What To Sell on Shopify: 18 Profitable Ideas (2026)

Choosing what to sell on Shopify is easier than you might think. Whether you’re starting from scratch or seeking your next product idea, Shopify offers the flexibility to build a business around almost anything. You can sell physical products, digital goods, services, or experiences.

Many successful Shopify stores stock familiar product categories—such as printed t-shirts, handmade jewelry, or pet supplies—when they start selling online. But these are just a few of the options.

With Shopify, you can build a business around courses, rentals, memberships, digital downloads, and more. You can follow a trend, create something new, or turn existing skills into a product or service.

In this guide, you’ll find unique business ideas and real-world examples to help you decide what to sell on Shopify.

What to sell on Shopify: 18 ideas

1. Handmade products
2. Dropshipping products
3. Print-on-demand products
4. Merch
5. Trending products
6. Curated products
7. Service appointments
8. Memberships
9. Consultations
10. Digital products
11. Experiences
12. Classes and workshops
13. Rentals
14. Quotes, estimates, and assessments
15. Donations
16. Event tickets
17. Gift cards
18. Local food programs

1. Handmade products

One of the most common products to sell on Shopify is handmade goods, enabling you to monetize hobbies such as jewelry making or baking. Turning your hobby into a small business requires finding an audience, streamlining your production processes, and preparing your products for online sales.

When Debbie Bean found her calling as a stained glass artist, she worked side jobs and cut household expenses to grow her business. She started selling at a local craft show and grew her brand through word of mouth. More than 200 retailers worldwide carried her pieces before she pivoted the business to large-scale art installations.

Tips for getting started

• Scaling a handmade business is tough, but you can eventually improve profit margins by hiring staff to help with assembly. In the meantime, try streamlining your process to make products in batches.
• Consider a made-to-order model, so you only produce items that have already sold.
• Take time to craft your brand story, an essential element for maker brands. 
• Follow this jewelry business checklist to start selling your jewelry crafts (click to download).

2. Dropshipping products

If you’re an ecommerce beginner and unsure what to sell on Shopify, dropshipping is a great option. It’s a business model that lets you sell products without holding inventory or managing shipping. A dropshipping business sells products online for another company, which in turn ships them directly to the customer.

Tan Choudhury discovered dropshipping early in his entrepreneurial career. Since then, he’s become an expert, helping others learn the model. Although you can dropship almost anything—including clothing, jewelry, books, and baby products—Tan advises starting with one product. “Trying to merchandise 20 products as a beginner can be pretty overwhelming,” he says.

Tips for getting started

• Shopify Collective lets you sell products from other Shopify brands. It’s free for eligible Shopify users and offers high-quality products with built-in shipping and order management.
• Explore dropshipping apps like DropCommerce or Syncee to connect with verified suppliers.
• Look to trending products for inspiration on what to sell, but be sure to validate demand before committing. Research search trends, social engagement, and competitor pricing to confirm customer interest and opportunities for competitive pricing.
• Differentiate your brand. Focus on a market niche, or offer better branding, clearer positioning, or bundled value to distinguish your offerings.

3. Print-on-demand products

A print-on-demand business is another model that doesn’t require inventory or shipping. If you’re a creative, consider using it to apply your designs to t-shirts, smartphone accessories, mugs, and more.

Maria Qamar, also known by her artist name HATECOPY, discovered print on demand (POD) after her art business took off. “At some point, the volume became so much that I couldn’t make time to draw. I was spending all of my days delivering and in transit,” Maria says. With POD, now she can focus on the creative aspects of her business.

Tips for getting started

• There are many print-on-demand companies to choose from. Find one that carries the types of products and quality you’re looking for.
• Authors can use print on demand to sell books on Shopify, too, bypassing traditional publishers.

4. Merch

You don’t have to run a product-based business to sell products. Many service businesses and online creators sell merch to diversify income streams and build brand affinity; influencers can build an ecommerce store and sell merchandise to fans.

Merch tends to resonate best once you’ve built an audience that recognizes your work and connects with your brand and wants to support it. For creators and influencers, selling merch is a way to grow an email list and own your audience outside of social platforms.

