The Ecommerce Trends of 2020 – How to Not Only Survive but Thrive with POD during the Coronavirus Pandemic

“Holy shit, what now”, pretty much sums up my response to every post or article that I read currently bombarding my devices. It’s hard to tune out, and it’s even harder to put to the back of your mind when you know how hard the economy is being smashed or if it’ll exist as we know it next week…

Every day brings more hurt to wall street and the stock markets across the world, more job losses, more deaths and so on and so forth. It really is a lot to take in.

If you’ve ever experienced anxiety (and as a marketer I am sure you have dealt with more than your fair share…need I say disabled ad accounts?) you’ll be well accustomed to living outside of your comfort zone, it’s not fun, but it’s where we find the most growth as individuals, business owners, and entrepreneurs.

Internet marketers are perfectly situated to make the most of this situation, we know how to self-quarantine (it’s basically our life right), and we know how to run a business from the comfort of our own homes.

This is our opportunity, it is our time to face adversity head-on and take the bull by the horns. Being an internet marketer allows you the ability to pivot quickly, or if you’re just starting, becoming one might see you never have to return to work again.

In this article, I am going to share with you how to not only survive but thrive with POD during the coronavirus pandemic.

What you're about to learn…

• • The Top Industries/Niches That Don’t Just Grow but Boom in Recession
  • The Top 6 Products That You Must Test Now
  • How to Learn to Sell Online Fast
  • The Number 1 Reason You Must Sell These Particular Products!
  • The Best POD Platforms in 2020

The Top Industries/Niches That Don’t Just Grow but Boom in Recession

This is probably the main reason you’re taking a look at this article. What niches boom in recession. Everything in the world right now is incredibly dynamic, every day throws us a new challenge. 

Finding opportunities amongst the noise can be quite difficult until you stand back and become a little more objective. The worst thing you could be doing right now is nothing. We need to keep our minds active and focused on a task. 

With that in mind, thinking critically about the direction to launch or start a business is critical to your success over the coming months.

Ecommerce is your gateway to self-reliance and no longer having to wait to hear if you’ve lost a job and need to line up for welfare.

Below I am going to list out what niches stand to explode and what kind of products we should all be testing for the best chance of success in 2020.

Law Enforcement

It’s no wonder that in a recession law enforcement booms. Given that we are entering a recession that’s bound to give The Great Depression a run for its money you can certainly see how and why we would need more law enforcement on our streets.

With people losing jobs, the ever-present homeless situation and not everyone being able to access welfare, crime skyrockets.

If you’re already in this niche you should double down and create the products that the Police and Law Enforcement absolutely must-have. Thin Blue Line products have performed exceptionally well over the years, there is no reason for it to slow down now.

Suhail and I have been in this niche for a while and there are several products that we have seen great success with over the years.

Sub-niches

• • • Police Officers
    • Sheriffs
    • Corrections Officer
    • Deputy
    • Trooper

What’s the Angle?

Law enforcement is made up of a passionate and dedicated bunch of folks and risk their lives every day going to work. They are incredibly proud of their jobs and often times law enforcement is a multi-generational career choice. Meaning, targeting someone in law enforcement has a great chance of finding family members.

Targeting the wives, mothers, fathers, and other family members are your ticket into this niche. Think Jewelry “To My Police Mom…”, “To My Police Dad…”. 

Products You MUST Test;

• • ShineOn Jewelry
  • Blankets (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Apparel (Personalized)by Dreamship
  • Canvas (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Laser-cut & Print on Metal Wall Art by Dreamship

Security Services

Much the same as law enforcement, with crime rate set to skyrocket due to job loses security companies will be called in to ensure buildings and properties are protected. This industry will boom, however, the only downfall with security services is they aren’t often paid exceptionally well.

If you have products that have sold well for police, testing security guards should definitely be on your list of niches to test.

Products You MUST Test;

• • Coffee Mugs by Dreamship
  • Tumblers
  • Apparel

Mechanics & Auto Repair

When times are tough mechanics see a massive rise in business as fewer people can afford new cars. People tighten their belts and are forced into survival mode. 

Jobs are oftentimes lost and as such people need to have a reliable car to actively job hunt. In order to get about day to day, people will spend more maintaining the car they have.

It makes sense to spend a little on the maintenance of their car to keep it running than the full-on cost of purchasing a new vehicle.

With business set to boom when we all go back to work those who own auto-shops will have to deal with the influx of customers. To do this they must hire more mechanics and as such a nice little profitable niche reemerges with a high chance of success.

Products You MUST Test;

• • 100% Apparel by Dreamship. Mechanics are proud of their trade and as such love telling everyone what they do and how annoying customers can be.
  • Print on Metal Wall Art
  • Mugs
  • Tumblers

Accountants & Bookkeepers

No matter what state the economy is in, people & businesses must pay their taxes. This is ever more important in tougher times where people need to make sure they can squeeze as many dollars out of their income as possible.

