instagram or TikTok to see the type of content people are creating and engaging with. For instance, if you’re exploring a niche in eco-friendly products, search for hashtags like #sustainablefashion or #ecolifestyle.

• Follow influencers. Identify influencers within your niche and track the kind of content that performs well. Pay attention to their engagement rates and the type of products their audience responds to.

• Join niche-specific groups. On Facebook, search for groups where your target audience gathers. For example, if your niche is in fitness, join fitness-related groups and monitor conversations around products and trends.

  Source: Facebook Groups

Pro tip: Use social listening tools like BuzzSumo or Hootsuite to track the popularity of niche-related keywords across social media platforms.

The key to standing out is taking actionable steps, using data-driven tools, and thoroughly validating demand before diving into a niche. So use a combination of these methods and gain a deep understanding of your target market.

Step 3: Analyze the competition

Your competitors can be a direct indicator of market demand. Analyze how successful niche businesses are to assess demand and find gaps you can fill.

Here’s a step-by-step guide for conducting through competitor research.

1. Identify your competitors

First, you must find direct competitors, those offering the same or similar products and targeting the same audience.

How to identify competitors:

• Search for your niche keywords on Google. The top-ranking websites are usually your direct competitors.

• Check marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay to see which sellers are prominent in your niche.

• Browse social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook for brands that have built a following in your niche.

Pro tip: Look beyond just the big players—smaller niche competitors often offer insight into underserved market needs.

2. Assess their products and pricing

When you’ve identified your competitors, study their product offerings and pricing strategies. Understanding their product range, pricing models, and customer preferences can help you find opportunities to differentiate your business.

How to evaluate competitor products and pricing:

• Product range. Look at the types of products competitors offer. Are they missing something that your niche audience wants? For instance, if you’re in the sustainable fashion niche, do they offer eco-friendly fabrics or customization options that appeal to conscious consumers?

• Pricing models: Compare pricing across competitors. Are they competing on price, or are they positioning themselves as a premium brand? If you can offer better quality or additional value (like free shipping, customization, or sustainability), you can stand out even if your prices are higher.

Let’s say you’re in the pet product business. More specifically, selling pet costumes on Etsy. In that case, one of your direct competitors would be GlamarousPaws. You can check out their collections, see what they’re not offering yet, and fill in the gaps.

Source: GlamorousPaws Etsy store

3. Analyze competitor marketing and SEO strategies

Studying how competitors market themselves, both organically and through paid advertising, can give you insights into what’s working and where you can do better. This includes evaluating their search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and social media efforts.

How to analyze marketing strategies:

• SEO research. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze your competitors’ top-performing keywords and backlinks. Which keywords are driving the most traffic? Are there any relevant, low-competition keywords they are missing that you could capitalize on? Look for long-tail keywords they might not be optimizing for, which could provide opportunities for you to rank higher in niche searches.

• Content marketing. Review competitors’ blogs, videos, or other content types. What topics are they covering, and how engaged is their audience? If they focus on general content, you could differentiate by providing more in-depth, niche-specific information.

• Social media presence. Analyze competitors’ social media profiles on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Pay attention to how often they post, what type of content performs well, and their level of engagement (comments, likes, shares). Are they investing in influencer marketing?

  Source: SEMrush

4. Evaluate customer feedback and reviews

Customer reviews are a goldmine of information about competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Reading through reviews on platforms like Amazon, Google, and social media helps you understand what customers appreciate—and where competitors are falling short.

How to use reviews for competitor analysis:

• Identify common complaints. Look for patterns in negative reviews—are customers dissatisfied with the quality, delivery times, or customer service? Use these pain points to shape your own offerings and provide better customer experiences.

• Highlight positive trends. Reviews also show what competitors are doing well. For example, if customers rave about a competitor’s product packaging or after-sales service, consider implementing similar strategies.

For example, in the screenshot below, you can see that while all the customers love the phone case’s design, one of the customers has commented that the product isn’t durable. So, if you’d be their competitor, you could find a provider that emphasizes product quality.

Source: Etsy

Pro tip: Go beyond just reading reviews—engage with online communities or forums (like Reddit or niche-specific Facebook groups) where your target audience discusses products in your niche.

5. Find market gaps and opportunities

After analyzing your competitors, it’s crucial to identify gaps in the market. What are competitors failing to deliver? These gaps present opportunities to offer something unique.

How to identify market gaps:

• Product gaps. Are there underserved needs or product variations not being offered? E.g., if most competitors sell eco-friendly products but don’t offer sustainable packaging, this is a gap you can fill.

• Customer service gaps. If customer reviews highlight poor customer service experiences, this is an opportunity to differentiate your brand by providing exceptional support.

• Brand positioning. Is everyone in the market competing on price? You could stand out by emphasizing quality, sustainability, or ethical production.

Once you have your competition research finalized, there’s only one step you must take to have found the best ecommerce niche for your business.

Step 4: Evaluate profitability

The last thing you must do is figure out the profitability potential for your niche and business. Here’s how.

Estimate your costs

• Decide on the print-on-demand provider you’ll be using. Then, check out how much their products cost.

• Research shipping and handling. Find out how much shipping costs, and add that to the overall expenses.

• Explore competitor pricing. Browse ecommerce marketplaces or platforms you’ll be selling on and compare how similar products are priced. This will help you understand what customers are willing to pay and how you can position your pricing.

