7 eCommerce Side Hustle Ideas to Try in The UK 2024

Last updated: 03/03/2024 Written by: Ruby Layram

eCstmerce side hustles are amongst the highest-paying side jobs and the easiest to start. Therefore, many people are interested in starting an eCommerce side hustle of their own in 2024. Here, we will reveal 7 eCommerce side hustle ideas that are easy to start in the UK. Each side hustle has the potential to generate lucrative income that could support you and your family for years to come.

eCommerce side hustles offer much more than a good paycheck. Starting an eCommerce side hustle in 2024 could be your key to freedom and living a life that you genuinely love. We’re not trying to sell a jet-set lifestyle in Dubai (unless that’s what you really want) however, we do believe that with the right time, effort, and patience, starting an eCommerce side hustle could help you to live a better life. Whether it’s a holiday with your family or a deposit on a house, don’t wait to start! Here are 7 eCommerce side hustles that you could try in 2024.

A List of The Top eCommerce Side Hustle Ideas in The UK

1. Dropshipping - The most popular eCommerce side hustle to start in 2024 that has made many people millionaires.

2. Print on demand - The easiest eCommerce side hustle idea to start in the UK.

3. Ghost commerce - New eCommerce side hustle trend that offers completely passive income.

4. Amazon KDP - eBook eCommerce side hustle idea that is free to start in the UK.

5. Selling handmade products on Etsy - Best eCommerce side hustle idea for people who are creative.

6. Amazon FBA - eCommerce side hustle idea with huge potential in 2024.

7. Selling clothes on Depop - Simple eCommerce side hustle idea to make money quickly.

A Closer Look At The Top eCommerce Side Hustles to Start in 2024

The above list gives a good overview of the variety of eCommerce side hustles that are available to start in 2024. In this next section, we will take a closer look at each side hustle idea to establish how they work and who they might be best for.

1. Dropshipping - The most popular eCommerce side hustle to start in 2024

Dropshipping is a very popular side hustle that has made many people millionaires over the past few years. In fact, some of the biggest brands such as Oh Polly, started as simple dropshipping stores.

Dropshipping is a small business model that involves selling products directly from the manufacturer. The drop shipper acts as a bridge between consumer and manufacturer by taking care of the eCommerce store, marketing, and branding.

Dropshipping is popular because it allows people to build an entire brand without ever having to store or ship products. This means that you could sell clothing, TVs, or even Hot Tubs from the comfort of your own home without needing to buy any inventory.

There are 4 main steps to starting a drop shipping business in the UK:

1. Choose a niche, drop shipping products and brand name.

2. Create a branded online store and list the products.

3. Use social media to market products and build brand awareness.

4. Automate the fulfillment process so that orders are automatically sent from the manufacturer every time someone places an order.

You will not be successful with dropshipping unless you invest in marketing, create a clear brand and have patience. It could take several months to start making regular sales from your store. However, if you are able to follow the right process and wait for results, dropshipping can be a very profitable e-commerce side hustle to start.

2. Print on demand - The easiest eCommerce side hustle idea to start in the UK.

Print on demand is a brilliant eCommerce side hustle idea that involves uploading original designs onto clothing and accessories and then selling these products through an online store. Every time that someone purchases a product, the item is printed and shipped by the printing company, which means that you do not need to hold inventory or take care of fulfillment.

The main difference between print-on-demand and drop shipping is that print-on-demand involves selling your own, unique designs whereas dropshipping involves selling products that are designed entirely by someone else.

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of this eCommerce side hustle idea is that print-on-demand is free to start! You can use free tools such as Canva to create designs and advertise your products for free with Pinterest or TikTok. To sell your products, you could set up a free eCommerce store using Shopify, which can be easily integrated with a print-on-demand fulfillment service.

To start a print-on-demand side hustle:

1. Create some print on demand product designs using Canva. A good idea is to create designs that you would wear yourself.

2. Create an eCommerce store using Shopify.

3. Integrate your Shopify store with a print-on-demand fulfillment provider.

4. Upload your designs onto clothing and products that are offered by the provider.

5. List the items on your store.

3. Ghost commerce - New eCommerce side hustle trend that offers completely passive income.

Ghost commerce is a relatively new eCommerce business model that has gained popularity over the last year. This side hustle involves creating an entirely automated eCommerce store that provides passive income. The term ‘ghost’ refers to the lack of human interference. Instead, Ghost commerce businesses rely on automation and AI to handle fulfillment, customer service, marketing, and general store maintenance.

Ghost commerce allows business owners to earn money passively, which is ideal for anyone who wants to earn money around a full-time job, family life or traveling. However, the process of setting up a ghost commerce store can be complicated and requires a substantial upfront cost.

The best way to start a ghost commerce business in 2024 is to invest in a good online course that will walk you through every step of the process. For most people, AI and automation will be completely new so it is helpful to have a step-by-step guide that you can follow.

Of course, investing in an online course won’t guarantee success at this eCommerce side hustle. You will also have to dedicate time and effort to your ghost commerce business for it to become profitable. It could take weeks, or even months, to see any success. However, over time ghost commerce can become a very lucrative stream of passive income.

4. Amazon KDP - eBook eCommerce side hustle idea that is free to start in the UK.

Amazon KDP is a great eCommerce business idea that is easy to start and has the potential to make huge profits. Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is an eBook publishing service that makes it possible for anyone to publish books straight to the Kindle store. This means that new authors can reach an audience of millions and sell eBooks to people around the world.

Due to the ease of using the platform (we tried this one ourselves!), Amazon KDP is one of the best eCommerce side hustles for people that don’t want to go through the lengthy process of dropshipping or ghost commerce. In fact, we published a no-content book on KDP in 60 minutes.