Accountants usually see an increase of clients as people seek out a professional to help them make the most of all tax benefits available to them and have a clear understanding of their incomings and outgoings.

Unfortunately, with the number of businesses that will inevitably have to close their doors due to the impact of the Coronavirus, oftentimes an accountant will need to be used to facilitate filing for bankruptcy.

Products You MUST Test;

• • Coffee mugs for sure
  • Apparel by Dreamship

Health Care Workers

These guys have always been superheroes and now even more so. Doctors, Nurses and all the staff in between. They are currently on the frontline, fighting Public Enemy #1 head-on and helping to save as many lives as possible.

They will not only emerge victorious when this is all over, but they will also emerge even more passionate than they were beforehand, and rightly so. Heck, I want to high 5 them all and give them a pat on the back with a heartfelt “thank you.”

The support from the community, government and politicians will mean they will want to spend money on things for themselves as well as people giving them gifts.

I can’t express the opportunity for gifts for healthcare workers enough. Family and friends are going to want to show their gratitude for them being on the frontline. They will do this by buying gifts! You HAVE to test this niche!

Sub-niches

• • Nurses

• • • Student Nurses
    • Enrolled Nurses/EN, Registered Nurses/RN, Pediatric Nurses
  • Doctors
    • Surgeons
    • General practitioners
  • Xray Technicians
  • Scientists
  • Paramedics

What’s the Angle?

Choosing the gift-giving angle is going to have the best chance of success in the short term. Mainly because medical staff are not going to have time to buy their own gear due to the excessive hours they will be working.

The angle we will be testing is the use of gratitude, “To My Daughter, Thank you for all that you do, you are not just a nurse, you are a superhero. When everybody retreats to their home, you come out to their lives. Love, Mom.”

There are many variations on that theme that will stand to do extremely well.

Products You MUST Test;

• Jewelry by ShineOn 
• Mugs
• Tumblers
• Sneakers

Veterinary Services

In any season people will spend a lot of money on their pets to keep their best friends healthy. No matter what the economic climate is, or if we’re in a pandemic, people will pay to keep their animals happy.

I have had personal success in this space with my first Shopify store Need Those Sneakers. Funnily enough, it was sneakers I was selling that made me a tidy little profit. Their industry may not boom in a recession but it is known as a static industry, that is, one that does not get a negative or positive change.

Products You MUST Test;

• Mugs
• Apparel
• Jewelry
• Blankets

Teachers

I am not sure if it is the same the world over, however, in Australia, our teachers are also on the frontline keeping our children in schools. They feel incredibly hard done by, and rightly so. They’re putting their lives at risk to keep children educated. 

The reason for this is due to the current health advice being that children aren’t negatively affected by the virus. The problem is, it’s a novel virus (meaning new) which means there isn’t a lot of research available on this particular strain of coronavirus.

Health & Wellness

With health being front of mind in everything that we are currently consuming it’s no wonder this is a niche/industry that is also set to boom. For those who believe in the powers of meditation, essential oils and other holistic forms of medicine, this is the time they have been waiting for.

Their belief in what they do will be heightened and they will be insatiable for products to bring into their homes to help them feel as healthy as possible. This is not so much a POD product as a dropshipping category but it is still one that is worth a shot. 

In the past 12 months, I have taken up running and absolutely love getting out on the pavement and putting in the miles. When I’m back online I want to learn about it, I want to connect with others that feel that same high. I want the best sneakers, the best running shorts and I want everyone to know that I RUN.

That is the power of passion. I run because it’s great for my mental health, my physical health and allows me the time to unwind from the stress of the day. What other niches like running can you think of? 

Sub-niches

• • Running
  • Cycling (if they've already got a bike)
  • Hiking
  • Rowing (if they already have a boat…or access to a tree they can dig out.)

Products You MUST Test;

• • Apparel
  • Hats
  • Blankets

These sports will not just thrive through the pandemic, they will increase on the other side through the recession as people realize just how important their health really is.

Sports Coaches

Carrying on from health & wellness, sports coaches often see an increase in job opportunities. This is great if you’re in the sports niche or for that matter, love sports. There is a lot on offer for you to choose from.

In times of economic hardship, people still want to have fun and turning to sport is one of the ways people find themselves living a little more positively.

Sub-niches

• • Basketball Coach
  • Baseball Coach
  • Softball Coach
  • American Football Coach
  • Soccer Coach

Doomsday Preppers

It's those guys on the fringe of society that have been preparing for the worst-case scenario. Doomsday preppers have been stockpiling food & ammo in preparation for any number of end of world scenarios and a pandemic has been high on that list.

In terms of e-commerce trends of 2020, at the start of the year, they wouldn't have even made the list. Now, they are nearing the top of niches that should be tested with new products.

