Sometimes the hardest part of getting started in eCommerce is figuring out your niche. You feel like starting out and you’re eager to test the waters, but you’re not sure where to start.
In this article, we’ll talk about 12 trending products in 2021 that will help you take off. you can use the suggestions to start a new store or add to an existing website. We’ll also talk about specific marketing and outreach tips for each product to make it a little easier to get that coveted first sale.
Reading: Products
Our suggestions are products that are in high demand in Singapore, based on data from Google Trends and internal research. we will continue to add more items as we go through our analysis. Be sure to bookmark this article and check back for regular updates!
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best selling products in singapore
1. dresses
Singaporeans are fashion-conscious consumers and dresses are a perennial item that generates a lot of interest throughout the year. this means entrepreneurs new to the industry can make use of existing search queries and high levels of purchase intent.
Google trends data shows consistent search volume for the keyword “dresses”, with interest reaching 100 in the first few months of the year.
further investigation of the semrush seo tool reveals that there are an average of 6600 monthly searches for “dresses”. Other popular keyword variations include “wedding dresses” at 4400/mo, “bridesmaid dresses” at 2400/mo and “prom dresses” also at 2400/mo.
While it’s not easy to rank organically for these keywords, as the “keyword difficulty” bar demonstrates, there are a few things new stores can do to increase their visibility and drive traffic.
Visual platforms like instagram and pinterest are a great place to set your designs apart from the rest. A consistent social posting schedule with trending hashtags will help make your page discoverable. You can also partner with related Pages to receive recognition in an Instagram post or story. With instagram trying to promote content on reels, the more videos you make, the better your chances for organic growth on social media.
Other tactics worth trying are:
- run contests to encourage people to follow your page and tag their friends
- present your customers on your page with user-generated content
- live instagram Q&A sessions to talk about your designs
- product posts with shopping tags
google adwords campaigns can also get your store on the first page of search engines. the average cost per click for ‘dresses’ is $0.34 sgd; A paid search campaign would propel your store to the top of the results and help you gain initial visibility with your target audience.
2. facial cleansers
Singapore’s personal care market is expected to reach $580 million sgd in 2021 with millennial consumers eager to move away from expensive luxury brands and try direct-to-consumer offerings.
There are an average of 1,000 monthly searches for the keyword “facial cleanser” in singapore with other variations such as “best facial cleanser” generating an additional 590.
When it comes to finding things to sell online in Singapore, facial cleansers are a safe bet. The added bonus of building a store in this category is that you are very likely to get repeat customers. A facial cleanser is used daily, so your customer lifetime value will be high, as long as your product delivers on its promises.
visual platforms like instagram and pinterest are a good way to start. User-generated content like video reviews and testimonials can help build trust in your brand. You may also want to work with influencers in your niche as they have a huge social media following that you can leverage to drive traffic to your store.
While the average cost per click for facial cleansers is a bit high at sgd 2.09, you should note that this category definitely benefits from repeat purchases. And if customers love your product, they’re likely to recommend it to friends and family, lowering your cost of acquiring new customers.
Social ads on Facebook are also worth following, especially if you can take advantage of high-quality creative and before-and-after images that showcase the benefits of your product.
Long-form content, like blogs, can help you set up your store for organic sales in the medium to long term. keywords like “best facial cleanser” are best targeted with informative content, as they cater to top-of-the-funnel search queries. By driving that traffic to your store, you are exposing your brand to new customers who may not have heard of you before.
3. perfumes and colognes
Fragrances are a popular category around the world and Singapore is no exception. The market in Lion City was valued at $172 million SGD in 2021 and is expected to grow at a rate of 2.5% per annum.
Google trends data shows a consistent interest in perfume throughout the year, with the highest levels during the holiday shopping season.
In terms of numbers, there are over 8,000 monthly searches for perfume in Singapore. While it is difficult to rank organically for the keyword, the cost per click of $0.96 SGD is not exorbitant. again, this means that an initial google adwords campaign can give your store visibility in search results and help drive traffic.
While perfume is one of the best-selling products in Singapore, you don’t necessarily have to start by buying established brands. An emerging category is ‘made in singapore’ fragrance where aspiring perfumers attend workshops to create signature blends and scents. many local brands have emerged as a result of this growing trend.
Once you’ve developed a fragrance that’s distinct and represents your personal style, it’s easier to set yourself apart from the competition. building your own brand also helps in terms of pricing; it is not subject to the whims of the big brands and can price its products a little cheaper to encourage the initial sales momentum.
