27 Trending Wholesale Business Ideas for 2025 (+ Examples)

There are many advantages of getting into the distribution business and selling wholesale. You’ll be part of a growing industry that caters to high-income faithful B2B customers. 

But before you dive in headfirst, receive a bit of period to research profitable wholesale business ideas. After all, knowing which categories or niches are trending helps to lay the groundwork for a successful entrepreneurial enterprise in distribution.

In this post, you’ll discover a list of the 27 best wholesale business ideas in 2025. These ideas are supported by challenging facts and figures to assist navigator your selection.

Ready to commence your business? make your website today or discover more about Shopify’s tools for selling online and in person.

Why should you make a wholesale business?

Pros of a wholesale business

If you’re thinking about starting a wholesale business, you’re onto something. Selling to other businesses presents a range of benefits that other strategies don’t:

• Growing trade. Ecommerce is booming—and retailers require to source their inventory from somewhere. You can capitalize on this by acting as the middleman between manufacturers and resellers.
• Economies of scale. Wholesale customers buy products in bulk. You’ll require to discover fewer B2B customers who place higher-worth orders to make the same income as selling direct to buyer (DTC).
• Customer retention. Businesses tend to be more faithful than direct consumers. They desire a continuous supply of bestselling products, so you won’t require to spend as much period (or money) acquiring recent customers with a wholesale business.

Cons of a wholesale business

Wholesaling can be a profitable operating schedule—but there are a few downsides to consider before starting your own business as a reseller:

• Thin boost margins. Wholesalers tend to make between 15% and 30% boost on a wholesale worth. This doesn’t leave much room for discounting or competitive pricing. 
• High upfront costs. Wholesaling isn’t a business you can commence without money. You’ll require liquid assets upfront to place an order with a manufacturer, and many have high minimum order quantities.
• Inventory storage. Bulk inventory needs to sit somewhere. You’ll require to invest in a fulfillment center or storage facility to hold inventory before you resell it, and both arrive at an additional expense.

Best wholesale business ideas

1. Footwear
2. Accessories
3. Lingerie
4. Loungewear
5. Activewear
6. Jewelry
7. Skin worry
8. CBD
9. Spa and spiritual
10. Cosmetics
11. Interior design
12. Kitchenware
13. Garden and plants
14. Pet supplies
15. Candles
16. event accessories
17. Phone cases
18. Wines
19. Groceries
20. Specialty chocolate
21. Condiments and sauces
22. Educational materials
23. Kids’ toys
24. Maternity products
25. Office supplies
26. Medical equipment
27. Health and safety supplies

Wholesale business ideas in fashion

Fashion is one of the most popular industries many aspiring entrepreneurs consider when looking at profitable wholesale business ideas. 

Clothing and apparel claim a large portion of total retail ecommerce income—which is no shock, considering the US fashion industry is forecasted to reach $1.6 trillion by 2030.

Let’s have a look at the different niches this giant umbrella category covers and the wholesale corporation ideas within it:

1. Footwear

arrive rain or shine, footwear is one thing people don’t leave the house without—and that’s why it ranks among the top wholesale ideas.

If consumers living in sunny states like Texas, Arizona, or Florida are among your target markets, summer footwear such as sandals and sneakers are fantastic wholesale ideas. Up north, boots would probably be a safer bet.

Shoes aside, there are also other footwear-related products to sell wholesale. For instance, you can also get into shoe worry and sell polish, brushes, and wax.

2. Accessories

The global fashion accessories trade is projection to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3% from 2021 to 2026, which presents lots of growth opportunities.

Bags and hats, eyewear and beachwear accessories, and even keychains—there are plenty of wholesale business opportunities in the accessories niche.

That said, there are things to consider before starting a business in the wholesale accessories trade. Because of the sector’s highly competitive nature, constant recent concept and advancement are essential to stand out from the competition.

3. Lingerie

The global lingerie trade is expected to have a assessment of $78.66 billion by 2027. This spells large potential and is certainly a niche to consider when thinking about wholesale business opportunities.

