How to Find Products to Sell Online in Pakistan: A Practical Research Method

Choosing what to sell is the first big decision, and it is easy to get wrong by following trends blindly. A better way is to check each idea against a few plain questions. This guide gives a research method you can repeat for every product.

Start close to home

Think about what you, your family and friends actually buy and complain about. Everyday needs, small home items, accessories and gifts are easy to understand and easy to explain. You know your own area, which is an advantage.

Look for evidence of demand

• Do people ask for it in groups, comments and chats you are part of?
• Do local shops keep it in stock and sell it regularly?
• Do similar listings get questions and orders, not just likes?

Likes and views are not sales. Questions about price and delivery are a stronger sign.

Check the numbers

Work out your profit using the real shop price, delivery charge, platform fee and an allowance for failed orders. If the profit per order is too thin, drop the idea. See how to price products for online selling.

Check delivery fit

• Is it small and sturdy enough to travel without damage?
• Is it light enough that delivery does not eat the margin?
• Can you describe it fully in photos and words?

Check return risk

Products that depend on exact size, fit or colour tend to be returned more often. Simple, standard items usually cause fewer problems. See how to choose products with fewer returns.

Check the supplier

A good product from an unreliable shop is a bad product to sell. Look at how the shop describes and packs its goods, and use the tips in how to choose a reliable supplier. On Shipify, shops are verified before they can list products.

Check rules

Some goods are restricted or prohibited by law or by platform rules. Do not sell illegal or prohibited goods, and do not sell anything you are not allowed to sell. When unsure, ask a qualified adviser.

Test small

Promote a product to a small audience first. Watch real orders and real feedback before you spend more.

A simple scoring sheet

When you have a few product ideas, a scoring sheet helps you compare them fairly instead of choosing the one you feel excited about. Give each idea a score from 1 to 5 on every line and add them up. The best idea is the one with the strongest overall score and no very low scores.

• Demand: do people ask for it, and do local shops sell it regularly?
• Profit: is the profit per order healthy after delivery, fees and failed orders?
• Delivery fit: is it small, sturdy and light enough to deliver cheaply?
• Return risk: is it simple and standard, with little dependence on exact fit or colour?
• Describability: can you show and explain it honestly with photos and words?
• Supplier: is there a dependable shop with steady stock?

Where product ideas come from

• Problems people complain about in everyday conversation.
• Seasonal needs: weather, school terms, weddings, festivals.
• Local shops that have good products but poor online reach.
• Questions customers ask your existing audience.

Questions to ask a shop before you sell its product

• Is the item always in stock, and how will you tell me when it is not?
• How quickly can you get an order ready after it is placed?
• How do you pack it, and have you had damage in transit?
• Do the photos show the exact item that will be sent?
• What happens if the customer returns it?

A shop that answers these clearly and quickly is usually a better partner than one that is cheaper but vague. On Shipify the shops are verified before they can list, which removes one risk, but your own questions still matter.

Check the season before you commit

Demand for many products rises and falls through the year with weather, school terms, weddings and festivals. A product that suits the coming season may sell well for a few weeks and then stop. Plan your testing so you learn before the peak rather than during it, and avoid ordering or promoting more than you can sell while interest lasts.

Be careful with restricted goods

Some goods are regulated or banned, and every selling platform and advertising network has its own list of restricted items. Check the rules for the places you plan to sell and advertise before you invest time in a product.

Common questions