The 12 Best Products to Sell Online in May 2023
After the relative lulls in March and April, May is when shopping kicks into high gear again. People flock to Memorial Day sales but they're also purchasing gifts for Mother's Day and graduations. For Marketplace sellers, though, what should be the main focus?
To answer that question, we examined the shopping trends of DealNews readers from last May, which should give you an idea of what to sell online in May 2023. Check out our list of the top categories, as well as the prime sales opportunities in May and the items you may want to list later instead.
The 12 Best Products to Sell Online in May 2023
The infographic below shows five of the best things to sell online in May. Take a look, then read about all the product categories that resonated with our readers in May 2022.
Electronics
A variety of electronics were popular among our readers last May, but there were a couple of standout themes: Apple- and computer-related products. So if you want to list tech items this May, those may be worth focusing on.
SEE ALSO: These Are the Best Products to Sell Online Each Month in 2023
On the Apple side, our readers gravitated toward 4-packs of 10' iPhone charging cords, 2021 models of iPad and iPad mini devices, Apple AirPods Pro, and refurbished Apple items. On the computer side, both computers and computer accessories were popular. The notable products ranged from 15.6" laptops with Intel Core i7 processors to USB Bluetooth adapters, 2-packs of magnetic USB-C adapters, and WD drive and SanDisk memory products.
Tools and Home Improvement Supplies
Lighting products — especially versatile ones — may be winners if you're wanting to sell tools and home improvement supplies in May. For example, multiple types of LED headlamps resonated with our readers in May 2022. These included rechargeable options, 2-packs of headlamps designed to be waterproof, and 5-packs of battery-powered headlamps.
Rechargeable plug-in flashlights were popular, as well, and both headlamps and flashlights can be used in a variety of situations, from home repair projects to power outages, evening dog walks, and camping trips. Other lighting products readers were drawn to last May included solar-powered outdoor spotlights and A19 LED lightbulbs.
Want more tool and home improvement options for May 2023? Consider the following products that were also popular last May:
- Cans of garage door lubricant
- 8', 3-outlet indoor extension cords
- Power tool storage racks
- Tool pouches that go on ladders
- Toilet repair kits with dual-flush valves
- Extended-length spade bits
- Circular saw guides
- Hand tools
Clothes and Shoes
Memorial Day sales are a prime time for offering apparel deals, and we'll talk more about those later. But our readers gravitated toward a variety of clothes and shoes throughout May last year, so if you want ideas for items to sell, we have plenty. They include warmer offerings like adidas men's logo hoodies, winter clearance pieces, men's Nike jackets, and men's packable puffer jackets. Among the other popular products were Saucony men's or women's running shoes, women's dresses, and Levi's men's relaxed straight jeans.
Household Products
The spring cleaning season tends to peak in March, but people buy products for cleaning and other household tasks throughout the year, too. In May, for instance, you may have good luck selling toilet bowl cleaner gel, 80-count packages of disinfecting wipes, multi-surface outdoor cleaners, and 12" squeegees. All those items resonated with our readers in May 2022, but those weren't the only ones — so did laundry items like 120-count packages of "mega" dryer sheets and 2-packs of dryer balls, as well as 18-roll packs of toilet paper.
Garden, Lawn, and Patio Products
Among the popular lawn, garden, and patio items last May was a notable standout: plastic hand trowels. Not only were these trending among our readers that month, but they did the same in April and January 2022. Given their enduring popularity, these may be a particularly good item to list.
Other lawn and garden products worth considering are 1-gallon garden sprayers, "weed and feed" products, and cordless leaf blowers. On the patio side, look into 46,000-BTU patio heaters and wooden deck boxes. Our readers gravitated toward these last May, but know that items in the garden, lawn, and patio sphere tend to trend throughout the spring and summer. So they could pay off for several months!
Home Items
Like clothes, home products typically show up in Memorial Day sales. So if you sell mattresses, appliances, or the like, you may see solid inventory movement at the end of the month if you host holiday promotions. But what home items were our readers specifically drawn to in May? Popular products included small bathroom storage cabinets, 12,000-BTU ductless air conditioners with heat pumps, and furniture like mattresses, office furnishings, and dressers.
SEE ALSO: Is Buy With Prime Worth It?
The Rest of the Best
You have plenty more options if you're wondering what else could be good to sell in May 2023. DealNews readers also gravitated toward the following products last May, so they're certainly worth a look.
- Grocery items like 15-pound bags of basmati rice, sugarless cinnamon chewing gum, and 5-ounce packages of beef deli sticks
- Sports and outdoor items, such as inflatable sleeping mats and other camping products, electric bikes, and handgun safes
- Office supplies, including packs of gray double-sided tape, electric air dusters for keyboard cleaning, and 6-count variety packs of permanent markers
- Toys and games, such as quadcopter drones with cameras, inflatable pool floats and water hammocks, and 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles
- Automotive supplies like odor-eliminator mists, headlight coating sprays, and discounted tires
- Maybe face masks, too, including 50-packs of KF94 and KN95 masks, and 20-packs of N95 particulate respirators
What Are the Big Sales Opportunities in May?
Memorial Day
Memorial Day falls on May 29 in 2023, and you can count on it being the month's biggest promotional opportunity. The last big sale holiday was Presidents' Day in February, so shoppers will likely be eager to score deals and discounts at the end of May. During that month last year, our readers gravitated toward Memorial Day sales with savings on home items, shoes, clothing, electronics, and backyard and patio products.
Mother's Day and Graduation Season
May is also a good time to promote items that make good Mother's Day or graduation gifts. Mother's Day is on May 14 this year, and if numbers from the National Retail Federation are any indication, shoppers will be looking to spend on greeting cards, flowers, special outings, and gift cards in particular. As for graduation gifts, searches for those tend to peak in mid-to-late May. So if you want to sell popular graduation presents like cards, gift cards, and apparel, that could be a good time for coupons and other promotions.
What NOT to Sell Online in May 2023
| Item | When to Sell | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Items | June | Whether people are buying wedding gifts or replenishing their own supplies in June, it'll likely be a good month to list kitchen items. Last June, DealNews readers were drawn to Y-shaped vegetable peelers, mini egg and omelet pans, chef knives, and kitchen shears. |
| Health-Related Products | June | June may hold more promise than May for selling health-related items. Consider listing massage guns and travel-sized pill cutters, which trended among our readers last year. |
| Smart Devices | July | Smart devices may not be bad items to sell before July arrives, but that month could bring much more interest, especially if Amazon Prime Day happens then. Last July, our readers were drawn to smart lightbulbs, security cameras, speakers, displays, and even robots for kids. |
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