Lingerie can be a competitive but lucrative industry. Selling lingerie wholesale can get competitive, which means knowing exactly what types of products are trending (and which trends will last) is key to ensuring your business takes off.

4. Loungewear

Though we’re no longer living in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, loungewear staked its claim in the trade and is here to remain in a post-pandemic globe. 

Lockdowns helped consumers rediscover the pleasures of staying indoors. Consumers spend $12.4 billion on products in this category every year. With that, the loungewear pattern has stuck around, which makes it a great wholesale business concept.

5. Activewear

More people are working out than ever before. Reports display that around 58% of Americans exercise at least once per week. As a outcome, the global activewear trade is projection to rise to more than $450 billion by 2028. 

One great way to tap into this pattern is by selling activewear wholesale. Since many people will be looking to work out in community, products that are as attractive as they’re comfortable will have the best chance of selling.

6. Jewelry

Jewelry is an excellent wholesale business concept, as it’s cheap to produce and ship. Wholesale products in this category are also rising in popularity. Retail sales in the jewelry industry are set to exceed $330 billion by 2026.

One of the biggest advantages of becoming a wholesale jewelry business is that both the raw materials and the finished products don’t receive up much space. This reduces the require for warehouses for inventory management.

Wholesale business ideas in wellness

Long gone are the days when “wellness” was thought of only in terms of what we eat and how much we exercise. These days, it’s a concept that encompasses physical beauty, mindfulness, and mental health.

According to recent research, the global wellness trade is currently worth $1.8 trillion, with buyer profit especially increasing in the history two to three years.

Here’s a look at some wholesale ideas in the health and wellness industry:

7. Skin worry

Skin worry products have always been a large hit among consumers, and this is expected to continue in the foreseeable years ahead.

What’s been driving the skin worry industry in recent years is the pivot toward “tidy” beauty products. More and more consumers are starting to purchase products that are free of chemicals and toxins like paraben, phthalates, and sulfates, and made only with organic and natural ingredients.

The excellent information is that where there’s growing demand, there’s supply. So if skin worry is an appealing niche for you, you’re in luck. There are plenty of skin worry suppliers at your disposal that you can seek for wholesale business options.

8. CBD

Up until the 2018 Farm invoice was passed, CBD products were considered illegal in the US. 

Despite it being a fairly recent trade, CBD products have skyrocketed in popularity since they were legalized. Sales of CBD products in the US are tipped to exceed $16 billion by 2026, with more than 40% of sales happening online. 

If you’re looking to commence selling CBD products wholesale, there are legal requirements to abide by—like making sure the potency of your products stays below sure thresholds. You may also require to acquire a special business license to sell CBD. 

If you’re a producer, make sure you’re up to date with federal and state laws. If you’re operating as an intermediary, source your products only from trusted wholesale suppliers. Visit the US Food and Drug Administration website for more information. 

9. Spa and spiritual

Spa and spiritual products also rank among the top wholesale businesses in 2025. The global spa trade will be worth an estimated $156 billion by 2027, with an average CAGR of 8.3%.

Whether it’s bath salts, incense, or crystals, these wellness products have triumphed recently, as consumers receive to alternative healing. All this potential translates into great distribution business opportunities for anyone looking for wholesale ideas.

10. Cosmetics

Cosmetics propose a viable wholesale distribution business concept. The industry is thriving, with the huge trade set to be worth $129 billion by 2028. The products tend to be tiny and lightweight, making it straightforward to store and ship them.

Plus, cosmetics trends transformation so quickly that there’s likely to always be something recent to develop or sell. This also feeds continuous demand as consumers look to replace outdated cosmetics products with recent trendy ones.

Wholesale business ideas in home and living

Like fashion, home and living is a huge overarching category that envelopes many different niches, each distinctive in its own way.

Here’s a breakdown of the top wholesale business ideas in this space:

11. Interior design

Interior design, home goods, and tiny advancement projects are great product offerings to have as a wholesaler. The global home décor trade, for example, is currently worth $35.44 billion, with a CAGR of 4.9% expected by 2029.

