Do you want to start a trading related business online? If YES, here are 50 best new small trading business ideas & opportunities. Everyone wants to own the next billion dollar business; the next Amazon, Walt Disney, Apple, Microsoft, and so on. But what most people seem to be forgetting is that these are businesses that started very small.
A lot of these businesses were started from the private dwellings of their founders or from really humble locations but today, they have all become giants in their various industries. You don’t have to wait until you have $100,000, $10,000, or even $1,000 to start a business.
You can start a small trading business which you can grow to become one of those businesses you admire. However, under the law, not all businesses qualify to be called small businesses.
The benefit of having your business classified as a small business is that you will be able to pay fewer taxes, and you don’t have to deal with most of the legal requirements that larger businesses have to deal with, thereby making it easier and cheaper to start.
In this article, you will find a list of 50 different small trading business ideas that you can start with very little capital. These are businesses with potentials to expand to become successful business empires in the future.
Best Small Trading Business ideas
1. Florist
Flowers have become a very significant part of the American culture. They are sent as gifts to loved ones, and are also used for decorative purposes. You can set up a very small florist shop with less than $3000.
2. Ethnic Eatery
There are a good number of immigrants and tourists from other countries living in America. You can start an ethnic eatery that caters to a specific ethnic group; a lot of people who miss their traditional dishes will definitely love to patronize you.
3. Neon Signs
You can consider selling neon signs too. With as little as $5,000, you can start a home-based neon signs business and help other business owners like you to create trendy and attractive signboards.
4. Pet Care Shop
A lot of homeowners keep pets that they have to feed well and groom properly. You can set up a small pet care shop to sell pet food and pet grooming supplies to people around you.
5. Sell Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are receiving a lot of attention in the wellness industry these days. A lot of people hold the belief that herbal remedies are safer and more reliable than synthetic medications hence they invest in a lot of herbal teas and concoctions to help them solve their health challenges. This is yet another lucrative business with high patronage that you can start with very little capital.
6. Costume Jewelry
Costume jewelries are highly versatile plus not everyone can afford to buy gold, silver or diamond jewelries. With very little capital, as low as $500, you can start a costume jewelry business.
7. Organic Fertilizers
Many people want to eat organic foods so they have embraced the idea of gardening to grow their own foods. This has increased the demand for organic fertilizers in the country. Selling of organic fertilizers is another smart and lucrative business idea you can explore.
8. Aromatherapy Oils
Aromatherapy oils are also gaining popularity all over the world, especially from health and wellness enthusiasts. You can extract the oils yourself, or become a retailer for another brand that makes good aromatherapy oils.
9. Ice-Cream Seller
Both children and adults love ice-cream so you can never go wrong with starting an ice-cream business. You can even make it mobile for a better chance to reach more customers and beat your competitors.
10. Handcrafted Gift Items
If you have access to a place where tourists frequent, or if you can find space in a flea market, you can start selling handcrafted gift items and souvenirs. You can also sell them online on social media or niche eCommerce platforms like Etsy.
11. Fish Farming
If you can get a few fish tanks and groundwater, you can start a fish farm to supply high quality fish to supermarkets and grocery stores around you.
12. Organic Vegetables
You can also serve people who don’t have their own gardens. You can start growing and selling organic vegetables to health and wellness enthusiasts in your city.
13. Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is one of the most popular beef staples in the US. You can start making Beef jerky for sale or become a retailer to other brands.
14. Stationary Store
You can start a business of selling stationaries to schools, offices and students. This is a very great business idea for a commercial area or a location with proximity to educational institutions.
15. Hand-Made Soaps
Anything organic, herbal or handmade is receiving increased attention from consumers today because they are believed to be safer with less side effects. You can consider making and selling handmade soaps from the comfort of your home.
16. Cosmetics Sales
Another small trading business idea with potential to earn you a lot of profit is cosmetic sales. You can start a business of selling cosmetics in a small shop or online if you cannot afford to rent a shop.
17. Thrift Store
Gone are the days when thrift stores were for the impoverished. These days, thrift stores get visits from all classes of individuals especially those looking to reduce their spending and get more value for their money.
18. Wedding Dresses
There’s a wedding almost every week. You can make money off intending bride’s, bride’s moms, sisters of the bride, and friends of the bride looking for suitable outfits for the day.
19. Cakes and Desserts
Another lucrative small trading business idea is to sell cakes and desserts. You can sell them from a shop, or supply them to grocery stores and supermarkets around you.
20. Homemade Jams and Sauces
If you can find a strategic location, you can sell homemade jams and sauces that are free of all the potentially harmful additives that their processed versions contain. If you cannot find a good spot to sell this, you can revert to selling it online.
21. Food Truck Business
As long as you make good food, you can never go wrong with a food business especially a food truck that helps to bring comfort and convenience to hungry people or busy people who cannot find the time to drive down to traditional restaurants for food.
22. Real Estate Agency
You can help people manage their real estate properties in exchange for a commission. You can also help people find their dream homes, or sell the ones that they already own.
