Top E-commerce Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs
Discover top e-commerce business ideas for new entrepreneurs with market insights, revenue potential, and how to stand out using fresh approaches
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Starting a side business is a practical way for entrepreneurs to test new markets, build extra income, and create future growth opportunities without needing extensive technical resources or a large development team. With the rise of no-code development platforms like Bubble, you can bring your business ideas to life quickly, without complex code or a large budget.
Today, it might seem like every idea is already covered by big companies or existing solutions, but that's not true. People are still coming up with new and unique ideas to solve problems. Even if you don't find a unique idea, you can take a general problem and narrow it down to a specific region or audience—there's still a lot of potential.
In this article, we will explore some ideas for starting side businesses. If you are a first-time founder, you will definitely find some useful ideas here.
1. Build a Marketplace App for Niche Services
Marketplace apps are among the most profitable side businesses because they connect users and providers on a convenient, centralized platform. Consider platforms like Airbnb or Fiverr, but focused on a specific niche—such as pet care, local delivery, or tutoring.
At Zeroqode, we have built several marketplace platforms using Bubble, like thirdSelf and Arttwork. Bubble provides features such as secure payments, messaging, user reviews, and profile management without needing any coding. This approach allows you to start small, test your idea, and expand as demand grows.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The global online marketplace market is valued at over $6.5 trillion, with niche marketplaces representing a significant growth area.
- Revenue Potential: Small niche platforms can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 annually in the early stages, while larger apps can reach six-figure monthly revenue through booking fees, premium listings, or subscription options.
- Success Story: Thumbtack, a marketplace for local professionals, began small and now brings in over $100 million in revenue annually. This success demonstrates the demand for specialized marketplaces and the scalability of a niche focus.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
Many large marketplace platforms are broad and often don't meet the specific needs of niche markets. For example, pet care might be just a small section of a larger marketplace, missing features like pet-specific service vetting, local pet sitter availability, or real-time updates.
A niche app focused on a specific service can stand out by offering detailed profiles, trustworthy reviews, and targeted features that better meet customer needs. Creating these custom features can attract users who feel underserved by broader platforms.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (ideal for custom, feature-rich marketplaces), Sharetribe (quick setup, less customization), and Softr (for simple, database-driven marketplaces)
- Estimated Build Time: 4-6 weeks
- Key Features: Secure payment integration, user messaging, review system, booking/scheduling functionality, user profiles
2. Develop a Subscription-Based Digital Product
Digital products are a fantastic side business with recurring revenue potential. You could create a platform for e-learning courses, fitness programs, business coaching, or any other niche you’re passionate about. By offering subscription-based access, you can build a steady income stream that scales with your user base.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The subscription e-learning market alone is projected to reach $585 billion by 2027.
- Revenue Potential: Monthly subscriptions can range from $10 to $200 per user. For instance, a niche fitness coaching app with 1,000 members at $30 per month could bring in $30,000 in recurring revenue.
- Success Story: MasterClass, offering subscription-based lessons from experts, reached a $2.75 billion valuation, proving the power of subscription-based digital products.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
While many subscription platforms exist, they’re often too general, offering little personalization. For instance, fitness subscription apps may not offer flexible workout plans for specific body types, or business coaching apps might miss industry-specific advice.
By offering personalized content and niche-specific expertise, your subscription platform can solve these issues, providing members with the sense of a tailored experience that keeps them coming back.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (for fully customized subscription apps), Memberstack + Webflow (for basic subscription websites), Teachable (for course-focused platforms)
- Estimated Build Time: 3-5 weeks
- Key Features: Payment integration, content access levels, user dashboards, subscription management, analytics tracking
3. Launch an E-commerce Platform for Specialty Products
For entrepreneurs interested in retail, a niche e-commerce store could be the ideal side business. You can choose to sell handmade goods, curated collections, or even drop-shipped products that you don’t need to store yourself.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The global e-commerce market is expected to reach $6.3 trillion by 2024, with niche markets showing strong growth in areas like eco-friendly goods, artisanal products, and vintage items.
- Revenue Potential: Smaller e-commerce businesses can achieve revenues between $50,000 to $500,000 annually, depending on their niche and marketing efforts. Successful e-commerce entrepreneurs report margins of 30%–50%.
- Success Story: Allbirds, a sustainable shoe brand, started with a niche focus on eco-friendly materials and quickly became a $2 billion company.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
Major e-commerce platforms lack personalization for niche products, often resulting in poor customer experience. For example, an eco-friendly store on a general platform may struggle to showcase its values or offer in-depth information on sustainable sourcing.
A niche e-commerce app can be unique by featuring sustainability certifications, highlighting ethical sourcing stories, or adding interactive tools for personalization, making it a compelling choice for customers who care about these specifics.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Shopify (for standard e-commerce), Bubble (for highly customized e-commerce), WooCommerce (WordPress-based for blog-integrated stores)
- Estimated Build Time: 3-5 weeks
- Key Features: Product listings, secure payment gateway, customer profiles, order tracking, reviews, and inventory management (for non-drop shipping)
4. Create an On-Demand Service App
On-demand apps have skyrocketed in popularity, as customers increasingly want services at their fingertips. An on-demand app could connect users to personal trainers, event planners, wellness coaches, or even real estate agents. You can tap into an existing need in your local area or find a unique twist to make the app stand out.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The on-demand app economy is valued at over $57 billion in the U.S. alone, with an average annual growth rate of 18%.
- Revenue Potential: Depending on the niche, small on-demand service platforms can earn between $100,000 to $300,000 annually, mainly through transaction fees or service commissions.