Plus, the opportunities in this niche are endless. There are always recent interior design trends, which means constant opportunities to develop recent products and iterations of existing products. Selling wholesale home goods products like cushy throws, top-standard bed sheets, and sleep masks could be a profitable enterprise.

12. Kitchenware

The kitchenware segment is expected to reach $17.19 billion worldwide this year. Whether it’s décor or cookware, there are plenty of opportunities as a kitchen wholesale distributor. trade trends also open the doors for matching wholesale items to sell.

The kitchen accessories possibilities are endless. Below are some kitchen products to get your wholesaling business off the ground:

• Appliances
• Bowls and plates
• Cabinets or shelving
• Glassware
• Knives
• Platters
• Pots and pans
• Storage and organization systems
• Table linens
• Utensils

13. Garden and plants

The lawn and garden trade will be worth about $150 billion with an estimated CAGR of 2.53% through 2029. And most of these sales happen in the US.

Products like planters, hangers, and even plant accessories are all products to sell online in this category. 

commence-up founder Sonja Detrinidad, for example, started Partly Sunny Projects after she began getting requests from customers who wanted a personal plant shopper. She scoured local buy-and-sell sites for secondhand plants and resold them at a boost. 

14. Pet supplies

About two-thirds of American households have a pet. These homes spend an average of $1,533 on a dog and $653 on a cat annually. 

There’s no denying that getting into the pet supplies wholesale business can be profitable. Here are some wholesale pet items to sell:

• Beds and bedding
• Bowls and other feeders
• Cleaning supplies
• Clothing and accessories
• Crates, cages, and aquariums
• Food
• Grooming supplies
• Health worry and supplements
• Leashes, collars, and harnesses
• Toys
• Treats

Wholesale ideas in arts and crafts

People spend $1.2 billion on arts and crafts every year in the US alone. Yet you don’t require to make and sell your own products to capitalize on this business concept. Many wholesalers will make distinctive handicrafts for you to sell online. 

Here are some wholesale business ideas to experiment with in the arts and crafts niche:

15. Candles

One of the hottest wholesale ideas that has completely overtaken the home décor trade in recent years is candles. And why shouldn’t they? Their benefits include helping to reduce stress, enhance focus, and add a cozy touch to any room.

If you’re solemn about starting a candle wholesale business, commence doing adequate trade research into wholesale candle suppliers. Then pay special attention to the rise of sustainable candles. More consumers are starting to lean toward eco-amiable and non-toxic candles, which are typically plant-based and chemical-free.

16. event accessories

Wholesaling event supplies not only gives you a variety of products to sell, it also gives you volume, since they’re largely disposable products that people buy regularly. Plus, the trade doesn’t seem to be going anywhere—there’s always something to celebrate.

Here are some products to consider in this category:

• Backdrops
• Balloons
• Banquet equipment
• Centerpieces
• Décor
• Disposable tableware
• Flowers
• event favors

17. Phone cases

Phone cases are a great wholesale product to sell for a number of reasons. To commence, 98% of Americans own a cellphone of some benevolent, and the pattern is similar globally.

Phone cases are a versatile wholesale business concept. Logistically speaking, phone cases are tiny, lightweight, and straightforward to ship. 

Plus, it’s straightforward to arrive out with recent phone case designs on the fly. And as recent devices are released, you’ll also have a chance to develop recent cases. It’s a constant stream of demand!

Wholesale ideas in food and drink

People require to eat and drink, hence why the global food and beverage industry is estimated to be valued at $4.32 billion by 2029. 

Here are some wholesale business ideas if you desire to open an online store in this niche:

18. Wines

Expiration dates are the biggest hurdle when selling food and drinks online. You have a limited window to receive inventory from your supplier and sell it to customers. 

What’s great about bottled wine is that it doesn’t have an expiration date. In many cases, the older the wine, the better it tastes—and the more expensive it is to buy. This makes it a great wholesale chance if you desire to shatter into the alcohol trade. 

19. Groceries

If you’re looking for something a little more traditional, grocery stores are a great place to commence. For starters, the likelihood of getting profitability customers is high—people will require to restock their pantries and fridges pretty often.