Sarah Andersen’s doodles caught the attention of Tumblr users back in 2011. Since then, she’s built those drawings into a comic book empire called Sarah’s Scribbles. Eventually, merch made sense for her brand, and she launched a product line of tees, plushies, mugs, and prints alongside her comics.

Tips for getting started

• Use a print-on-demand service or app from the Shopify App Store to avoid handling inventory.
• Use merch to add lower-cost items in your mix and diversify your customer base, especially if you focus on expensive originals.

5. Trending products

When you’re starting from scratch and thinking about what to sell on Shopify, consider trending products. Many trends are seasonal, with predictable peaks throughout the year:

• January. Fitness gear, supplements, planners, and wellness products often spike as people focus on new habits and goals.
• Spring. Demand shifts toward home organization, gardening tools, outdoor décor, and light fitness or lifestyle products.
• Summer. Travel accessories, outdoor furniture, swimwear, skin care, and activewear tend to perform well.
• Fall and holiday season. Giftable items like candles, home décor, personalized products, hobby kits, and self-care bundles see increased interest.

Understanding these cycles can help you time launch and plan inventory.

Use Google Trends to vet your idea’s trend potential. Setting up a successful Shopify store for your trending product is also an important step. There will likely be competition: How will you stand out?

Tips for getting started

• Don’t stop at Google Trends. Visit TikTok Trends, Pinterest Trends, trade publications, consumer magazines, and other online stores to discover bestselling products.
• Remember that trends are fleeting. Have a plan to pivot if interest in your product wanes. A strong brand and store optimization will outlast any trend, so remember to focus on your competitive advantage.

6. Curated products

If you’re not interested in making products from scratch, try a curated approach to selling on Shopify. Consider your interests: Can you curate the best niche products in a particular category? What about selling beauty products for a specific skin condition? You can even become a reseller for an existing brand in a new market.

Use content marketing to establish yourself as an expert and build trust. Then, curate the best products in your category to sell on Shopify.

Tips for getting started

• Explore other online stores to inspire yours. How do they curate collections? What makes their store stand out?
• Consider a subscription box business and try a subscription app from the Shopify App Store to help manage it.
• Follow this skin care business checklist to start selling in the beauty industry (click to download).

7. Service appointments

The same self-serve online booking systems that make it easy for customers to schedule in-person service appointments, such as haircuts, can also open a new revenue stream for other businesses. 

Contractors, salons, and music schools can sell virtual and in-person services, while stores that typically sell physical products can benefit from adding services (free or paid) to their websites.

Tips for getting started

• Try appointment booking Shopify apps with dynamic calendars that let customers book their preferred time slots based on real-time availability.
• Consider selling branded merch alongside service appointments. 
• Use social media to promote your services and link directly to your booking page.

8. Memberships

Many non-profit organizations rely on paid memberships to secure ongoing financial support. Creators can also use memberships to sell their most avid fans access to exclusive content.

Golf courses, fan clubs, galleries, and educational content producers are great candidates for selling online memberships, securing long-term customer commitments rather than one-off service appointments.

Product-focused brands can also benefit from subscriptions. Kid music brand Yoto sells memberships to its Yoto Club. Members receive Yoto Cards in the mail monthly.

Tips for getting started

• Since subscription businesses also rely on recurring payment functionality and customer account management tools, use this model as a guide when setting up your ecommerce store.
• Try an app like BOLD Memberships to sell memberships online.

9. Consultations

Why not sell your expertise online? Everyone from interior designers to fitness trainers can use an online store to book and sell consultations, whether online or in person.

Brands specializing in customization or made-to-order products may sell consultations to help customers create the perfect product. Kaikini founder Taryn Rodighiero runs her custom bikini business with the help of online consultations to guide customers through the measuring and ordering process.

Tips for getting started

• An app like Meety lets customers book consultations on your website, syncing with your calendar to avoid double-booking.
• Try Shopify’s invoice generator tool for billing custom services you sell through consultation.

10. Digital products

Digital products can refer to anything you deliver in a virtual format. 

Digital product examples include: 

• Course content
• Video tutorials
• Music files
• Fonts
• Design assets

Since there’s no inventory, manufacturing, or shipping involved, this online business idea has higher profit margins than selling physical goods. Once you’ve created a digital product, you can sell it repeatedly with minimal ongoing costs.

