Amazon is an excellent platform for selling sports products. It helps to handle the bulk of the setup and logistics, allowing you to focus on optimizing listings and marketing. All you need to do is be strategic as you start the business.
This article delves into sports and outdoor product niches that do well on Amazon and how to supply to these markets successfully in 2024.
Table of Contents
Market growth potential for sports products
Top 5 sports and outdoor product business ideas for Amazon Marketplace
How to start a sports and outdoor product business on Amazon
The bottom line
Market growth potential for sports products
The sporting products market will reach US$ 930.5 billion by 2031, growing at an annual rate of 8.3%. International events such as the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the Cricket World Cup are also improving growth. People participate in sporting activities more often because of the health benefits they provide, which drives equipment demand.
The Asia Pacific region is the quickest-growing market for you to leverage and increase your return on investment since its economy is stable and disposable income is on the rise.
Top 5 sports and outdoor product business ideas for Amazon Marketplace
Running an Amazon sporting goods store might be ideal if you’re passionate about sports and helping people find the perfect sporting gear. Their considerable traffic aside, Amazon offers beginner-friendly sales and marketing tools to manage your online shop.
To break into the sporting category on Amazon, here are product ideas to consider:
1. Sportswear
People often sweat, sometimes profusely, during exercise. However, wearing the right sportswear absorbs moisture, keeping them cool and dry.
When choosing sportswear for customers, look for breathable, stretchy, absorbent, and durable material. Avoid materials that are too heavy or may cause chafing.
Specific sporting wears are designed for particular activities. For instance, football/soccer and basketball players require breathable, loose-fitting shorts to move freely. The shorts should also be made of a material that wicks away sweat to keep the players cool and dry.
By contrast, ice hockey players need tight-fitting shorts to prevent them from getting cut in the stakes. The shorts should be made of a material that protects them from cold and wet ice.
Similarly, offering loose-fitted shorts to gym enthusiasts may allow them to move freely. Still, it’ll cause their thighs to rub and chaff during exercise, affecting momentum and overall performance.
Knowing your target audience and their challenges will help determine what type of sporting wear you should stock for this category. You will also better understand whether this niche is feasible for your business venture.
2. Water bottles
People are always looking for ways to stay hydrated, especially when active, and owning a water bottle makes it convenient.
Stainless steel and aluminum water bottles are two of the most popular types of water bottles among sports enthusiasts. Stainless steel water bottles are lightweight and typically a more expensive option. But they also retain liquid temperature, are durable, and don’t break easily.
Aluminum water bottles are a more affordable option. They’re also lightweight, durable, and environment-friendly.
Water bottles are also low-cost, meaning they’re easy to sell or cross-sell with other complementary products in the same category.
3. Knee braces
Knee braces are an essential item in every sporting kit.
They minimize the risk of knee injuries by supporting the knee while active and allowing it to heal. It also makes movement more manageable and helps reduce pain by shifting the weight away from the most damaged part of the knee.
Choosing the right knee braces for your customers depends on the level of support they need and what their doctors recommend. Knee sleeves help with mild knee pain and arthritis, while wrap-around braces provide more support than sleeves and work well for athletes suffering mild to moderate pain.
A knee strap is a great option for people suffering from runner’s knee, which is an aching pain behind or around the knee cap. It also helps with jumper’s knee, which weakens the knee tendons and could lead to tears if untreated.
With knowledge of the right knee braces and their differences, you can help customers find the ones they need, helping you achieve better sales.
4. Yoga equipment
Yoga equipment helps practitioners to practice yoga safely so their bodies can adjust to yoga postures over time. This way, they don’t overstrain their muscles prematurely.
It allows practitioners of all ages and experience levels to get the most out of asanas (yoga postures). It also helps students practice asanas more efficiently and with ease.
When choosing yoga props like mats, ensure they’re well-cushioned and have solid grips so customers can have struggle-free practice.
Yoga blocks help align and support the body properly in each pose. This way, people can maintain good form without using as much effort if they’re tired.
Newcomers often prefer the foam blocks because they’re light and easy to carry. But cork blocks provide more stability and durability. Yoga straps also help with stretching poses. They can help stretch the hamstrings and shoulders and support the body in some poses.
5. Home gym equipment
Following a strict exercise routine can be challenging. Customers may be willing, but the stress of preparing and going to the gym may discourage them. Having a gym at home can remove these obstacles so they can reach their fitness goals.
Pick a treadmill to help customers improve their cardiovascular health and lose weight. But dumbbells are appropriate for customers who want to build their muscles and strength.
While elliptical machines are for those who want to strengthen their heart, lungs, and muscles, they also provide upper-body and lower-body workouts simultaneously.
For customers who want to enjoy a full-body workout, a multi-station machine will do the job. Some come with weight stacks, while others have cables.
How to start a sports and outdoor product business on Amazon
Amazon is the ideal platform to launch your sports and outdoor gear business because it has earned consumers’ trust. Here’s how to get started:
1. Use sponsored ads
You can pay to have your products placed higher in the Amazon search results. This means when a customer searches for a product in the sports category, your ad will show above the usual search results, which gives you a competitive edge.
Sponsored ads also allow businesses to reach a larger audience. Since Amazon has millions of customers, it gets as many eyes as possible on your products.
You can also target customers based on their demographics and interests. This ensures the ads are relevant to your audience, which increases the chances they’ll purchase from you.
It also gives you control over your ad campaign and product keywords to target. You can also choose your budget for ad payments and bidding to ensure you don’t overspend on ad campaigns.
2. Leverage customer reviews and ratings
Customer reviews are a crucial factor in Amazon’s product ranking algorithm. The better your reviews, the higher your products appear in the search results. This means you must provide excellent services if you want your sports product business to thrive.
Start by responding quickly to inquiries and inform them you’re working tirelessly to solve their problems. After they’ve completed their transactions, send a “Thank You” email expressing gratitude for choosing your brand over others.
Ask customer-focused survey questions to improve your services, and thank them for the feedback.
You can also sign up for a fee for Amazon’s Early Reviewers Program. Amazon asks customers who just purchased to review your products in exchange for gift cards. This will help you get more reviews and increase your product ranking on Amazon search results.
3. Build customer relationships
Shoppers in this product category share an interest in self-improvement, competition, and recreation. They also want to get better at something or enjoy the work and its results.
You must encourage your audience to achieve their goals on social media platforms to build relationships with them. Ask about their sports and workout journey, share helpful tips, and repost their photos and videos to support them.
GymShark, an athletic clothing brand, did this on TikTok:
GymShark’s workout videos and inspiring stories have helped them build an impressive following, which could mean increased sales.
Offer products that will help your customers achieve their goals at a discount. This will help foster brand loyalty, which boosts patronage.
You can also set a workout challenge where participants document wearing your brand’s outdoor gear. Offer incentives to winners to encourage participation and generate brand awareness.
The bottom line
Starting an Amazon sports product store is an excellent way to combine your interests in sports and entrepreneurship. With hard work, you can build a successful business that allows you to make a profit while doing something you love.
To succeed, choose a supplier like Alibaba.com to meet your needs. Use the tips in this article to help you select the right products, set competitive prices, and market your store effectively.