And even though most people do their grocery shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, more and more consumers are starting to purchase their groceries online. 

Plus, it’s straightforward to add items like grocery list notepads and grocery tote bags to your product holdings. These complementary items can boost average order values. People wearing your branded totes also act as walking billboards for your store.

20. Specialty chocolate

People spend millions of dollars on cocoa-related products every year. Many wholesalers capitalize on this pattern by selling chocolate in bulk at discounted prices.

The food industry has some major players who’ve been manufacturing chocolate for years. This has paved the way for specialty chocolate suppliers, like those who make chocolate bars with higher-standard ingredients or distinctive flavors.

This wholesale business concept can assist you claim your distribute of the extra charge chocolate trade, which is currently valued at $31.87 billion, and is expected to develop at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2025 to 2030.

21. Condiments and sauces 

It’s not unusual to discover a sauce brand with a cult following. 

The most impressive case study of recent years is warm Ones. Creators of the YouTube series, which interviews celebrities as they eat warm-sauce-soaked wings, released a collaborative line of warm sauces with Heatonist as an alternative to traditional merch.

But you don’t have to launch a YouTube channel to sell sauces. You could work with manufacturers to sell sauces such as:

• Condiments (ketchup, mayo, barbecue sauce)
• Dessert sauces (custard, caramel, chocolate sauce)
• Cooking sauces (pesto, alfredo, salsa)

Wholesale ideas in baby and children

If there’s one thing that parents aren’t afraid to splash the liquid assets on, it’s products for their children. Here are the best wholesale business ideas in this niche:

22. Educational materials

There’s a large annual trade for education supplies. In the US alone, there were more than 50 million K–12 students enrolled and more than 3.8 million teachers employed in community schools alone.

Below are some education products to consider wholesaling:

• Arts and crafts supplies
• Backpacks
• Calculators
• Computers
• Educational software
• Lunchboxes
• Notebooks/folders/binders
• Textbooks
• Toys/games/puzzles
• Writing utensils

23. Kids’ toys

From life’s greatest milestones like birthdays and graduations to special events like the holidays, there are plenty of occasions all year round for kids to receive toys. 

This spells great information for merchants as wholesale business opportunities in this sector abound. According to recent data, the global toys trade is set to develop from $129.5 billion in 2024 at a CAGR of 2.45% by 2029. 

Although this may be a product category that’s traditionally sold in brick-and-mortar stores, thanks to the rise of ecommerce, the tide is definitely changing. Statistics display that income from online children’s toy sales in the US is set to reach $9.3 billion by 2027—an boost of almost 47% from this year.

From dolls and crayons to teethers for the smaller ones, you’re bound to discover a toy wholesaler that sells something for every age throng.

24. Maternity products

There’s a lot that recent parents require to buy when they’re expecting a baby: 

• Maternity clothes
• Birthing balls 
• Breastfeeding equipment
• Pregnancy journals 
• Baby carriers 
• Pregnancy pillows

Interestingly, you don’t require to depend on manufacturers to buy maternity products brand recent. The maternity resale trade is set to exceed $240.8 million by 2025 because items in this wholesale niche tend to have a short shelf life. A birthing ball is no longer required after someone gives birth, for example. 

You can pick up these unwanted maternity products at thrift stores, garage sales, or on peer marketplaces like Craigslist for a fraction of the worth they’d expense to buy recent.

Wholesale ideas in business to business

You don’t have to buy wholesale products and sell them to retailers. You can commence a business being the middleman between manufacturers and other B2B businesses. Here are some ideas:

25. Office supplies

Businesses spend large bucks on office supplies. Statista estimates that in 2025, the global office supplies industry will exceed $272.2 billion, growing at a CAGR of 2.6% since 2019.

Chinese wholesale suppliers are dominating this trade, exporting $18.1 billion worth of office supplies every year. Marketplaces like Alibaba and AliExpress connect you with these manufacturers who sell wholesale products like:

• Pens
• document
• Notebooks
• Folders
• Printing equipment
• Mailing supplies

26. Medical equipment

Businesses are expected to sell $313.9 billion worth of medical devices and products this year. Whether it’s something as straightforward as medicine cups or you become an official reseller of a licensed medical device, there’s money to be made in this industry.