23. Mobile Phone Accessories
It’s hard to come by a person who doesn’t own a phone these days. Even toddlers now have phones and sometimes, these phones need to be accessorized. You can earn a living from selling different types of accessories for mobile phones including chargers, screen protectors, waterproof protectors, earpieces, and other mobile phone accessories.
24. Coffee Cart
You may not be able to afford a coffee shop but a coffee cart is cheaper to set up. You just need to find a busy area to set up your cart or make it mobile and sell delicious cups of coffee to people who cannot do without their early morning cup of coffee.
25. Sell Security Gadgets
Another good idea is to sells trendy security gadgets like pepper sprays, trackers, stun guns, nanny cams and so on.
26. Fitness Accessories
These are trendy gadgets that people love to buy. You can sell things like smart fitness watches, calorie counters, skipping ropes, fitness bands, and so on.
27. Shapewear
Shapewear is one of the top trending products in 2018. Many women love quick fixes to their body image issues so they rely on shapewears to help them achieve that. This is another fast selling product that can earn you sizable profits.
28. Maternity Wears
Expectant mothers always need to change their wardrobes during pregnancy. You can make money selling maternity wears to expectant mothers around you.
29. Vehicle Accessories
Another lucrative product that you can start selling is motor vehicle accessories that people need to make their vehicles look better such as seat covers, keyholders, dash cameras, phone holders, foot mats, Air fresheners, flat tire fixers, litter baskets, and so on.
30. Backpacks
You can sell backpacks for students or camping backpacks for people who need them for hiking or camping trips.
31. Female Accessories
We all know that females don’t joke with accessorizing and most of these accessories can be bought very cheaply. You can start selling female accessories especially things like sunglasses, belts, scarves, purses, gloves, sarongs and so on.
32. Framed Photographs
You can get a few beautiful stock-free photos and print them out in very large sizes, and then get beautiful frames to put them in for sale. If they are beautiful, a lot of people will buy them to decorate their homes and offices.
33. Rainy Weather Items
This is a seasonal business but it can earn you tangible income when the season is around. You can make money from selling things like gumboots, raincoats and portable umbrellas.
34. Used Computers
Another lucrative idea is to start selling used computers especially laptop computers. You can buy them off people looking to dispose their old computers for new ones, and sell them to those who are looking for laptops on a budget.
35. Homemade Candles
Candles are used for aromatherapy, in restaurants and religious places. Some people also use them to decorate their homes. If you know how to make candles at home, you can make money selling them at flea markets or people around you.
36. Sewing Accessories
You can start selling accessories to tailors and fashion designers. You can sell things like buttons, zippers, threads, beads, elastics, stones, and other accessories for fashion design.
37. Fireplace and Braai Accessories
You can sell fireplace accessories like log holders, fire starter packs, fire pokers, tongs and screens.
38. Clocks
You can also sell all kinds of clocks from paper made clocks to wooden clocks, glass fiber clocks, metal clocks, and so on.
39. Party Packs
Parents throw parties for their kids from time to time and they usually have to buy these party packs as souvenirs for the invited guests.
40. T-Shirt
Another idea is to start your own T-shirt printing and selling business. You can make different types of T-shirt designs and list them up for sale online or offline.
41. Kitchen Utensils
You can also start a kitchen utensils trading business for less than $1000. You can sell things like colanders, mesh strainers, chopping boards, knifes, graters, manual blenders, manual juicers, vegetable cutters, and other trending kitchen utensils.
42. Perfumes
You don’t have to sell expensive perfumes, you can sell inexpensive perfumes. You can sell cheap but good perfumes that cost less than $20 each. With $500, you’ll have a sizable stock to start your business with.
43. Board Games and Puzzles
Even though computer and mobile games are getting all the attention now, people haven’t stopped playing the good old board games like Chess, Monopoly, Scrabble and so on. You can also start a small business of selling these items.
44. Junk Sales
You can collect junk metals or other useful items that people often discard as junk, repair or refurbish them, and the sell them as second-hand items.
45. Sell Vintage CD’S and DVD’s
There are some classic movies and music that people love to keep in their collections for future references. You can still make money selling these vintage CD’s and DVD’s online or offline.
46. Old Books
Just like DVD’s, there are people who would take a traditional hardcover book over an eBook because they prefer to have a physical library than a digital one so selling vintage books is another cheap business idea that can earn you a decent income provided you find a strategic location to sell your wares.
47. Textiles
Large scale textile trading would definitely cost you a huge capital but you can start really small by handpicking a few unique textiles and selling them to fashion designers or people who are interested in couture outfits around you.
48. Sell Leather Goods
You can sell leather belts, wallets, purses, shoes and so on.
49. Wigs and Hair Products
A lot of women wear wigs and almost all women and sometimes men, use hair products. This is another business you can start with little money yet earn a lot of money from.
50. Electrical Fittings
Lastly, you can sell electrical fittings like light bulbs, switches and other electrical fittings used in the building and construction industry.