best-selling items

What Were the Best-Selling Items for the Holidays in 2018?

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What were the best-selling items in your online store this holiday season? Did you pick some winners? Did you have—ahem—a couple of losers as well?

While no one can predict the future, perhaps you can learn from the past to prepare for future holiday sales. So in that vein, let’s take a look at what sold well for the holidays in 2018. By reviewing this list, you might be able to make some better guesstimates about what products to offer in your online store for the 2019 holiday season.

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Books, Toys, and Games for Kids

L.O.L Surprise!

Popular with little girls in 2018 were L.O.L. Surprise! dolls. Targeted at children five and older—as well as their parents and grandparents, of course—many of these dolls come packaged in a ball roughly four inches in diameter. Inside, revealed within layers of packaging, the child finds not only one of a series of dolls to collect or trade with friends, but also a number of “surprises,” tiny accessories for the doll.

3D Printing Pen

A product popular with older kids and teens for the holidays in 2018 was a 3D printing pen. Even adults like this toy that uses colorful plastic filaments to doodle in three dimensions.

Solar Balloon

For a toy that teaches kids about science while it amazes and entertains them, how about a solar balloon? Fill this fifty-foot balloon with air on a coolish day, then set it in the sun to warm. As the sun’s rays warm the dark surface of the balloon, the air inside it warms as well. Since warm air is less dense than cool air, the balloon will begin to rise. Comes with plenty of string so you can retrieve your balloon and astonish your friends again and again.

The Wonky Donkey

One of the best-selling books for children in 2018 was The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith. Adults and children alike find this little book wildly hilarious.

Best-Selling Items for Adults

Echo Dot

When it comes to gifts for adults, Amazon reports that its Echo Dot was a best-seller in 2018. With it, you can ask Alexa to play music, dim the lights, or even answer questions. Smarter than ever in its third generation, the Dot’s Alexa can track your fitness and even play games with you.

DNA Testing

More people than ever wanted to know more about their family origins this year by way of DNA testing. Inexpensive to purchase and simple to use, DNA testing can offer clues about genetic mutations that can affect someone’s health in future years. Experts caution, however, that the results can be difficult to interpret for anyone who is not a doctor or a genetics expert.

Bombas Socks

Think socks are boring? Think again. Bombas socks, for both men and women, are one of the trendiest of the best-selling items for the holidays this year. Those who have worn Bombas socks swear they are the most comfortable socks they have ever owned and vow never to wear another brand of socks ever again. And the kicker? For each pair of socks purchased, the makers of Bombas donate a pair of their socks to a homeless shelter.

Plan Ahead Now for the Holidays in 2019

During the coming months, be on the lookout for trending products. Pay attention to social media. Keep an ear out for the ads that play while the kids are watching TV in the next room. And stay alert to what your competitors are selling. In these ways, you’ll be better equipped next fall to stock up on what may well be the best-selling items for the 2019 holiday season.

Then when the next holiday season rolls around, also plan also to offer your customers online coupon codes for the gifts their friends and family members most want. And when you do that, the holiday sales in your online store will be sure to surpass all of your targets.

About the Author

Carrol Strain is a Top Rated Premium Plus copywriter on Upwork, as well as an editor and on-call writer for the Business Opportunities blog.