Calculate your profit margins

A profit margin is the money you keep after all expenses have been paid, described as a percentage. Your profit margin will depend on the products you’re selling. Here are the profit margins for the most popular POD products.

Source: Printful 

Valuable read: What is a Good Profit Margin for Print-on-Demand?

Analyze competitor sales

Visit platforms like Amazon Best Sellers or Etsy Trending Now products to see what’s popular in your niche. Products with high sales and good reviews indicate good demand and the potential for profitability.

By combining cost research and competitor analysis on marketplaces, you can effectively evaluate whether your niche has enough profitability to succeed without spending money upfront.

Valuable read: 11 High Profit Margin Dropshipping Products + Examples

As promised, here are 100+ ideas for your ecommerce store. This list is not exhaustive, so feel free to mix and match these topics to create a personal niche that connects you to your target audience.

You can pick a few ideas that resonate and do market research to find the most profitable ecommerce niches you can enter.

1. Fashion (Brand example: District of Clothing)

2. Wanderlust (Iconspeak)

3. Parenthood (Classic Dad, The Bad Dads Club)

4. Rare conditions (StomaStoma, ND Renegade)

5. Beliefs (PAL Campaign)

6. Districts and neighborhoods (#muhoov)

7. Woodworking (Nick's Wood Shop)

8. Parks and green spaces (Love MPLS parks) 

9. Workout gear (Kettlebell Kings)

10. Social media for pets (We Rate Dogs)

11. Virtual and augmented reality

12. Wearable technology

13. Zero-waste lifestyle

14. Civil rights

15. LGBTQ+ (Passionfruit, Queer Ivy, Point 5cc)

16. Body-positivity

17. Recycling

18. Vegan cuisine (Vegan Savage)

19. Paralympic sports

20. Stay-at-home parents

21. Single parents

22. Expecting parents

23. Newlyweds

24. Solo-traveling

25. Tiny house

26. Van life

27. Animal welfare

28. Dog & cat breeds

29. Unusual pets

30. Animals with special needs

31. Animal sanctuaries

32. Birdwatching

33. Pet accessories

34. Specialty coffee

35. Homebrewing

36. Local cuisine and delicacies 

37. Artisan foods

38. Mixology

39. Meditation and relaxation

40. Posture devices

41. Cycling

42. Grooming

43. Internet memes

44. Demotivational quotes

45. Hand lettering and calligraphy

46. Left-handed people

47. Tech preferences

48. Sailing and canoeing

49. Geocaching

50. Biohacking

51. Urban gardening

52. Outdoor survival

53. Keto lifestyle

54. Bullet journaling

55. Cosplay

56. Streetwear

57. Fantasy sports

58. Fantasy football

59. Cryptocurrency

60. Collectible cards

61. Digital nomads

62. Personal finance

63. Frugality

64. Tiny desk accessories

65. Custom keyboards

66. Plastic-free cleaning products

67. Fantasy art

68. Tarot reading

69. Astrology

70. Skincare routines

71. Beard care

72. Women in tech

73. Home automation

74. Productivity hacks

75. Remote work

76. Side hustles

77. Podcasting

78. Self-publishing

79. AI and automation

80. Robotics

81. Solar energy

82. Upcycling

83. Art installations

84. Video game modding

85. Sneaker culture

86. Vintage motorcycles

87. Digital detox

88. Hiking gear

89. Camping essentials

90. Outdoor photography

91. Fitness challenges

92. Meal prepping

93. CrossFit

94. Parkour

95. Home workouts

96. Dance fitness

97. Powerlifting

98. Personal safety devices

99. Ethical fashion

100. Sustainable beauty

101. Urban exploration

102. Comic book collecting

103. Boho style

104. Farm-to-table

105. Fermented foods

106. Gluten-free living

107. Intuitive eating

108. Martial arts

109. Self-defense

110. Boxing

111. Vintage toys

112. Lego enthusiasts

113. Puzzle solvers

114. Escape rooms

115. Thrift shopping

116. DIY home projects

117. Model railroading

118. Drones

119. Airsoft and paintball

120. Comic con attendees

121. Sci-fi fandoms

122. Superhero culture

123. Paranormal investigations

124. Urban legends

125. Conspiracy theories

126. Space exploration

127. Astronomy

128. Rare books

129. Antiques and collectibles

130. Board games

131. Card games

132. Graphic novels

133. Street photography

134. Polaroid photography

135. Analog photography

136. Cinema enthusiasts

137. Film buffs

138. Movie memorabilia

139. Retro gaming

If you didn’t yet find the topic that makes your eyes light up, we have 50 more ideas prepared, you can download them below.

Time to pick a niche for your online business

We have now covered the main aspects of finding your place in the ecommerce world. To recap, here are the 4 things you should do to find your niche:

• Find out where you belong as a customer

• Decide on an area in life you care about deeply

• Research the interest in your niche

• Identify a problem and propose a unique solution

And now it’s time to implement these tips in real life and start building your own niche ecommerce business. Taking action is the scariest part for any entrepreneur, but fear not: if you go through these steps thoroughly, entering the dropshipping market will be a calculated risk, not a shot in the dark.

Read next: How to Start a Small Clothing Business From Home in 6 Big Steps

Share your experience in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!