However, profitability isn’t automatic. You need marketing to attract traffic, communicate product value, and build trust with potential customers—especially in crowded categories where similar digital products already exist.

You can make digital items your core offering, or sell them to diversify your income. Thread Theory founders Matt and Morgan Meredith sell physical products like scissors and paper patterns, and they also offer lower-cost PDF sewing patterns delivered virtually. Businesses specializing in printed materials, such as magazines or journals, can sell digital versions on Shopify for customers to print at home.

Tips for getting started

• Consider apps like Sky Pilot and Easy Digital Products that can instantly deliver files after purchase.

11. Experiences

Experience-based businesses can range from travel and adventure providers to winery tastings to kids’ camps. These businesses can improve the customer experience by offering advanced ticket purchases and scheduling options online.

For example, you could sell rock climbing adventures, international guided trips, and camping expeditions through an ecommerce store. You can create product pages for each adventure that inform, educate, and persuade potential customers to make big-ticket purchases.

Tips for getting started

• Experience-based businesses may need to collect additional customer information, such as medical conditions and emergency contacts. Use Shopify Forms to create robust and customizable forms.
• Use a free video editor tool to create marketing videos using footage from real experiences.

12. Classes and workshops

The COVID-19 pandemic proved that all sorts of in-person activities, from yoga to boxing to language instruction, can work as online courses, too. 

Consider other types of courses you can sell on Shopify, such as digital marketing, DIY how-tos, parenting classes, cooking lessons, and more.

Tips for getting started

• Sell courses in multiple formats, including videos, worksheets, booklets, and 1:1 coaching sessions.
• An app like Courses Plus can turn your Shopify store into a course platform, making it easy to create and sell online lessons.

13. Rentals

Rental businesses provide physical products to customers for a predetermined period. Customers pay for the advantage of using an item for a brief period without the associated long-term costs, such as storage and maintenance.

Mannequin Madness sells retail props to other shops through its online store, but also rents them temporarily. When accidental entrepreneur Judi Henderson-Townsen needed a mannequin, she discovered only one seller in her area. “I bought his entire inventory,” she says. Mannequin Madness uses a contact form to assess customer needs before processing the rental.

Dress rental business The Fitzroy, however, takes a self-serve approach, asking customers to select a rental period using a date selector on its product page to “check out” the item. It relies on a simple app and a clear FAQ page to run the rental and return processes smoothly.

Tips for getting started

• IzyRent: Rentals & Bookings is an app designed specifically for stores offering rentals. It facilitates one-click rentals on your website.
• Rentals may require additional customer information, and Shopify Forms can help you collect it.

14. Quotes, estimates, and assessments

Self-serve quote requests save time and staff resources for businesses that provide highly technical services and products. These quotes are also a great marketing tool for your service business’s other offerings. For example, if you offer home energy upgrades, you could sell energy audits on your website, explaining how customers can recoup the audit cost through energy savings from implementing your upgrades.

GoGreenSolar sells and installs solar energy solutions for homeowners. Due to the custom nature of the product, customers can request quotes and expert advice through the contact forms available on the company’s site. 

Tips for getting started

• An app like SA Request a Quote can help you gather customer quote requests from your store and convert them into real orders.

15. Donations

Many charities use Shopify as the merchandise arm of their organization, selling branded goods, with profits supporting the cause. Charities and non-profits can also use their online store to “sell” one-time and recurring donations.

An Act of Dog is a registered charity that sells pet paintings, with proceeds supporting various animal rescue organizations. The company also lets customers donate directly to causes through the same website.

Tips for getting started

• Collect custom donations directly from your Shopify store using an app like DonateMate.

16. Event tickets

If you run an event space, an independent theater, or a pop-up haunted house, you know how essential online ticketing is.

Undertow works with select artists to sell tickets online for music events across the US, using its Shopify store to offer paperless, downloadable tickets.

Meanwhile, Run Across America sells access to virtual run challenges that participants complete at their own pace. Access includes a tracking app and a sweatshirt.

Tips for getting started

• Design, sell, and scan event tickets with the GM Event Ticketing app that syncs with your Shopify store.
• Use a QR code generator to create unique codes that customers can present at live events.