If you're selling tinned tomatoes you might have a buyer or two, but as this is an article for Print on Demand these are the products I'd try…

Products You MUST Test;

• • Apparel (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Mugs (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Tumblers (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Blankets
  • Tinned tomatoes

Gun Ownership

Moving on from Doomsday Preppers we need to look at the step before going full prepper. Americans have been insatiable for guns over the years and have proven to be an incredibly lucrative niche for a lot of internet marketers.

The 2nd Amendment has always been relevant and now, it is refreshed on the list of e-commerce trends for 2020. Around the country, gun sales have soared and there have been massive queues to get access to weapons in order for people to remain safe in their homes.

The guys that have always been into gun ownership are going to feel even more vindicated in their stoicism on the gun debate. Targeting by pulling on this fact, making them feel bigger than the guys that only just want a gun now would be a smart angle.

Products You MUST Test;

• • Apparel (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Mugs (Personalized) by Dreamship
  • Metal Wall Art by Dreamship

The Number 1 Reason You Must Sell These Particular Products!

If you’re attempting to or selling products into the USA there is something you need to do in order to build massive trust with your customers.

With lockdowns in full swing across the world and people being exceptionally anxious about opening their parcels you must be finding products that can be sourced and fulfilled in the USA. That is, of course, if you’re selling into the USA.

Being able to sell products from inside the borders builds a level of trust that you cannot emulate by shipping internationally.

There are 2 companies I fully recommend to use to facilitate this and they are Dreamship & ShineOn Jewelry. 

How to Learn to Sell Online Fast

There are so many resources and courses available for you to learn how to sell online. The hardest thing to do, however, is to decipher & ensure you’re putting energy into the right one. Nothing beats experience and as with most blogs, they aren’t written by “marketers”. There are so many blogs and articles written from the outside looking in.

With that in mind, the same can be said for courses. Except, there are so-called “guru’s” who profess that they know how to sell based on 1 win. When they stop selling, they turn to building a course. I have always been skeptical of new faces that pop up and I suggest you should be the same.

There is only one course that I recommend for people looking to start selling print on demand products. I am lucky enough to call Michael Crist a friend and have been through his course with a fine-tooth comb. 

His process and the way he runs his business is eerily similar to how we run ours and whilst his course may not be the cheapest, you can rest assured he is experienced and by following his path the money you spend on it will pale in comparison to how much you stand to make.

Click HERE to get Ecom Profit Formula

The Best POD Platforms in 2020

This year there are only 2 platforms that I can recommend at this time and during the pandemic. Both ShineOn Jewelry & Dreamship print and fulfill their products from within the USA. Having the quality of locally made and the trust that goes along with it ensures your customers feel safe shopping with you.

ShineON Jewelry

Yes, I am recommending ShineOn Jewelry once again. We have personally been using these guys since 2016 and have had nothing but positive interactions with the business over the years.

Eric and the team (Ian & Luna deserve a shout out) are incredibly innovative and are forever bringing in new and exciting product lines. One of their most recent additions to the product line up was 3d Jewelry…but, the real ticker with these was the ability to create your own print cards.

This was how Michael Crist was able to do $94,000 in a single day through Q4 2019! If you haven’t tried these cards yet, I suggest you get onto it asap while the opportunity is still hot!

CLICK HERE TO GET SHINEON JEWELRY

Products You MUST Test;

• • Printed Hearts
  • Print Cards with 3d Jewelry

Dreamship

Suhail and I have been consulting and working very closely with Dreamship over the past 6 months. Our role as consultants is to introduce new KILLER products to the platform and be the conduit between internet marketers and corporate business.

One HUGE drawcard to Dreamship is the relationships they have built with the likes of Google (can anyone say White Glove Adwords service), PayPal & Shopify. These strategic relationships have allowed these companies to confidently help merchants in emerging markets, i.e. Vietnam, Philipines, etc

The way they have been able to do this is by their trademark detection programming they have built into the platform to scan each design on upload for potential copyright infringement.

Being able to help fast-moving, fast testing merchants ensure they aren't accidentally stepping on trademarked territory has helped a lot of merchants scale with full confidence that Dreamship has their back.

If you're in an emerging market you HAVE to sign up to Dreamship. Closed accounts are quickly re-enabled through the relationships they have built.

Products You MUST Test;

• • Hoodies
  • Shirts
  • Canvas
  • Metal Wall Art (Beta testers only, must have store doing 50k+/mo)
  • Blankets

CLICK HERE TO GET DREAMSHIP

Conclusion

One thing we can all be absolutely certain on at times like this… we can't be certain. It's a very, very dynamic world we're living in right now, a world that will be written into the history books.

I have provided you with my top niches that are worth your attention this year. The e-commerce trends of 2020 will probably change next week but the strategy remains the same. Pick a niche, stick to it, test it and see if you can find the winners you need to find success this year.

If you have any questions or have anything to add, please don't hesitate to comment below. I would love to speak with you. Until then, please share and help others who may be struggling with what to do whilst in self-isolation.

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