Things to Make and Sell Online in 2026: 40 Ideas, Costs and Where to Sell
The best things to make and sell online in 2026 are products with low material costs, a clear buyer, and something that sets yours apart: candles, jewellery, prints, stickers, pet accessories, knitted and crocheted goods, and digital products such as printables and templates. This guide lists 40 ideas grouped by type, explains the main cost factors to consider, shows how to price handmade work so it actually pays, covers the Canadian rules that apply to common products, and compares where to sell.
Quick picks: the best ideas by situation
| Your situation | Ideas to start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Very small budget | Printables, templates, digital art | No physical inventory, sell the same file many times |
| Good with your hands | Jewellery, crochet, woodwork, pottery | Higher prices for visible craftsmanship |
| Want repeat buyers | Candles, soap, bath products, pet treats | Consumable products get reordered |
| Strong design skills, no workshop | Print on demand apparel, mugs, posters | A supplier prints and ships each order |
| Teaching or expert knowledge | Courses, guides, planners, patterns | Knowledge sells as a digital product |
We plan, build and optimize e-commerce stores on WooCommerce and Shopify for Canadian sellers.
Handmade product ideas to make and sell online
- Candles: soy or coconut wax in jars or tins. Scent, vessel and label design are what set them apart.
- Jewellery: beaded, wire, polymer clay or metal stamped pieces. Light to ship and easy to photograph.
- Crochet and knitted goods: hats, scarves, bags, plush toys and baby blankets.
- Handmade soap: cold process or melt and pour bars with natural colours.
- Bath products: bath bombs, salts and scrubs, often sold in gift sets.
- Pottery and ceramics: mugs, planters, ring dishes and vases. Higher startup cost if you need a kiln.
- Woodwork: cutting boards, signs, shelves, coasters and toys.
- Resin art: trays, coasters, bookmarks and keychains.
- Macramé and fibre art: wall hangings, plant hangers and keychains.
- Embroidery: hoop art, patches and custom pet or house portraits.
- Leather goods: wallets, card holders, key fobs and journal covers.
- Sewn accessories: scrunchies, tote bags, pouches and reusable bags.
- Pet accessories: collars, bandanas, beds and toys.
- Personalized gifts: name signs, engraved items and custom family prints.
- Greeting cards and stationery: illustrated cards, notebooks and stickers.
- Home decor: wreaths, cushions, dried flower arrangements and wall art.
- Baked goods and treats: cookies, dog treats and preserves, subject to local food rules covered below.
- Plants and propagations: succulents, cuttings and terrariums, usually sold locally.
Art and design products
- Art prints: giclée or high quality prints of your illustrations and paintings.
- Stickers: vinyl and holographic stickers, cheap to make and ship in an envelope.
- Enamel pins: made by a manufacturer from your design, sold in small runs.
- Custom portraits: pets, couples and homes, painted or drawn digitally.
- Photography prints: landscapes, local cityscapes and wildlife.
- Calendars and planners: printed or digital, sold seasonally.
Print on demand products
With print on demand, you upload a design and a supplier prints and ships each item only when it sells. You do not need to buy finished stock in advance, but compare supplier charges, delivery, returns, marketing and your time before judging margin.
- T-shirts and hoodies
- Mugs and tumblers
- Posters and canvas prints
- Phone cases
- Tote bags
- Hats and embroidered apparel
Digital products to make and sell
Digital products are made once and sold again and again with no shipping. Our guide to the best platforms to sell digital products compares where to host and deliver them.
- Printables: planners, checklists, wall art and colouring pages.
- Templates: social media templates, resumes, invoices and presentation decks.
- Spreadsheets: budget trackers, business dashboards and meal planners.
- Photo presets and LUTs: editing presets for photographers and video creators.
- Fonts and graphics: fonts, icon sets, clip art and illustrations.
- Sewing, knitting and crochet patterns: sell your designs to other makers.
- Ebooks and guides: how-to guides, recipes and niche expertise.
- Online courses and workshops: video lessons on a skill you know well.
- Music and sound effects: beats, loops and royalty-free tracks.
- Stock photos and video: licensed for others to use in their content.
How to choose what to make
A good product to sell online passes four tests:
- Demand: people already search for it and buy it. Check marketplace search suggestions and best-seller lists.
- Difference: you can make a version that stands out in style, quality, personalization or niche.
- Margin: the price buyers accept covers materials, your time, fees and shipping with profit left over.
- Shipping: it is light, small and hard to break. Heavy or fragile items work better sold locally.
Start with one product line and a few variations rather than 30 different items. A focused shop is easier to photograph, describe and promote.
How to price handmade products
Underpricing can leave a busy craft business without enough margin. A starting formula to test against your market:
- Materials: the cost of everything that goes into one item, including packaging.
- Labour: your hours per item multiplied by an hourly rate you would accept.
- Overhead: a share of tools, equipment, software and studio costs.
- Base cost: materials plus labour plus overhead.
- Wholesale price: roughly base cost multiplied by 2, so you can sell to shops later.
- Retail price: roughly wholesale multiplied by 2.
Then check that marketplace fees, payment processing and shipping still leave a profit at that retail price. If the number looks too high for the market, reduce your time per item or change the product, rather than working for less than minimum wage.
Canadian rules for common handmade products
Selling from Canada brings a few rules that new makers often miss:
- Cosmetics, soap and bath products: products sold as cosmetics must meet Health Canada’s Cosmetic Regulations, including ingredient labelling, and you must notify Health Canada through a Cosmetic Notification Form within 10 days of first selling a product.
- Textiles and clothing: the Textile Labelling Act generally requires fibre content and dealer identity labels on consumer textile items.
- Children’s products and toys: items for children must meet safety rules under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, including limits on small parts and certain chemicals.