17. Gift cards

Enabling gift cards on your Shopify store lets recipients redeem codes online for products or services sold on your website.

Home décor brand Apt2B sells branded gift cards in multiple denominations, redeemable for furniture and décor goods through its online store.

Tips for getting started

• Offer gift cards in several denominations to give customers more options.
• Push digital gift cards in your marketing efforts after holiday shipping cutoffs have passed.

18. Local food programs (CSA)

Local food programs, such as community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, allow farms and small food brands to sell seasonal shares on a recurring basis. Customers subscribe to weekly or monthly boxes for pickup or delivery, and merchants manage sign-ups, schedules, and communications in one place.

For example, Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood, California, delivers curated fruit boxes to subscribers while selling à la carte pantry items through the same Shopify store.

Tips for getting started

• Use subscription apps like Recharge Subscriptions to manage recurring orders.
• Offer local pickup or delivery windows with Pickup + Delivery by Zapiet. 
• Clarify schedules and return policies in an FAQ.

What are the most profitable products to sell on Shopify?

Profitability depends on your costs, pricing, and marketing. But some product types consistently offer higher margins or better scalability than others.

Digital products

Digital goods like templates, printables, and courses are low-cost products with high margins. For example, creators selling digital products can often achieve profit margins of 70% to 90%, since production costs are minimal once the product is made.

Print-on-demand (POD) products

POD lets merchants sell custom items without carrying inventory. Many POD products can be marked up significantly, with ideal profit margins of around 40%. Plus, the POD market is expanding, so the opportunity is ripe. The global print-on-demand industry was valued at nearly $11 billion in 2025, with strong projected growth ahead.

Dropshipping products

Dropshipping reduces upfront inventory risk and continues to grow rapidly as a business model. The global dropshipping market is projected to reach more than $1.25 trillion by 2030. Profitability varies by niche, but many sellers report gross margins of 10% to 40%.

Handmade and niche goods

While exact margins vary widely, the broader handicrafts market—which includes jewelry, handmade goods, and artisanal items—was estimated at nearly $740 billion in 2024 and projected to reach more than $983 billion by 2030. These numbers signal strong consumer interest in differentiated, craft-oriented products. 

Where to source products for your Shopify store

There’s no single “best” way to source products for Shopify. The right approach depends on your budget, risk tolerance, and growth goals. Many successful merchants use multiple sourcing methods as they scale.

Here are some of the most common options:

• Dropshipping with Shopify brands. Shopify Collective lets you sell products from other Shopify merchants without holding inventory. It’s a low-risk way to launch quickly, test demand, and offer high-quality products with built-in order and shipping management.
• Dropshipping apps and platforms. Apps like DropCommerce (focused on North American suppliers) and Syncee (for global suppliers) connect you with vetted partners. Many merchants use dropshipping to experiment with new categories before committing to bulk inventory.
• Print-on-demand (POD) services. POD providers like Printify allow you to sell custom apparel, accessories, and home goods without upfront inventory. Products are printed and shipped only after a customer places an order, making this a popular option for creators, brands, and side projects.
• Wholesale suppliers. Buying wholesale typically means higher upfront costs, but lower per-unit pricing and better margins. This model works well for core products you expect to sell consistently and at scale.
• Direct from manufacturers. Sourcing directly from manufacturers offers the most control over pricing and quality. It often delivers the best margins, but requires more capital, longer lead times, and hands-on supplier management.

Many Shopify merchants mix and match these approaches. For example, you might use dropshipping to test new products, wholesale for proven bestsellers, and print-on-demand for branded merchandise. 

The key is choosing sourcing methods that align with your business stage. 

Considerations for choosing what to sell on Shopify

Before you commit to a product idea, it’s worth stepping back to consider a few practical considerations that can shape your success on Shopify.

1. Your passion and expertise

Start with what you know and love. When you sell things you care about, you’ll better understand what customers want and stay excited about your work.

If you already know how to do something well, like baking cakes or finding vintage items, use this knowledge to give yourself an edge over competitors.

2. Target audience

Get specific about your target audience, the people who want to buy your products. Know their age, interests, income level, and where they spend time online. Understanding these factors helps you price products correctly, choose the appropriate marketing channels, and create product descriptions that speak directly to their needs and wants.