The relative seasonality of fragrance sales in Singapore means you can position your perfume brand as a Christmas or Chinese New Year gift. Consumers also tend to buy perfumes and colognes for their partners in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, which is another opportunity to market your scents.
4. shoes
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Shoe sales are an impulse and necessary purchase, which means your store can cater to shoppers with varying degrees of intent. Singaporeans maintain a high interest in shoes throughout the year, with levels often reaching 100 and rarely dipping below 80.
In total, there are over 8,000 monthly searches for shoes in singapore, presenting an opportunity to capture inbound traffic.
If you’re thinking of starting your own shoe brand, social media campaigns will work best. top-tier creatives are key; you may want to consider a combination of still images and short videos. If your shoes have specific attributes, like water resistance or firm grip, be sure to highlight those in your copy and creative.
Shoes are generally an expensive item, which means it’s a bit more difficult to get sales. ease your buyers’ worries by offering free returns and exchanges. You can also partner with clothing stores to create ‘shop the look’ options.
5. household cleaning products
Lockdowns and social distancing measures have forced us to spend more time indoors. The trend is likely to continue well into 2021, so now is a good time to start thinking about changing consumer preferences and how you can serve them.
Activities at home mean that we must keep our environment clean, free of dust and germs. If you find yourself cleaning your apartment more often than usual, it’s because we’ve moved many of our activities outside the home indoors. we are exercising from home, participating in video calls with social distancing, building home offices and cooking more often. As a result, the demand for cleaning products has increased.
When building a store that offers household cleaning products, you may want to consider offering a subscription package. apps like recharge sync with shopify, making it easy to create a subscription offer and generate repeat sales. cleaning products are not a one-time purchase and you can encourage customers to sign up by offering discounts.
6. tea
Singaporeans will spend S$853 million buying tea in 2021, making it a lucrative market to target new stores. Consumers’ obsession with bubble tea is well known with many corner stores and vendors selling the sugary treat, but there are other types of tea you can sell as well.
Search interest in tea remains stable throughout the year, as evidenced by google trends.
there are an average of 5400 monthly searches for tea in singapore. It’s easier to rank organically for this keyword, which means an SEO strategy can start paying off faster than some of the other products on this list.
Singapore millennials also have a growing interest in drinking specialty, caffeine-free teas for health benefits. Herbal teas, matcha teas, and oolong teas are all blends you can consider selling to set yourself apart from the bigger, more well-known brands. Many lifestyle blogs and influencers are incorporating teas as part of cocktails and cuisines, which is an opportunity you can take advantage of when you’re just starting out.
As a new tea brand, it’s vital to start building a following on social media. Investing in food photography will help with attractive images, which you can use for paid campaigns on Instagram and Facebook. transparency about its ingredients and health benefits will help build trust, a crucial aspect for any new e-commerce business.
7. mobile covers
Singaporeans are some of the most connected people in the world, spending an average of 12 hours a day on digital devices. time spent on mobile phones ranks first, averaging 3 hours and 12 minutes every day.
apple, samsung and xiaomi are the most popular smartphone brands in the lion city, so the demand for compatible cases is expected to be high as well.
the keyword “iphone cases” has more than 1600 monthly searches with a relatively low cost per click of $0.53 sgd.
Model-specific searches are even higher, with the keyword “iphone 11 case” attracting nearly 3,000 monthly searches.
As large smartphone manufacturers frequently launch new models and compete for market share, there is a viable opportunity to create stores that offer accessories and related items. many consumers prefer to have multiple cases to match their outfit or mood. And since cell phone cases are often impulse buys, your best bet is to run conversion campaigns on social media platforms that use vivid, high-definition creative.
Many sites offer print-on-demand mobile phone cases, which means you can upload your designs and have them printed when you make a sale. this reduces inventory costs and helps you get started with lower starting capital.
8. action & toy figures
Action figures are a popular category that attract the interest of various age groups. Contrary to popular perception, action figures aren’t just for kids. Many adults buy them too, especially when the figures relate to superheroes, movies, and TV shows.
there are about 720 monthly searches in singapore for action figures.
While you may assume that there are few search queries for action figures, the fact is that these are often items for which you can generate demand. shopify store mightyjaxx is a great example of action & toy figure store that unites pop culture trends with exceptional design to create winning products.
