Earth Day is April 22 and is predicted to be the largest Earth Day celebration since it’s inception in 1962.
With thousands of Earth Day celebrations taking place across the globe, sales of organic and eco-friendly products will increase as the eco-friendly message gets more exposure among consumers.
There are many ways for online sellers to capitalize on Earth Day awareness and increase their sales with products related to creating a healthier environment.
And this niche is EVERGREEN. Meaning it won’t be here today and gone tomorrow.
I like this niche for physical product sellers, affiliate marketers and information marketers.
In fact, you could monetize this niche with a combination of the three!
A Top Product Trend for 2011
Eco-friendly products continue to be one of the top product trends in 2011. Almost every product category has an eco-friendly or “green” alternative. Selling green means big business, as new earth friendly products are introduced every year.
Bamboo kitchenware products are all the rage. But bamboo products aren’t just limited to the kitchen. From bicycles to bathmats, consumer purchases made from this renewable source continue to rise.
Products that conserve energy and make use of natural resources are driving consumer sales in every sector. If you sell products related to green living, the Earth Day celebrations are sure to drive more visibility to your business.
Look for ‘Earth Day’ Products in Your Inventory
To monetize this niche, pay special attention to any products that you sell that will appeal to Earth Day buyers. This takes viewing your product line with a “green eye”.
While you might not sell products made from organic materials, rethink the way you can position your existing products for appeal to Earth Day buyers.
- Bicycles (bike to work, don’t drive!)
- Solar powered watches, clocks, calculators, iPod chargers
- Pre-owned products (re-using instead of manufacturing)
- Plants
- Running/walking shoes (positioned for the person who wants to walk more and use less gas)
- Reusable grocery bags
- Reusable water bottles
- Recycling bins
… Just to name a few.
eBay is running an eco-friendly promotional contest. Take a look at this page and see what products are being promoted. 
Even the color of your product can help you position it for Earth Day this year. Featuring products in Earth Day colors is a great way to attract buyers and make the connection to Earth Day.
No matter what you sell, give some thought to whether or not it can be tied in a way to Earth Day – your sales will benefit as a result of all the Earth Day publicity. And you just might find the undiscovered treasure of being able to position your product in multiple ways!
Positioning Your Earth Day Products
If you do sell organic and natural products, this is your time to shine!
It’s time to send out an email newsletter to you customers reminding them that Earth Day happens this Friday. In that newsletter you should provide them with some helpful “greening” tips and offer specials and promotions on some of your top products. This is also a great time and to introduce new products!
If you sell on eBay, run auction format listings on some of your most popular products; and then include links in your listings to drive buyers to your eBay store and related earth day categories. This will allow you to capitalize on the additional buyer traffic.
Use eBay Stores Promotion boxes to feature your Earth Day products, so your buyers will see them immediately as they come to your store.
Pay close attention to your keywords. Use the Google Keyword Tool to determine what keywords buyers are searching for. Use Google Insights to see how eco-friendly products are trending.
Build an Eco-Friendly Store This Year
If you are not prepared this year to sell products that tie into Earth Day, but this niche is something you are interested in, why not start building an eco-friendly product line now! Or give your customers a green option to choose from in your regular product line.
Baby Hollow has built a great niche store around organic baby/child products.
3R Living features “future friendly products” for the home and everyone who lives in it! Including the cats and dogs!
There is tremendous opportunity in this niche!
This year more and more cities are hosting green shows for consumers. If one comes to a city near you, it is the place to go to find out more about what you can sell in this niche.
Selling green products is not only good for your business, it’s good for the planet as well!
I was all excited about selling T-shirts made from renewable bamboo UNTIL I found out that the energy costs and pollution to make the bamboo suitable for this use, way outweighed the benefits. Regular products were more ecologically friendly. This is something that we should all research before jumping on the bandwagon. If we don’t research it, who will?
Great post. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the newsletters!! I don’t always get to read all of them. but I try 🙂 My selling GREEN is used clothing and musical instruments (when I can find them). I have been selling on eBay for 6 years now. I love it, and I’m always looking for that next great item to sell. Research is the key!! I also sell a lot of Gently Used clothing, mostly denim in plus sizes when I can find them. It is my own niche. My daughter helps me list them and I love it when I can find special ones. Denim Bib Overalls and Bib Shorts are my forte. I sell them as fast as I can list them. I also, started crocheting tote bags that are made from recyling grocery bags. I can’t crochet fast enough. As soon as I get one done, it is sold or presold. I wish I had someone who liked to crochet that could crochet them for me 🙂 Also, I take the train from Springfield, IL to Flint, MI about every 6 weeks, and crocheting with plastic is always a conversation starter 🙂 Keep up the good work!
Kathe’
Hi Kathe’,
The crocheted tote bags sound awesome! That is a HOT niche and I highly encourage you to keep up the search for someone who can help you with production, so you can expand your product line to other items. You have a budding business/product line there! I want to take it one step further (if you haven’t already) and brand those bags under your own brand. You never know what this could lead to!
The trend that you have tapped into is called “Upcycling”. Take a look at this page full of awesome potential products for your new company 🙂 . I particularly like the laptop cases and jewelry – all from the same material you are working with now.
Set the intention in your mind that you will find the right people to help you create your new products – and they will appear somehow – maybe through connections or a simple conversation. I watch it happen time and time again both with my clients and in my own life.
Thanks for stopping by to say hi!
-Lisa
Thanks for this hot tip Lisa! As a mom blogger and work at home mom, I am always looking for new products to source – just like you talked about in your book! I actually took a notebook and went to a local mall to work on product sourcing. Now I can’t turn it off! lol.
I’ve been following you for a year. You are the reason I am on eBay. Thanks again and much prosperity to you in 2011.
Hi Erlinda! Nice to meet you! It’s always great to connect with a fellow work-at-home/blogging mom. It’s true – once you get into the Product Sourcing Mindset(tm) you can’t turn it off! And you don’t want to because it’s profitable. 🙂
You have a great blog! It looks like eBay has been great for you. Congratulations on being a mom blogger and work at home mom. I see that we’re neighbors (WA/Oregon). Thanks for stopping by to say hi!
-Lisa