3. Niche products

Pick one product type or find customers that others aren’t serving. When you focus on a niche market, you’ll stand out from other sellers and attract customers who keep coming back.

Look for gaps where people want something they can’t easily find or hobbies where people are passionate. Think about how your products can solve problems that others aren’t solving.

4. Local regulations

Research the permits, licenses, or certificates you need before selling your products online, especially if you make food, cosmetics, or items for children. Different cities and states have different rules, and getting this wrong can lead to fines or a forced shutdown.

5. Shipping logistics

Think about how you’ll package and ship your items to keep them safe during transit and make delivery cost effective for you and your customers. Consider whether you’ll offer free shipping and build that cost into your prices. Ship with Shopify to save up to 88% on rates from major carriers like USPS and DHL.

6. Inventory management

Decide whether you’ll make products in advance and store them, or produce them to order. Consider where you’ll store inventory, how you’ll track it, and how much money you need to invest upfront in materials and supplies.

7. Profit margins

Different business models generate different profit margins, so it’s essential to understand the trade-offs early.

Your margin isn’t just the product price minus cost. It also includes expenses such as inventory, shipping, packaging, payment processing fees, platform costs, returns, and marketing. These can vary widely depending on whether you sell digital products or physical goods, or use models like dropshipping or print on demand.

Digital products typically offer higher margins, while physical products usully have tighter margins but higher order values. Dropshipping lowers upfront costs, but margins are usually slimmer. Wholesale or manufacturing can improve margins over time, but requires more capital and inventory planning.

Aim for pricing that leaves room to cover marketing costs and adjust as you scale. Understanding your true margins early helps you choose products that can grow sustainably.

Tools for product research

Before committing to a product, it’s worth validating demand with data. Product research tools can help you understand what people are searching for, how interest changes over time, and how competitive the market is.

• Google Trends. Use Google Trends to see whether interest in a product is growing, seasonal, or declining. It’s especially helpful for comparing business ideas and spotting timing opportunities.
• Keyword research tools. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can show how often people search for specific products and related terms. Use them to gauge demand and identify the language customers use when shopping.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) platforms. Platforms such as Semrush and Ahrefs provide deeper insight into search volume, keyword difficulty, and competitors already ranking for product-related queries.

Used together, these tools make it easier to sense-check an idea. Doing so means you’re not guessing about demand or investing time and money in a market that’s already overcrowded or fading.

Is selling on Shopify worth it vs. Etsy or other marketplaces?

A common question new merchants ask is, “Will I actually make sales on Shopify compared to Etsy and Amazon?”

It’s a valid concern. Marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon come with built-in traffic. Listing a product there is like opening a booth in a busy mall—people are already walking by. But that visibility comes with heavy competition and reliance on marketplace algorithms you don’t control.

When you build a store on Shopify, it’s more like opening a boutique on your own street. You control branding, pricing, customer experience, and how you bring people in, but you’re also responsible for driving traffic through SEO, social media, email, and paid ads.

Marketplaces can also create a cold-start problem. Even with built-in traffic, new listings often struggle for visibility unless they quickly generate sales or reviews. And as you grow, listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing fees can quietly eat into your margins.

Many sellers choose a hybrid approach. They keep a presence on Etsy to tap into marketplace demand, then guide repeat customers to their Shopify store. This strategy shifts customers from a rented audience to an owned one—where you don’t pay commissions on every return visit and can build long-term relationships through email and remarketing.

For example, Old World Kitchen started on Etsy but eventually moved to Shopify to escape what it described as the “huge amount of distraction” on the marketplace, which made shoppers feel like they were browsing a craft fair. The switch unlocked email marketing opportunities, improved conversion rates, and allowed the business scale on its own terms.

Ultimately, marketplaces can be a great place to start. But Shopify offers more control, flexibility, and ownership as you grow.

Sell (almost) anything on Shopify

If you’re looking for a business idea and aren’t sure what to sell on Shopify, the answer is: almost anything. There are ideas for everyone, even if you don’t consider yourself creative or plan to manufacture products. 

Remember, you’re not limited to physical items. You can sell nearly everything on Shopify, including memberships, tickets, and digital goods. Develop your brand, set up a Shopify store, and start selling today.