Coronavirus Isolation Ecommerce Winners – 60 Products That Will Do Well Online

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On Saturdays, I like to go to the farmers’ markets and then meet up with friends to go out for dinner. For me, Sundays are a day for brunch and long walks. So, being in isolation and staying at home pretty much 24/7 is odd, to say the least.

Just like for most people, it takes some time to get used to. That is why making my home as cozy and functional as possible has quickly become a priority! And with all but the grocery stores now shut, the only way to get what I need is online.

As the world quickly goes into lockdown, we are already experiencing a surge in online shopping, with retail giant Amazon no longer able to guarantee two-day delivery on all Prime orders.

But, what people buy will change. There will be less frivolous and impulsive spending, and more purchases geared towards making staying at home all day more tolerable.

Here are 60 products and categories that will do well as we all stay home.

Everyday essentials

With grocery stores limiting the number of people, people are buying essential groceries and items online.

1. Hand sanitizer – For obvious reasons.

2. Soap

3. Face masks – Both ones to cover your face while outside but also mud masks. Everyone needs some self-care at the moment.

4. Toilet paper – With stores around the world unable to meet demand, even fun online brands like Who Gives A Crap have sold out!

5. Alcohol – People need cocktail supplies for their online aperitif parties! 🙂

For the home

As people spend their days indoors, those weekend home improvements that you have always planned on doing but had no time for may finally get done! That means home decoration supplies – from paint to kitchen tiles, curtains and beyond – will be in steady demand.

6. Plants and flowers – If you can’t go outside, bring the outside to you! People are taking the opportunity to greenify their space and bring a bit of natural color into their homes.

7. Fake plants and flowers – Because some of us don’t have green fingers.

8. Fresh herb plants – They smell great, add a bit of color to your kitchen and they are edible!

9. Storage solutions and shelving – People are tidying up their wardrobes and cardboards on TikTok.

10. Jars – For food storage to help keep food neat, tidy and fresh.

11. Freezer bags – For storing fresh produce for longer.

12. Baking equipment – For making homemade cakes and sweet treats.

13. Coffee machines – The all-important morning coffee. People who buy a coffee on the way to work will be looking for ways to drink great coffee at home and turn the always uninspiring instant coffee into barista-style cappuccinos. The great news is that there is a machine for everyone.

14. Sandwich press – An easy but also kinda fancy lunch for people working from home. (I might have to try these Nutella waffle sandwich cookies soon.)

15. Nutribullet – To make morning smoothies and to help keep healthy during quarantine time.

16. Vacuum – More time at home means more mess to clean.

17. TV set – To watch more Netflix and movies in high-definition.

18. Food box subscriptions – Many people have decided to use their time indoors to learn a new skill – like learning to cook!

Because people can’t go out to enjoy a meal with friends and loved ones, they will start to make restaurant-quality food at home – and with limited options on the shelves in supermarkets, people are turning to meal-kits. US-based Blue Apron Inc.’s stock price has increased about five times in the past week alone!

19. Activewear – Comfortable clothing for wearing around the house and doing at home gym exercises in. LuluLemon and PE Nation are comfortable and stylish!

20. Lingerie – To feel sexy when you’re home.

21. Sewing machine – To make masks at home.

22. Fabric and elastic – Also needed to masks at home.

23. Garden furniture – For people lucky enough to have a garden, having a comfortable place to sit, work and enjoy the sunshine will quickly become a priority.

24. Artwork – To brighten people’s walls

25. Rugs – To brighten people’s hallways and rooms.

Self-care

26. Bedding and sheets – Your home or apartment will need to be a place of relaxation and comfort, and where better to start than with bedding and sheets? Not only are they a necessity, but they can be a luxury too.

27. Razors – ‘Corona beards’ will start appearing.

28. Hair dye – Women who have had their hair appointments canceled will likely buy ‘at home’ kits.

29. Hand cream – While constantly using sanitizer and washing for 20-second intervals, hands will quickly get dry and chapped.

