Top Import Products To Start With: 30 Profitable Options & Tips For Choosing The Winners

Every product idea must pass seven benchmarks before it is purchased, those benchmarks are: proof of consumer demand (check best sellers list & research), high profit margins after taking all landed costs (product+packaging+shipping+customs+returns+platform fees), shipment friendly (small and light-weight, and not breakable), minimal regulation, low return rate, consistently available (able to reorder) and likely to be differentiable (bundle it, improve packaging, make it private label)

A. Home & Kitchen Products (stable, high demand)

This is one of the highest online selling categories. Products: Food storage sets, labeled spice jars, kitchen utensil sets, sink organizers, baking items.

B. Home Organization & Storage Products (great for bundling)

You will be able to sell these products as bundle offers, these can be Drawer organizers, closet organizers, storage bins, cable organizers, bathroom organizers.

C. Beauty and personal care accessories (low barrier to import)

Tools and accessories would be best instead of liquids, because they pose less regulatory risks. Best: Makeup brushes set, cosmetic bags, hair styling accessories, toiletries organizers.

D. Pet Products (consistent demand & repeat customer purchases)

Many of the products in this category possess a repeat purchase nature; collars, leashes, pet harness accessories, pet grooming brushes, feeding mats, dog bag dispensers, pet travel accessories.

E. Fitness and sports accessories (low risk and very large market)

Products within this category are not typically regulated by very many laws. Top sellers: Resistance bands, yoga blocks, yoga straps, water bottle accessories, basic fitness gloves, sports bags.

F. Phone and technical accessories (best-selling with non-powered components)

Popular sellers of which require no electricity. Products: Phone covers, phone stands, phone mounts, cable organizers, laptop stands, mouse pads and desk mats.

G. Office and education supplies (guaranteed repeat orders)

Consistent sellers for repeat orders include Notepads, organizers, pen sets, file folders, non-electric label makers, desk organizers.

H. Festive, Gift, and Seasonal products (high turnover products)

Products that are consistently sold-out during holidays and special occasions are usually very profitable; gift wrapping supplies, festive decorations, seasonal decorations, simple DIY kits, card gift boxes.

I. Automotive accessories (highly profitable items)

These items often have a decent profit margin, as it appeals to most people that own cars, seat organizers, car trash containers, non-electronic phone holders, cleaning items, car organizational clips.

J. Packaging and shipping supplies (b2b market potential is HUGE)

These products make highly repeatable purchases for a business consumer: Poly mailers, bubble mailers, kraft boxes, shipping labels, shipping tapes and related supplies.

Other categories, such as electronics and batteries, would be very costly and are subject to a lot of regulation and price fluctuation, such as cosmetics and liquids that can leak and requires that products be tested and the label must comply to specific regulations for health claims, baby and child products with stringent safety rules, food and supplements with high import regulation and complexity, and medical devices and products with health claims that must be strictly compliant by the platform.

You must begin by determining which products are the ones in demand using a best sellers list or keyword research. Once that is decided to calculate how much it would cost altogether, this includes the packaging size, freight costs. Pick 3-5 suppliers who have an offer like your selected product. Purchase a sample for quality control and check the products and packaging quality. Before placing an order, order a Pre-shipment Quality Control. After you check that the order was of good quality, begin to scale up.

For impulse buys on a platform like TikTok Shop, it might be best to consider products at a lower price point. Gift ability would also be highly desirable in this market. Consider items such as a small accessory, or a home good, or even a product bundle.

Small and lightweight products that can be easily replicated are generally a great candidate for import. The organization, accessory, pet product, and packaging supplies industries seem to be a good starting point, but expand the offers when you can, such as focusing on better supplier relations and product bundling.