- Food: selling homemade food usually needs approval from your local public health unit, and rules differ by province and municipality.
- Sales tax: for most businesses, the small-supplier test counts worldwide taxable supplies, including zero-rated supplies and those of associates. Exceeding $30,000 in one calendar quarter requires registration and GST/HST on the sale that crosses the threshold. If you exceed it over four or fewer consecutive quarters, but not one quarter, small-supplier status ends at the end of the month following the quarter in which you cross the threshold; registration takes effect no later than your first taxable supply after that. Check the CRA’s registration timing rules.
Check the current rules for your specific product with the relevant agency before you launch.
Where to sell what you make
| Channel | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy | Handmade, vintage and digital products with built-in buyers | Listing, transaction and advertising fees; many competitors on each search |
| Your own online store | Brand building, repeat customers and full control | You have to bring your own traffic |
| Amazon Handmade | Makers with steady production capacity | Application required; compare all selling and fulfilment fees |
| Social media shops | Visual products and creators with an audience | Reach depends on the platform’s algorithm |
| Local markets and shops | Heavy, fragile or food products; testing new ideas | Limited to your area and time at events |
Many makers start on a marketplace to find their first buyers, then add their own store as repeat customers grow. Our comparison of Etsy alternatives covers the other marketplaces in detail.
Launch checklist
- Pick one product line and make five to ten finished samples.
- Calculate your price with the formula above.
- Take clear photos on a plain background, plus at least one lifestyle photo.
- Write titles that describe what the buyer searches for, not just a product name.
- Set shipping rates and test-pack one order to check weight and size.
- Write your shipping, returns and custom order policies.
- Check the Canadian rules for your product type.
- Open your shop and tell your existing network.
- Invite customers to opt in to marketing emails, keeping consent records and an easy unsubscribe.
Common mistakes
- Too many products at once: a scattered shop confuses buyers and splits your effort.
- Leaving out your time: pricing only for materials makes the business unsustainable.
- Weak photos: online buyers judge quality from images alone.
- Ignoring shipping costs: heavy items can wipe out the margin.
- Relying on one marketplace: a policy or fee change can cut sales overnight, so build an email list and your own store over time.
Bottom line
The things that sell best online in 2026 combine low costs, a clear buyer and a personal difference: candles, jewellery, prints, stickers, pet products and digital downloads lead the list. Price for your time, check the rules for your product, start on a marketplace and grow into your own store. When you are ready for a store of your own, our e-commerce website team builds online shops for makers and small brands across Canada.
Frequently asked questions
What are some easy things to make and sell online from home in Canada?
On a very small budget, printables, templates and digital art are the simplest start because there is no physical stock and one file can sell many times. Stickers are cheap to make and ship in an envelope. If you are good with your hands, jewellery is light to post and easy to photograph. Consumables such as candles and soap bring repeat orders.
How can I tell whether a handmade item is in demand before I make a batch?
Check that people already search for it and buy it, using marketplace search suggestions and best-seller lists. Then ask whether your version stands out in style, quality, personalization or niche. The price buyers accept must cover materials, time, fees and shipping with profit left over. Light, small and sturdy items are the easiest to sell by post.
Why are digital products often the easiest thing to sell online?
A digital product is made once and sold again and again with no shipping or inventory. Printables, templates, spreadsheets, patterns, presets and ebooks all work this way. The main job is preparing the right files and testing the download from the buyer's side. Knowledge you already have, such as a craft or a skill, can become a guide or a course.
Can I sell handmade things online without a business licence in Canada?
Licensing depends on your city and province, so ask your municipality what applies to a home business. Product rules apply wherever you live. Homemade food usually needs approval from the local public health unit, and soap or bath products sold as cosmetics must meet Health Canada's rules. Check the current requirements for your exact product before you launch.
When does a maker selling things online in Canada have to charge GST/HST?
Registration is required once you stop being a small supplier, and the test counts worldwide taxable supplies, including those of associates. Going over $30,000 in a single calendar quarter means registering and charging GST/HST on the sale that crosses the line. Crossing it over four or fewer consecutive quarters ends small-supplier status at the end of the following month. The CRA publishes the registration timing rules, so confirm them before you plan.
How should handmade products be priced so they make a profit?
Add the cost of materials and packaging, your hours multiplied by an hourly rate you would accept, and a share of tools and studio costs to get a base cost. A common starting formula doubles that for a wholesale price and doubles wholesale again for retail. Then confirm that marketplace fees, payment processing and shipping still leave a profit. If the result is too high for the market, cut the time per item or change the product rather than working for less than minimum wage.
Is Etsy or my own website the better place to sell things I make?
Etsy brings buyers who are already searching, at the cost of listing, transaction and advertising fees and plenty of competitors. Your own store gives you the brand, the repeat customers and full control, but you have to bring the traffic. Many makers start on a marketplace and add their own store as repeat buyers grow. Canada Create builds online stores for makers and small brands across Canada.
What Canadian rules apply to handmade soap, clothing and children's toys?
Soap and bath products sold as cosmetics must meet Health Canada's Cosmetic Regulations, including ingredient labelling and a Cosmetic Notification Form filed within 10 days of first sale. Consumer textiles generally need fibre content and dealer identity labels under the Textile Labelling Act. Items for children fall under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, with limits on small parts and certain chemicals. Ask the relevant agency what applies to your product today.
Is print on demand a sensible way to start selling designs online in Canada?
It can be, since you upload a design and a supplier prints and ships each item only after it sells. That removes the need to buy finished stock up front. Margin still depends on supplier charges, delivery, returns, marketing and your own time, so compare those before judging it. T-shirts, mugs, posters, phone cases and tote bags are common starting products.