30. Picture frames – As people spend extended periods of time away from their loved ones, picture frames can keep them as a permanent presence in your home while making your space cozy.

31. Care packages – Get well soon and care packages are a nice way to say “I’m thinking of you”. Feel Better Box offers a range of pre-made boxes for a range of budgets that can be sent directly to loved ones and friends while we all practice social distancing.

32. At-home workout training subscriptions – At-home fitness apps are booming. Daily Burn, which provides virtual gym classes such as cardio and high training intensity workouts, saw a 268% year-over-year increase in membership sign-ups in one week alone.

33. Free weights

34. Yoga mats – There are a lot of free online yoga classes, so people are likely to pick up this new habit.

35. Treadmills

36. Spin bikes

37. Juicers – Some people may take this opportunity to get into healthy habits, like juicing. Here are some recipes to get you started.

38. Vitamins – Keeping healthy when you spend most of your time indoors is very important. Taking daily vitamins can be a good way to boost the immune system and replenish the essential vitamins that you would get naturally from taking a walk in the Sun.

39. Cozy socks – For at-home comfort.

40. Skincare – Products to keep your skin healthy – cleansed and moisturized – will be important as you stay indoors for long periods of time, and will quickly become an important self-care tool.

Working from home

41. Office materials – Paper, pens, paper clips, folders: these are some of the items that people take from the office. But now, they are working from home so people will still need to buy these materials for themselves. And there are lots of fun options out there – I particularly like this series of rose gold desk supplies.

42. Computers/desk setup – Those that can, have been asked to work from home. But how many people have a space set up for a home office? Your kitchen table, sofa – or if you are lucky, spare room – needs to be equipped with the right kit for your office job or ecommerce operations.

43. Webcam – Investing in a good quality webcam will make the at-home office conference calls less grainy than your laptop’s built-in setup.

44. Loungewear – Working from home in your pyjamas may sound like a dream, but it can get old really fast. Loungewear is the perfect combination of stylish and comfortable for wearing around the house; it gives you that “I got dressed today!” vibe while also maintaining a great level of comfort.

45. Headsets – Noisy roommates or energetic kids can be a big distraction when working from home. Investing in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones will be at the top of a lot of people’s shopping carts in weeks to come!

46. Multi-socket extension cables – For charging your laptop and phone in bed.

47. Online meeting subscription – Online conference calls and team meetings are quickly becoming the norm – will we ever have to travel for a meeting again? Tools like Zoom, WebX, and Skype for Business will be an essential purchase for many people working from home.

48. Automation software – Small business owners will be looking for ways to optimize their operations.

49. Laptop storage solutions – People looking to Spring clean their laptops.

50. Green screen – Finding ways to keep these conference calls lively can be tough – some offices have set weekly challenges for their employees to wear funny hats during the calls. But why not hold your meeting from space – or even Hogwarts?

Zoom lets you set virtual backgrounds for your meetings, meaning you can hold your conference from anywhere, but the best results require a green screen.

Keeping entertained

51. Birthday party supplies – Lots of people will be having a birthday in quarantine.

52. Puzzles – With a puzzle, there are no winners or losers – an excellent quality for an activity in isolation! And it is good for entertaining people of all ages. Celebrity couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman made puzzles cool again – they even pose with their puzzles after they are completed!

53. Paint and paper – For kids and adults who want to try to be the next Picasso.

54. Journals – For people who want to write a book during the quarantine.

55. Bluetooth speakers – For quarantine dance-offs on the balcony.

56. Board games – From Monopoly to Exploding Kittens, board games both old and new are likely to have a huge revival as parents try to find ways to keep the family entertained.

57. Social video games – A popular way to stay isolated together.

58. On-demand streaming subscriptions – People are already making their way through their Netflix wishlist – and Disney Plus, which is already available in the US, began its European launch on 24 March. (Fun side note: a Google Chrome extension called Netflix Party lets friends have movie nights while social distancing!)

59. Online education – Language classes, science classes, further learning for work, there is always something new to learn – and now is a great time to start!

60. Books – Because there is only so much Netflix that you can binge at once.

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