With China being a manufacturing powerhouse, there is no shortage of products to choose from.
However, not all products are profitable, and selecting the right ones can significantly impact the success of your business.
In this guide, we will explore some of the most profitable items to import from China and discuss strategies for identifying the best products to buy and sell online.
By understanding market trends, consumer demand, and sourcing strategies, you can maximize your chances of success in the competitive world of international trade.
Also Read: AliExpress Customs Clearance in 2024 : How to Clear Import Customs?
What Are The Most Profitable Items To Import From China?
The most profitable products to import from China are Electronics & Accessories, Clothing & Apparel, Fasion Accessories, Makeup, Home Products. There are sub-categories of items in each of these main categories that have some profitable items.
Quick Links to the most profitable products to import from China
| Product category to import | Profit Margin Range |
|
Electronics and Accessories |
40% to 60% |
| Clothing & Apparel |
30% to 50% |
| Fashion Accessories |
50% to 60% |
| Makeup |
40% to 60% |
| Home Products | 30% to 50% |
| Pet Supplies | 60% to 70% |
| Kitchen Supplies | 15$ to 20% (High volume) |
| Lights & Lighting | 75% |
Why import from China though? Why not other countries.
First, letâs look at some numbers. China exported about $420 Billion worth of goods only to the United States and $375 Billion worth of goods to the European Union. China exports to 50 other countries around the world.
Chinaâs advantages over other countries
- Technical know how - China has technologies that other countries donât possess to make high quality products.
- Economies of scale - China produces products in the millions, therefore the cost per item drops significantly.
- Skilled and Cheap labour - China has labour that is super cheap and also skilled. Thatâs why smartphones from China are super cheap as their labour has the skills to make smartphones at a low cost.
- Cheap and Fast Shipping - China is one of the few countries that has figured out cheap and quick shipping. Shipping is one of the most expensive aspects of import and with China, itâs just a fraction of the cost.
- Flexibility - Chinese manufacturers are able to create customizations like no other country on the planet.
Thereâs a lot more. Letâs get to the most profitable products to import from China.
Hot Products to Import from China
#1 -- Electronics import from China
This one is fairly obvious. Electronics is ridiculously cheap in China. From power banks to smartphones to coffee makers to laptops to chargers and cables.
Nowhere in the world can you buy a 10,000 mah power bank for about $5. But importing electronics from China may seem lucrative.
Itâs also super competitive. Unless you build a brand.
Electronics exporters in China let you imprint your own brand name in your products, which makes you stand out from the crowd.
The best part? They charge you only a one time fee for creating your brand name. After that the costs remain the same.
| Category | Cost per item (Purchase cost +Shipping Cost ) | Potential Selling Price | Profit per piece |
| Power banks |
$5 |
$18 |
$13 |
| Charging Cables |
$0.30 |
$5 |
$4.5 |
| Phone Cases |
$0.50 |
$8 |
$7.5 |
| Earbuds |
$20 |
$50 |
$30 |
| Electronic Accessories (USB Hubs, ) |
$10 |
$40 |
$30 |
| Smartwatches |
$30 |
$70 |
$40 |
#2 -- Clothing & Apparel import from China
China is one of the largest apparel exporters in the world. Why? They set the design and trend standard across the world.
Go to your nearby fashion store and check out the designs and see the ones on Aliexpress or Alibaba. Theyâll be very similar.
There are so many opportunities in Clothing space because there are many types of apparel. Itâs a crowded market, but if you are able to create your own unique niche like focusing on tops or shirts or certain designs, youâll be able to carve a niche for yourself.
Another important and under tested market is apparel for kids.
I would try to stay away from everyday wear, as these can be bought for cheap. So instead of shoes, you can aim for boots and there your competition is lower and margin is in tact.
| Category | Cost per item (Purchase cost +Shipping Cost ) | Potential Selling Price | Profit per piece |
| Dresses | $20 |
$50 |
$20 |
| Unique Shoes | $15 |
$40 |
$25 |
| Unique Clothing |
$30 |
$70 |
$40 |
#3 -- Fashion Accessories import from China
Fashion accessories in China are super duper cheap. Check these Aliexpress jewelry for example. Some of these designs are absolutely brilliant and you get them for a few cents. Even if you charge a few dollars more, your margin is going to be pretty high.