Filtrous is a great example of this wholesale business concept. Founder David Yadzi started selling laboratory syringe filters to other businesses. In the 10 years since then, Filtrous has grown into a multimillion-dollar wholesaler of laboratory supplies—even counting institutions like UCLA as a customer.

27. Health and safety products 

Businesses spend billions on health and safety each year. While that might sound expensive, it’s much cheaper to prevent health and safety concerns than to rectify an accident. 

You can act as a supplier that sells the following products in this wholesale niche:

• Alarm systems
• CCTV cameras
• First aid supplies
• Fire safety equipment
• Safety signage 
• Ergonomic office equipment
• Cleaning supplies
• Personal protective equipment (like gloves, ear muffs, and protective clothing)

Examples of successful wholesale businesses

Use these real-globe examples as encouragement for your own wholesale business concept:

Laird Superfood

Surfing aficionado Laird Hamilton didn’t commence a wholesale business intentionally. Back in 2015, he co-founded Laird Superfood alongside his volleyball pro wife, Gabrielle Reece, which started as a direct-to-buyer business selling plant-based creamers.

Laird Superfood started its wholesale arm by only accepting B2B orders by phone or email. “It was a really labor-intensive and period-consuming procedure,” says Paul Hodge, founding business associate and CEO. “We needed to switch. We needed a robust platform that offers an automated wholesale portal customers can access anytime they like.”

What Laird Superfood really needed was a B2B commerce platform that was generated for mobile without any additional costs. It turned to Shopify to construct a password-protected wholesale storefront, complete with negotiated custom worth lists and back for bulk orders.

Now, wholesale accounts for 75% of the brand’s income—and sales are growing by 15% month over month. 

Dermalogica

Dermalogica is a behemoth in the skin worry industry. Founded in 1986, Dermalogica has sold wholesale for many years. These B2B orders took place on a custom-built platform that allowed wholesalers to place orders … but not much else. 

The Canadian chain of the brand wanted to enhance the buying encounter for B2B customers. So, Dermalogica Canada turned to Shopify, which let the skin worry retailer add a password-protected wholesale storefront on the side of its DTC website. 

The recent site was incredibly straightforward for wholesale customers to use. Dermalogica’s throng says this alone increased the frequency of repeat B2B customers by three times. Three-quarters of those buyers rate the shopping encounter as a 4 out of 5 or higher.

“Customers used to be so frustrated by our platform that they’d rather call us on the phone to place orders,” said Nicholas Lachhman, associate ecommerce manager. “Now we’re seeing customers be so comfortable with the encounter that they’re placing orders for thousands of dollars worth of product from their mobile phones.”

Kulani Kinis

Australian swimwear brand Kulani Kinis started with a mission: to propose affordable swimwear without compromising on style or standard. 

It always had a wholesale component that ran parallel to its DTC business. But in an attempt to develop this sales channel beyond a handful of retailers, Kulani Kinis enlisted the assist of Shopify to run a B2B storefront on the same platform that powered its DTC online store.

“Thanks to features such as Shopify Plus’s native B2B companies profiles, we can set up a recent retailer in the wholesale website to make the user encounter highly personalized to that customer,” says Alex Babich, managing director and co-founder. “We’ve been able to make a user-amiable space for smaller retailers around the globe to select and buy our products to sell.”

Kulani Kinis has seen three times growth in B2B customers since scaling its business on Shopify. Wholesale income increased by 60% year on year.

construct on these successful wholesale business ideas 

Getting into wholesale is a great way to commence a business. It requires more products but fewer customers and fewer person sales. One of these wholesale business ideas could be the concept that sparks your entrepreneurial spirit.

Once you’re ready to launch your wholesale business, get started with an ecommerce platform like Shopify. Whether you’re selling direct-to-buyer or B2B, Shopify has all the tools you require to launch your online business today and develop it for years to arrive.