Entrepreneurs looking to start a cross-border e-commerce business face challenges in identifying which products to sell. This problem is particularly acute for those in countries like India, where there is a vast array of products available at low costs, but determining which products will be profitable and marketable in regions like the US and EU is complex.
Pain Points
- Difficulty in identifying profitable products
- Uncertainty about market demand in foreign markets
- Logistical challenges related to product weight and shipping
- Lack of knowledge about which marketplaces to target
- Risk of financial loss due to poor product selection
I live in India and I’m thinking about starting a small cross-border ecommerce business. The idea is simple: buy products that are easily available and cheap in India, then sell them to US/EU customers through Instagram shops, Etsy, or direct shipping. So basically retail arbitrage / export arbitrage. If you were starting this type of business today: • What types of products would you focus on? • What characteristics make a product good for this model? (weight, uniqueness, handmade, etc.) • Would you target marketplaces like Etsy/Amazon or sell directly through Instagram/Reddit? Curious what products or niches experienced sellers would choose today.