There are pendants, ear rings, rings and many more categories in the Fashion accessories space. Thereâs more fashion accessories such as nail art products to name one.
| Category | Cost per item (Purchase cost +Shipping Cost ) | Potential Selling Price | Profit per piece |
| Pendants, Necklaces | $.40 |
$5 |
$3.5 |
| Earrings |
$0.10 |
$2 |
$1.9 |
| Rings | $0.70 |
$4 |
$3.3 |
| Customized Jewelry | $1 |
$10 |
$9 |
#4 -- Makeup import from China
The Makeup space is generally very profitable. Small 100ml lotions are sold for $10 working up to $1 for every 10 ml. People are looking for cheaper Makeup options because itâs an everyday use product. There are many Chinese brands that are making a name for themselves.
| Category | Cost per item (Purchase cost +Shipping Cost ) | Potential Selling Price | Profit per piece |
| Eyeliner | $1 |
$9 |
$8 |
| Lipstick |
$2 |
$9 |
$7 |
| Mascara | $1.7 |
$7 |
$5.3 |
| Foundation | $3 |
$15 |
$12 |
#5 -- Home products import from China
The home market is a massive space. From chairs to cutlery to bed sheets. Finding certain unique products is where youâll win because people love to buy products for their home. Anything to make home life comfortable will sell. Businesses like IKEA have built a billion dollar empire with cheap home products.
I've personally purchased so many products from China like cushions, rugs, mats and pillows. I've also purchased some home decor items. The truth is, China is also the design trend capital of the world. Whatever you see in the likes of the biggest brands in terms of home decor trends is pushed by China. So whatever you get is the highest quality.
#6 -- Pet Supplies from China
Pet supplies is another big niche that has so much potential to be profitable for its user. The pet niche is gaining in popularity and is becoming quite big in terms of market size. People are also willing to pay top dollar for high-end pet toys and products. Importing pet products from China could be the next big leap for the next decade.
The Pet care business is a multi-billion dollar business with more people choosing pets over babies and are pampering their pets. Pets aren't restricted to dogs & cats. And there are multiple products in categories such as pet Safety, et clothes, pet food, pet entertainment and so on. Again, this is a high margin niche.
#7 -- Outdoor & Travel Products from China
After the start of Instagram, the world population that travelled doubled. People got more outdoors and went to different parts of the world. This is bound to increase after 2020 with many people looking to travel non-stop for at least a few years. This is another niche, people don't mind paying top dollar for, to get high quality products.
The most popular Outdoor & Travel products to import are camping gear and camping equipment like solar powered batteries, large flashlights, camping tents, tactical bags, tactical knives, cooking gear and more. These sort of products are always in demand and are much cheaper from China with a high margin.
Take an example of the camping tent below. You can purchase this bulk for a much cheaper price than $108. You will get a good margin by selling it for around $170.
#8 -- Kitchen Supplies from China
If you go through Aliexpress listings for kitchen gadgets, you'll see how popular Kitchen items are from China. What people love is the unique products. When I say kitchen supplies, I'm not talking about the generic products like spoons. The ones that sell really well are Kitchen accessories like cutters, burn protectors and more. Check out the image below and see how popular Kitchen supplies are.
It's quite profitable to import and sell because of their super cheap price. You can sell it at a decent margin and still sell at a high volume.
#9 -- Lights & Lighting Accessories from China
This is honestly quite an underrated option. If you walk in to any light or lighting store in any part of the world and try to enquire about the rates, your jaw will be on the floor. It's grossly expensive. The best part? You can beat all the retailers by selling lights and lighting products from your online or Instagram or Shopify store, but at a much cheaper price and a higher margin.
Lighting equipment like chandeliers and smart lighting have been in huge demand and it's a great way to sell lights & accessories. It's quite profitable as well.
#10 - Bags and Backpacks from China
One of the most underrated products that you can actually make a good profit off of is bags and backpacks that are made in China. Sellers on AliExpress deal with high-quality handbags and school backpacks that are inexpensive and if youâre buying in bulk, you not only get a discount, you can also make quite a decent profit in sales.