You could also offer action figures as part of a larger store that focuses on toys. this keyword has more than 6600 monthly searches in singapore and it’s also not very expensive to run a google adwords campaign.
9. mugs
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mugs are a hot selling category as they can be customized for a wide range of use cases. many people request personalized mugs for events, trade shows and celebrations. You can also design your own mugs to coincide with holidays like Chinese New Year or global developments like election results.
there are more than 2400 monthly searches for “cups” in singapore. the average cost per click is low at $0.17 sgd, allowing you to start a search campaign without breaking the bank.
Similar to mobile phone cases, new entrepreneurs looking to sell mugs online can take advantage of print-on-demand services. this allows you to upload your designs and order each item once you make a sale. no inventory is required, saving you an initial cash investment.
The Printful Shopify App offers a variety of print-on-demand services, including coffee mugs. vistaprint is also another option.
Social media campaigns are worth exploring when it comes to marketing and outreach for this article. Unless you’re advertising a high-quality Yeti-like mug, we think you should try to showcase your designs in the campaign. Vivid and eye-catching designs are likely to work well and increase your conversion rates.
10. bags
We’ve mentioned before how Singaporeans love to shop for fashion items, and handbags are no exception. the size of the bags & the aftermarket will be $245 million sgd in 2021, growing at nearly 9% annually.
Overall, there are approximately 2400 monthly searches for “handbags” in singapore.
Platforms like instagram and pinterest are the best way to start building a following on social media. While Singaporeans are definitely looking for big brands, there is also the opportunity to create your own label. One way to differentiate yourself is to adapt to fashion trends and move faster than the competition.
bag trends for 2021 herald the arrival of small bags and top handle bags as the two most popular categories. other popular items will be handbags, modern equestrian bags and featured straps. you are likely to receive more interest if you create (and sell) these products before others.
Partnering with influencers, starting contests and giveaways, and investing in superior product photography are all proven methods to grow your lifestyle bag store.
11. candles
candles, particularly of the scented variety, are a popular lifestyle product with a variety of age groups. They are suitable for various occasions, as a way to relax and unwind after work, a date night, or just to lift your spirits.
Singapore people love to buy candles. the keyword has over 5,400 monthly searches with many local craft candle brands active in the market.
The strength of your candle brand will depend on the scents and packaging. Well-written and designed product pages that showcase your candle’s ingredients and their therapeutic effects will help answer buyers’ questions.
Reviews of lifestyle posts and blogs can also go a long way in building trust. this helps customers understand its unique scent. your social pages should also exude a sense of calm, tranquility, and peace. Those are the emotions you want to evoke in your target audience as they look to your product for help.
12. herbs & spices
Singapore’s diverse culinary industry is influenced by Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian traditions. Japanese, Korean, and Thai food are also popular draws. These rich flavors are incomplete without the accompanying herbs and spices that give each dish its unique flavor.
after all, could you ever have a smooth laksa? we didn’t think so.
With more people cooking at home and avoiding crowded public spaces, there is an opportunity to serve a growing market of home chefs. You can sell herbs and spices online as part of a larger grocery store or just focus on this niche.
the keyword ‘herbs’ has an average of 2,400 monthly searches.
Spice searches are slightly over 3600 per month.
Cooking at home is now also a recreational activity, with people eager to try new recipes and show off their skills on social media. Your social media pages can add an informative element to them, where you suggest new recipes and cuisines of the week. these recipes can be related to your store, where your customers buy the herbs and spices they need to complete them.
Cooking contests are another option where you reward your customers for doing something new, posting it on social media, and tagging your page. this helps with virality, social proof, and is an organic way to improve brand affinity. You can also go one step further by posting recipes on youtube, showing the optimal way to incorporate your store’s herbs and spices
the time to start is now
We recommend that you do your research before deciding what to sell online, but it’s just as important to start by building a store. product trends and research are part of the equation; A successful eCommerce business also involves a cohesive marketing strategy, customer experience, and after-sales service.
In short, you learn by doing. It won’t be perfect when you start, but you’ll learn as you go.
If you’re interested in hands-on training that walks you through the process of starting an online store in a profitable niche, be sure to check out our free webinar series. During the webinar, one of our team members will share how he grew one of his online business ideas to over 8,000 sales per year, along with marketing tactics that worked (and failed).
let us know what products you plan to sell in your store in the comments. happy sale!
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illustration of albert the third
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