If you’re an e-commerce seller, you’re probably familiar with the many product categories on Amazon. There’s beauty & personal care, office products, pet supplies, and even a category for all things automotive. It’s no wonder that Amazon has taken off with online shoppers over the years—the platform has a department for nearly every item you can imagine in stock.
In any case, one of the keys to running a profitable Amazon business is choosing the right category to break into. And not just any category, either. It should (1) be in high demand, (2) offer good profit margins, and (3) align with your business goals and interests.
We’ll cover the ones that are making the biggest impact on Amazon and provide insights into what makes them as successful as they are.
Top Amazon Product Categories
1. Home & Kitchen
Consider this category the home of all the things that make our everyday lives easier and more comfortable—cookware, kitchen appliances, furniture, and home decor. Beyond being a popular place to buy these essentials, it’s also a lucrative marketplace for Amazon sellers.
Why? For one, the category has a low barrier to entry compared to other categories. There are typically little-to-no product restrictions, which makes it easier to start selling. Factor in the high demand for these items and it becomes clear why the Home & Kitchen space houses some of Amazon’s most profitable products.
PRO TIP: As with any top-selling categories on Amazon, the competition can heat up pretty quickly. Ensure your profitability from the start by doing your market research the smart way—with a market research tool. Market Intelligence by Viral Launch is a good one to leverage. It allows you to validate product ideas, analyze market trends, calculate upfront costs, and more using real-time data.
2. Beauty & Personal Care
Have you ever bought a skincare product off of Amazon simply because your favorite influencer raved about it? It’s a common occurrence these days, and we can thank the rise of social media and influencer marketing for it. The combo has put items like cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products on the map in recent years.
The result? An Amazon best-selling category with products highly sought after by consumers. Combined with the right strategy and product lineup, you can achieve impressive profit margins. Now that would be something to rave about.
PRO TIP: Be aware of any potential restrictions that come with selling in this category. Make sure that your products adhere to all rules and requirements, especially if it falls under FDA regulation.
3. Clothes, Shoes & Jewelry
We can’t leave this fashionable corner of Amazon out of the picture. The category has captured the attention of online shoppers time and time again for its stylish yet reasonably priced pieces.
Sellers who want to get into this space should consider exploring subcategories for low-competition product ideas. We recommend doing so with a tool like Product Discovery from Viral Launch. You’ll be amazed at how much data you can gather on Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry, as well as the other top-selling Amazon categories on our list.
PRO TIP: Just like the items you’re selling, your listing needs to make a statement. So, dress it up. Use a listing builder to craft copy that will make people stop in their tracks. LaunchGPT by Viral Launch is a suitable option to go with. The AI-powered tool will generate optimized bullet points and product descriptions, ensuring your listing never goes out of style.
4. Electronics
Wireless earbuds, surge protectors, and other high-tech gadgets have earned a spot among the most profitable items to sell on Amazon. And for good reasons too. The category has lower commission fees relative to others, along with numerous product opportunities to explore.
You can also take advantage of retail arbitrage, which involves purchasing products at a lower price and reselling them at a higher price. When done right, this strategy can really turn a profit. Our Amazon retail arbitrage guide walks you through how to get started, so be sure to check that out.
PRO TIP: Similar to the Beauty & Personal Care category, the world of Electronics has its own rules and regulations enforced by Amazon and the government. Take extra care to follow them to a tee—you don’t want any avoidable troubles coming your way!
5. Toys & Games
We’re closing out our top Amazon categories discussion with a fun one—toys and games. It caters to customers of all ages, offering everything from building blocks to plush toys to puzzles.
For Amazon sellers, the diversity and vastness of this category means greater potential to earn a profit during the holidays and beyond. You can capitalize on educational toys for kids, board games for adults, and much more. The product possibilities are endless when you’ve got reliable market research and a solid strategy to back you up.
PRO TIP: Know your audience. What are they looking for when buying a product in your market? If you’re selling to young families, think about safety, durability, and ways to keep a child actively engaged in playtime.
Final Thoughts
The best-selling categories on Amazon bring a wealth of opportunity to sellers. They are regularly in high demand, contain niches with less competition, and of course, make you money. However, it’s important to select the right category for your business—it can even be one that’s not on this list. You don’t want to blindly follow other sellers, as their goals may not correspond with yours.
Instead, research the categories you’re interested in before going all-in on one. Viral Launch makes this process easy with its suite of Amazon seller tools. You can then use your findings to determine which areas you’ll thrive the most in.
Will it be some of the top 5 categories we discussed? We’ll let you and the data decide.
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