You don’t have to be a talented author to be successful on Amazon KDP. It is possible to make money selling ebooks on Amazon without writing by hiring a ghostwriter or creating no-content books such as colouring books, journals, or planners.

The process of selling eBooks on KDP is simple:

1. Write/create your book. Use our eBook formatting guide to help you.

2. Design a book cover.

3. Upload the finished book to KDP.

4. List the book on your store with an optimized description.

5. Selling handmade products on Etsy - Best eCommerce side hustle idea for people who are creative.

Selling handmade products on Etsy is a great e-commerce side hustle idea for creative people who want a side job that is a bit more hands-on. Etsy is an online e-commerce platform through which sellers can create their own storefronts and sell products that are handmade or vintage. This can include both physical and digital products.

Selling on Etsy in 2024 is very easy. What’s more, the platform has a built-in customer base of millions that you could take advantage of and sell products to. In 2022, there were over 95 million active buyers on Etsy, and the platform sold $2.5 billion worth of products.

You can use the Etsy platform to create your own personal brand, build a following, and efficiently run a small business from your laptop. The platform also helps sellers to manage customer service, refunds and any other issues that they may come across along the way.

Here’s how to start selling products on Etsy:

1. Choose a product to sell. You can sell handmade products, digital products, vintage goods or printables.

2. Set up an Etsy shop.

3. List your products with optimized descriptions.

4. Interact with the Etsy community and use social media to market your Etsy business.

6. Amazon FBA - eCommerce side hustle idea with huge potential in 2024

Amazon FBA is an eCommerce business model that shares similarities with dropshipping. The main difference is that the entire process is handled by Amazon’s native fulfillment service ‘Fulfillment By Amazon’ (FBA). This eCommerce side hustle involves selling products on the Amazon platform to Amazon customers. Sellers source products from wholesalers and then use the FBA service to automate the fulfillment and inventory of orders when they are placed.

Amazon FBA is one of the highest-paying side hustle that can easily bring in a six-figure income. However, being successful with Amazon FBA requires large upfront costs and a lot of time and effort. Sellers must buy inventory from wholesalers and then ship this to the Amazon fulfillment center so that it can be handled by FBA.

If you have the budget to start an FBA business, it can be very rewarding. This is due to the fact that Amazon is the largest eCommerce platform in the world which means that sellers have access to billions of potential customers.

There are hundreds of FBA courses online that make promising claims. While these claims are not unachievable, it is important to understand that making money with Amazon FBA takes time. A good idea is to invest in a reputable course that will take you through every step of the process.

7. Selling clothes on Depop - Simple eCommerce side hustle idea to make money quickly

If you’re looking for an eCommerce side hustle idea that offers faster profits, selling clothes on Depop is a good option to consider. This simple side hustle involves selling clothes from your own wardrobe, or clothing that you have thrifted, to buyers on the Depop app. It is possible to earn money almost instantly if you sell popular items at an affordable price.

I personally use Depop whenever I need extra funds for a holiday or special occasion. It typically takes 24 hours to sell items that are in good condition which makes this one of the best eCommerce side hustles for people who are looking to make money fast.

Depop can be turned into a sustainable eCommerce business by selling clothes that are thrifted from vintage wholesalers. In fact, many of the app’s biggest sellers do Depop full-time and make a substantial income. The best way to start is to purchase second-hand items from eBay, vintage stores or even charity shops. Then, sell these on Depop for a higher price. When you start to make money, you could expand by buying in bulk from a wholesaler.

Depop is one of the best side hustles for students and teens because you can create an account from the age of 13 in the UK. The platform is also free to use and charges a very small 10% fee on all sales that are made.

To start selling on Depop:

1. Find items to sell and take good photos.

2. Create a Depop account.

3. Upload items to your store with keyword-optimized descriptions.

4. Connect with potential customers through the in-app messaging service to generate sales.

Is eCommerce a Good Side Hustle in the UK 2024

eCommerce is a good side hustle to consider in the UK because it can be done remotely and offers low startup costs. eCommerce also has high profit potential with the wider eCommerce market bringing in billions of dollars every single year. However, eCommerce isn’t for everyone and it is important to conduct research before investing any money into a new eCommerce side hustle.

To better understand whether eCommerce is a good side hustle in the UK, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of starting an eCommerce business.

Pros of starting an eCommerce side hustle

• eCommerce is very accessible. You do not need any specific qualifications or expertise to start your own eCommerce side hustle. This makes it an accessible option that is suitable for a wide range of people in the UK.

• Low start-up costs. Many eCommerce businesses, including print-on-demand, selling books on KDP and opening an Etsy store, have very low start-up costs. This reduces the risk of eCommerce as a side hustle.

• It is very easy to find reliable online courses. Due to the popularity of eCommerce in the UK 2024, it is very easy to find educational resources online that can be used by beginners to start a successful eCommerce business.

• There is evidence of success. You don’t have to look far to find someone who has made a comfortable living for themselves with eCommerce. Dropshipping and Amazon FBA in particular have helped many people quite their 9-5 and launch million-dollar businesses.

Conclusion

The best eCommerce side hustle ideas include dropshipping, print-on-demand, selling eBooks on Amazon, starting an Etsy shop, and selling with Amazon FBA. If you have enough time to spend on the initial set-up, eCommerce can be an excellent side hustle to consider in 2024. There is always room for new sellers to break onto the market with high-quality products that solve problems or provide value to consumers.

If you are ready to start your very own eCommerce side hustle, check out our guide on how to start a side hustle in the UK.

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