50 online shop ideas
Most small shops start with one product line and one kind of customer. These ideas are narrow on purpose: a clear audience, a handful of products and a reason to buy from you instead of a marketplace.
Before you start: Look at who already sells it and what they do badly, then promise one specific thing better, such as sizing, sourcing or service.
All 50 ideas
Workload is a rough guide to the ongoing work: light is a few hours a week, medium is part-time, heavy is close to full-time.
An online shop for left-handed kitchen and craft tools
Scissors, peelers and rulers made for left hands, with a clear guide to how each one differs.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for balcony herb-growing kits
Seed, soil and pot bundles sized for small balconies, with a month-by-month care card.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for custom pet bandanas
Made-to-order bandanas with the pet's name, produced in small batches.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for refillable cleaning concentrates
Small bottles of concentrate with reusable spray containers, shipped in compact pouches.
Heavy workload · close to full-timeBuild this planAn online shop for reprinted vintage sewing patterns
Clean, resized reprints of out-of-copyright patterns with modern step-by-step instructions.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for pocket-size board games
Games that fit on a train table and set up in a minute, each with a rules summary card.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for low-light desk plants
Hardy plants chosen for windowless offices, shipped with a simple care card.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for portable laptop stands
Foldable stands for café and train work, with a size guide for each laptop.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for candles scented after local places
Small-batch candles named for the neighbourhoods, markets and landmarks of one city.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for themed kids' art supply boxes
One theme per box, with materials and a printed project guide for an afternoon.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for tested second-hand film cameras
Cameras checked, cleaned and photographed honestly, with a short test roll included.
Heavy workload · close to full-timeBuild this planAn online shop for bike commuter accessories
Panniers, lights and rain gear bundled by commute length and typical weather.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for aprons for baristas, potters and gardeners
Hard-wearing aprons cut for different trades, in small colour runs.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for regional spice blends with the story behind each
Small packs of blends from one region, each with two recipes on the label.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for printable wall art from independent photographers
Downloadable prints sold as a pack per theme, with a fair revenue share for the photographer.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for tea sampler boxes by mood or time of day
Six small tins per box, with brewing notes for each.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for hand-stitched leather key and cable organisers
A few simple designs made to order and personalised with initials.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for heritage vegetable seeds
Open-pollinated varieties with growing notes written for beginners.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for lightweight camping cooking kits
Pre-assembled cook sets with a simple meal plan for a weekend trip.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for brackets and fittings for modular shelving
Standard parts with clear size charts so people can build their own shelves.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for jigsaw puzzles made from local artists' work
Limited editions, with a share of each sale going back to the artist.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for naturally dyed yarn in small batches
Colours made from plants, with a printed card on how each shade was made.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for accessories for home espresso beginners
Tamper, scale, cleaning kit and a printed first-month guide, bundled.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for reusable lunch gear for school kids
Boxes and bottles in sizes that fit common school bags, in washable materials.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for solder-it-yourself guitar pedal kits
Beginner kits with clear instructions and a fix-it guide for first-timers.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for reading-nook essentials
Lamps, blankets and book stands curated for a corner of a small flat.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for classroom decorations for teachers
Printable and physical sets by theme, with sizes for different wall spaces.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for simple wooden toys from small workshops
Open-ended toys with the maker's name and a short note on how each one is made.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for fly-tying starter kits
Tools and materials for ten patterns, with a printed beginner guide.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for dry baking mixes with short ingredient lists
Add-water mixes in resealable pouches for cakes, breads and pancakes.
Heavy workload · close to full-timeBuild this planAn online shop for travel gear for small dogs and cats
Carriers, collapsible bowls and car accessories that fit under a train or plane seat.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for modern embroidery kits
Contemporary designs, pre-printed fabric and a short video for each stitch used.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for wallets made from recycled materials
A short range with a repair offer to keep each one in use.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for garden tool care kits
Oil, whetstone and cloth in one box, plus a spring and autumn checklist.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for paper planners with flexible layouts
Undated pages, adjustable sections and a few layouts to match different kinds of weeks.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for custom stationery for small teams
Notebooks and pens with a company logo, ordered in small batches.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for plant favours for weddings and events
Small potted plants with custom tags, ordered in bulk for a set date.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for swimwear and sportswear with more coverage
Cuts for people who want a choice in how much they cover, with a clear fit guide.
Heavy workload · close to full-timeBuild this planAn online shop for labels and cable ties for tidy home offices
Packs sorted by room and desk setup, with a before-and-after guide.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for gift bundles that support a named local cause
Themed bundles from local makers, with the donation share stated on every page.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for ceramic pots sold as cosmetic seconds
Pots with small glaze flaws at a lower price, with a photo of each flaw.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for reprinted public-domain travel posters
Cleaned-up scans on good paper in standard frame sizes.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for home kombucha and ginger beer starter kits
Everything for a first batch of a non-alcoholic brew, with a printed guide.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for origami paper sets with project booklets
Graded sets from first fold to complex models.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for newborn gift hampers with practical items
Hampers assembled by budget around what new parents actually use.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for kids' outdoor explorer kits
Magnifier, field notebook and a local nature checklist in one pack.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for house signs made from reclaimed wood
Custom street names and numbers, made to order from salvaged boards.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for desk mats by independent illustrators
Large mats in a few sizes, each by a different artist who earns a fair royalty.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this planAn online shop for physical flashcard decks, one language per deck
Decks for everyday situations with pictures on the back, so no translation is needed.
Light workload · a few hours a weekBuild this planAn online shop for supplies for community and allotment gardens
Bulk tools, plant tags and seed packs for groups that share a plot.
Medium workload · part-timeBuild this plan
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