- Success Story: TaskRabbit, an on-demand platform for handyman and household tasks, was acquired by IKEA and now serves multiple cities, showing the value of a localized approach.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
Many on-demand apps don't offer customization or local specialization. For example, users often find scheduling too rigid or miss the chance to connect with nearby specialized professionals.
By providing features like flexible scheduling, local search filters, or vetting specialized professionals, an on-demand app focused on a niche can enhance the user experience, attracting customers who appreciate these unique solutions.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (ideal for fully custom on-demand services), Glide (simple, database-driven apps), AppGyver (for quick builds and prototypes)
- Estimated Build Time: 4-6 weeks
- Key Features: Scheduling, push notifications, in-app messaging, location-based search, user reviews, payment processing
5. Build a B2B SaaS Solution for Specific Industry Needs
If you’re looking to solve real problems for other businesses, consider creating a Software as a Service (SaaS) product focused on a particular industry need. Examples could include customer relationship management (CRM) tools for small businesses, inventory management for retail, or even team collaboration tools for remote workforces.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The SaaS market is projected to reach $307 billion by 2026, with SMB SaaS adoption growing at 20% annually.
- Revenue Potential: Subscription pricing for B2B SaaS products can range from $50 to $500 per user per month. A targeted SaaS app with 500 users paying $100/month could generate $600,000 in annual recurring revenue.
- Success Story: Calendly, a scheduling SaaS, grew from a niche scheduling tool to a $3 billion company by focusing on B2B features and integrations.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
Most large SaaS solutions cater to general business needs, leaving gaps in functionality for specific industries. For instance, CRM tools might lack features tailored to healthcare, retail, or construction.
Creating a niche SaaS with features like industry-specific reporting, customizable data fields, or compliance integrations can attract businesses that feel underserved by generic tools, allowing you to stand out in a competitive space.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (for comprehensive SaaS platforms), Airtable (basic, database-driven SaaS), Adalo (for simpler SaaS with mobile options)
- Estimated Build Time: 4-7 weeks
- Key Features: User dashboards, data storage and analytics, integration with external APIs, user role management, subscription billing
6. Build a Membership Platform for Exclusive Content
A membership platform is ideal if you’re an entrepreneur looking to monetize content or expert knowledge. Whether you’re in fitness, finance, personal development, or education, a membership platform allows you to offer exclusive content to members who pay for access.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The global membership-based content market is estimated to reach $4.6 billion by 2027.
- Revenue Potential: Monthly membership fees vary from $10 to $100 depending on the content value. For example, a platform with 500 members paying $25 monthly could generate $150,000 annually.
- Success Story: Patreon, a platform for membership content, has enabled thousands of creators to earn a consistent income, with some earning six figures by offering exclusive material.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
Many membership platforms offer a mix of content but fail to create a cohesive, community-oriented experience. This often leads to high churn rates as users feel disconnected.
By building a platform with community features like forums, live Q&A sessions, and personalized content based on user preferences, you can deliver a more engaging experience that promotes long-term memberships and attracts users seeking a closer connection to the community.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (for custom membership features), Memberstack + Webflow (for simpler membership websites), Podia (for video and course-focused memberships)
- Estimated Build Time: 3-5 weeks
- Key Features: Content access levels, subscription payments, user dashboards, member-exclusive forums, community features
7. Build a Job Board for a Specific Industry or Niche
Niche job boards are increasingly popular as they cater to specific industries or groups—whether it’s remote workers, freelancers, or a particular professional sector. Job boards allow you to monetize by charging companies for listing fees, premium listings, or even subscription access for job seekers.
Market Stats & Potential
- Market Size: The global online recruitment market is expected to reach $29 billion by 2025.
- Revenue Potential: Job boards typically generate revenue through listing fees, featured job placements, or subscriptions. A niche job board charging $200 for featured listings can make $4,000 a month with just 20 listings.
- Success Story: We Work Remotely, a remote job board, charges $299 per listing and generates steady income by focusing on remote work—a growing niche with strong demand.
Current Gaps & Unique Opportunities
General job boards often lack important features for niche industries, such as skills verification, industry-specific filters, or project-based listings for freelancers.
By creating a niche job board with custom features like skill tagging, job matching algorithms, or job categories tailored to a specific industry, you can better serve both employers and job seekers. This approach sets your platform apart from more generic job boards.
How to Build This with No-Code
- Recommended Platforms: Bubble (for custom job boards with unique features), Webflow + Airtable (basic listing-driven job boards), Sharetribe (for quick setups without much customization)
- Estimated Build Time: 3-5 weeks
- Key Features: Job listings, search filters, application management, company profiles, paid listing options
That’s a Wrap
When considering side business ideas, it's important not to spend too much time and money at the start since you're unsure what will succeed. Using no-code platforms to build apps for your side business ideas makes sense.
Today, no-code platforms like Bubble offer a lot, from easy-to-use editors to advanced integrations that enhance your app's features. Even non-technical people can start building their apps with prebuilt templates and components. However, creating a complex app with best practices requires expertise in the platform and can take months to learn fully.
In such cases, you might consider partnering with Zeroqode, a gold-tier Bubble agency with a team of certified Bubble developers, to bring your next idea to life using best practices and a streamlined process. So far, we have built over 500 apps on Bubble, including marketplaces, education platforms, AI-driven apps, crypto apps, and SaaS platforms.
Read our case studies to see how we helped founders build their MVPs. If you're building on your own, feel free to check out our library of 700+ Bubble plugins for every possible functionality.
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