Try searching for Chinese suppliers that sell products in bulk, you will not only notice that there are premium products being sold for less, but you will find replicas and other branded merchandise for a fraction of the retail price. We found that you can buy a single bag for roughly $24.99 but if you reach out to the seller and request for a bulk shipment, chances are you can get each bag for under $10.
Importing from China - FAQâs
How to find Hot Products from China?
The most hot products in China are the ones that are displayed on the front page of Aliexpress, DHgate and Alibaba. So if you want to find the best items to import from China, check out the home page of these websites.
How to find the best selling products from China?
There are a few easy ways to find the best selling products from China. All you need to do is to have an Aliexpress or Alibaba account.
Using Aliexpress as a research tool makes sense as Aliexpress is a China to the world platform. Most of the orders on Aliexpress are from around the world and best selling products on Aliexpress is a good sign that it will do well in other countries.
Step 1 : Search for your product or category. For example âpower banksâ.
Step 2 : Click on âBest sellersâ
Step 3 : Go through the listings and see how many orders and how many reviews are there.
This number will give you an idea of the popularity of the products.
You can do this exercise across product categories, by just entering the keywords.
Is it profitable to import from China? Import Cost Breakdown
Itâs super profitable to import from China because they offer the cheapest products at a certain product quality. Also, shipping is one of the most expensive costs during imports and China has nailed free shipping or cheap shipping options, which increases your margins. Even with import duties, products from China are still cheaper compared to any other country.
Here is a how you calculate whether your product that you import can be profitable or not
| Cost of Import from China | Details |
| Pure Product cost | This is the cost of only the product |
| Packaging Cost | A lot of importers require some sort of packaging to avoid packing it themselves on receipt of the goods |
| Customisation Cost | If you need logo/branding or product customizations, then there is a Minimum order quantity and the cost is more, |
| Landing Cost | Either through Air or Ship, the product needs to arrive to the customs of your country. If you go through Air (Fedex), it's a lot more expensive than Ship transport (Takes longer) |
| Import Duty | The cost of import duty can range from 15% to 30% and it depends on the country |
| Last Mile Cost | Sometime the cost of reaching your warehouse or office might increase the cost (Generally borne by the shipping company) |
| Marketing Cost | The cost of marketing your goods online or offline |
| Labour Costs & Taxes | The cost of your team, labour salary and tax on sale |
| Profit | The profit is the selling price minus all these costs |
Even after all these costs, it's hugely popular to sell products from China, provided you add value to the products with great customer service and branding.
Tips to find the most profitable products to import from China
You can make a profit off any product you buy from China, but there are a few tricks you should master first. These points are rules you should follow in order to get the best deals and make a profit at the same time.
- Conduct your research - The first thing you should do is carry out your own research into the topic and understand the Chinese market. If you donât know much about the way Chinese conduct business chances are you would get ripped off. Figure out what rights you have as an importer, ensure you know the best places to import from within China, keep a valid import license ready and build a relationship with the seller before venturing in blindly.
- Choose products that are high in demand - You will never make a profit if you purchase items that are not going to sell. Review your market first and figure out whether youâre getting something thatâll appeal to the masses or if youâre simply going to waste your time and money. The best bet you have would be the following categories as they have a large customer base and are bound to get sold. Items like clothing, electronics, any kind of accessory, kitchen appliances and articles made from plastic will sell easily.
- Choose your supplier - Picking your supplier is another daunting task and is something you need to do carefully. Make sure the seller is a factory supplier as you will get products straight from the factory itself with a slightly higher discount. Ensure the supplier is easy to talk to and since youâre going to be business partners in the long run, make sure the supplier helps make your life easier by either helping with shipping or with supplying samples of the products in advance.
- Decide your shipping method - When it comes to buying products in bulk, you might just end up paying a premium only on the shipping. Some products require a specific shipping method and some might require insurance which means the products could be delayed. Once you figure out which shipping method works best for you, discuss with the supplier and see whether you both can come to terms with the shipping carrier and then proceed.
- Follow your countries import regulations - The final and one of the most important things to take into consideration are your local shipping policies and import procedures. Ensure your package meets the basic requirements for import and since products imported to the States from China will incur import duties, you need to be prepared for that. You will be able to talk to the supplier and see what arrangement can be made from their end. Also, you will have to keep all your necessary certificates and documents ready when youâre importing anything from abroad.
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