Online sellers should look to four categories for growth in the New Year, according to Bigcommerce. The ecommerce platform analyzed nearly 50,000 of its clients’ stores over the past year and predicted that Auto, Jewelry, Toys & Games and Pet Care were categories poised for the fastest growth.
The data also showed that many independent operators are growing faster year-over-year than their big box or chain store counterparts. “Smaller stores win their spaces through smart marketing and strong demand for aftermarket parts and niche accessories,” according to the report.
In aggregate, those top four categories showed stronger growth for Bigcommerce clients compared to the revenue growth rates of companies in those industries listed in Internet Retailers Top 500 and Second 500 stores, especially for Automotive and Jewelry, and only slightly better in Toys/Hobbies and Pet Care.
Bigcommerce said small- and medium-sized businesses are “killing” giant competitors like AutoZone and O’Reilly; sporting goods stores are beating Cabela’s and REI; and Arts and crafts stores are surpassing Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby.
Bigcommerce published an infographic on its blog to highlight some of the data, writing that the trends it uncovered “prove nimble small- and medium-sized business have big opportunities to outperform their corporate counterparts.”
