Passive Income Ideas For E Commerce Specialists [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a e-commerce specialist in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a e-commerce specialist today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a e-commerce specialist.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)
Starting a dropshipping business could be a good fit for an e-commerce specialist looking to supplement their income and explore entrepreneurial opportunities. With your background, you already understand how online marketplaces work, which can give you an edge in setting up and optimizing your dropshipping store. Plus, you wouldn't need to worry about holding inventory or managing logistics, as the third-party supplier takes care of those aspects.
You could begin by choosing a niche you are familiar with and setting up an online store on platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Your expertise in e-commerce could help you in selecting reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress and effectively marketing your products to drive sales.
By keeping an eye on expenses and monitoring profit margins, you can ensure your dropshipping venture is profitable. This business model offers the flexibility to operate with minimal upfront investment, making it a practical side hustle to start earning passive income.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
2. Make passive income with an ecommerce reselling business ($83.3K/month)
Starting an e-commerce reselling business could be a natural fit for you as an e-commerce specialist. Leveraging your existing expertise, you could purchase services or goods for resale, allowing you to launch an online business without the worries of production costs. This approach could enable you to turn your knowledge into a steady stream of passive income.
You could begin this venture without the need for a website right away, focusing initially on selling through social media platforms. As your business grows, you could invest in building a website to expand your reach. With minimal upfront costs and the flexibility to scale, e-commerce reselling could be an ideal side hustle to supplement your income.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $150,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,999 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Empyre Off-Road, an e-commerce business founded by Greg Shuey which sells aftermarket parts for Toyota Tacomas, Tundras, and 4Runners, generated approximately $100,000 a month in revenue and was able to expand its product offering, focusing on content marketing, email marketing campaigns, and organic social media to attract and retain customers.
3. Make passive income with a subscription box business ($97.9K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, starting a subscription box business could be a great way to create a new revenue stream. You already have the skills to understand market trends, manage online sales platforms, and optimize customer experiences. By tapping into a niche market, you could offer exclusive and curated products that people look forward to receiving every month.
Focus on providing high-quality items and an attractive box design to make your subscription stand out. Your existing knowledge of fulfillment services and e-commerce marketing could also help you build strong relationships with suppliers and deliver an appealing service to your customers. Leveraging these skills means you could create a successful and potentially highly profitable subscription box business.
How much you can make: $400 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.
4. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, you could easily transition into affiliate marketing to start earning a passive income. With your expertise in online sales and product promotion, you already have a deep understanding of what makes a product appealing and how to drive conversions. This skill set gives you a natural advantage in selecting the right products and brands to partner with.
For instance, you could become an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store or partner with specific manufacturers to market their products. Each sale you facilitate through your unique affiliate link would earn you a commission, allowing you to make money even while you sleep. Overall, affiliate marketing could be a perfect side hustle, leveraging your existing skills to generate long-term, passive income.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
5. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
Starting a WordPress plugin business could be a natural fit for you as an e-commerce specialist. You likely have experience identifying pain points and optimizing online shopping experiences, which means you could develop plugins that solve specific issues for other e-commerce professionals. For instance, you might create plugins that improve cart functionality, enhance product display options, or offer better data analytics for sales trends.
By developing a plugin that addresses a common e-commerce problem, you could earn income through sales on platforms like CodeCanyon, your blog, or a dedicated website. The initial effort to create the plugin might be significant, but once it's up and running, it could provide a steady stream of passive income as people buy and download it over time. This allows you to leverage your skills and knowledge to build something that keeps working for you long after the initial development is complete.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
6. Make passive income with a SEO & lead generation service ($60K/month)
Starting an SEO & lead generation service as an e-commerce specialist could be a smart move for supplemental income. Using your understanding of online sales, you could help other businesses attract and convert potential customers by improving their search engine visibility and generating quality leads. This involves gathering information about potential customers and turning them into clients, something you are already familiar with in your e-commerce role.
You could use your digital marketing skills to learn the basics of lead generation and offer these services to businesses looking to grow their customer base. It’s a natural extension of what you already do, allowing you to capitalize on your existing knowledge and experience. By offering SEO and lead generation services, you could create new revenue streams while continuing to focus on your main job in e-commerce.
How much you can make: $8,000 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
A link building company co-founded by Justas Markus has grown to make an average of $35k per month in recurring revenue with a focus on delivering high-quality services through manual processes and focusing on fewer markets.
7. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, you could leverage your unique skills and knowledge to create an online course that helps others navigate the complexities of e-commerce. By sharing your expertise in areas such as setting up online stores, optimizing product listings, or mastering digital marketing strategies, you could attract a wide audience eager to learn from your real-world experience.
Creating and selling an online course could also become a steady stream of passive income. With the e-learning market projected to grow significantly in the coming years, your course could reach countless students via popular online learning platforms. This would allow you to supplement your income while continuing to work in your current role.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
8. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, you could leverage your skills by creating a niche website that focuses on a specific aspect of e-commerce, such as dropshipping, product sourcing, or e-commerce trends. By sharing industry insights, detailed tutorials, and expert advice, you could attract a dedicated audience who values your expertise. This venture allows you to combine your knowledge in e-commerce with your passion for a particular niche.
Monetization options for a niche website are plentiful. You could earn through affiliate marketing by recommending products that resonate with your audience or by placing ads on your site. Additionally, selling digital products like e-books or courses on e-commerce strategies can provide another revenue stream. This setup not only supplements your income but also has the potential to generate passive income over time as your website gains traction.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
9. Print on demand business ($411K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, starting a print-on-demand business could be a fitting opportunity to supplement your income and monetize your skills. With your knowledge of online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, you could efficiently manage virtual storefronts and reach a global audience. You'd focus on creating trendy and unique designs for products such as custom apparel, home goods, and phone cases, without having to worry about upfront inventory costs.
The print-on-demand model uses dropshipping for production and fulfillment, allowing you to run operations from home with minimal startup costs. This flexibility lets you pursue this venture at your own pace, making it a scalable business opportunity. With your background in e-commerce, you would be well-equipped to optimize listings, manage customer relations, and effectively market your products to generate passive income.
How much you can make: $200 — $3,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.
10. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, you could leverage your skills in online marketing and SEO to build a successful stock photography business. Stock photos are in high demand for marketing, websites, and blogs, and being familiar with what types of images businesses need could give you an edge. By uploading high-quality stock photos in various sizes and resolutions, you could build a substantial portfolio that generates a steady stream of passive income.
To get started, you might invest in reliable photography gear and learn the nuances of taking marketable photos. Your existing knowledge of e-commerce platforms could help you establish a strong online presence, making it simpler to sell your photos quickly and profitably. This venture could be a natural extension of your current skills, offering an exciting opportunity to supplement your income.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
11. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As an e-commerce specialist, you could leverage your knowledge of online marketing and customer engagement to start a social media automation business. This involves creating or using tools to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data, helping businesses and influencers maintain a consistent social media presence without doing all the legwork themselves.
With the rising demand for effective social media engagement, your expertise could be highly valuable in developing or integrating software solutions that cater to this need. By offering these automation services, you could help clients save time and boost their online visibility, all while generating a steady stream of passive income for yourself.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
12. Make passive income with a resin bathtub business
As an e-commerce specialist, you could tap into the growing demand for modern, aesthetically pleasing home products by starting a resin bathtub business. These bathtubs are becoming increasingly popular because of their beautiful appearance, solid surface, and natural feel, making them attractive to homeowners looking to upgrade their bathrooms.
Leveraging your e-commerce skills, you could effectively market these high-demand products online, from setting up an optimized online store to running targeted ad campaigns. This business idea not only aligns with current consumer trends but also offers the potential to create a steady stream of income with relatively low overhead costs once you establish your supply chain and online presence.
13. Make passive income with a tombstones business
Starting a tombstones business could be a profitable side hustle for an e-commerce specialist. You could leverage your skills in managing online stores and digital marketing to create a thriving online presence for selling customized tombstones. By using high-quality laser etching technology, you could offer unique and personalized gravestones that resonate with customers looking for meaningful tributes.
Running a tombstones business online means you could handle orders, communicate with customers, and market your products efficiently using your e-commerce expertise. Furthermore, your understanding of SEO and social media advertising could help attract the right audience, making your business more visible to those in need of customized memorials. This could turn into a steady stream of passive income while utilizing your existing skillset.
14. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
If you have an innovative idea for a mobile app, turning that thought into reality could be a good side hustle for an e-commerce specialist like you. With mobile apps becoming such an important part of people's daily routines, there's a constant demand for new and useful applications.
Developing a mobile app calls for a clear vision and some basic coding knowledge. If coding isn't your strong suit, you can always hire a developer to bring your idea to life. From user-friendly designs to essential functionality testing, your role will involve planning, designing, and ensuring the app runs smoothly.
Marketing your app effectively will be key in attracting users and achieving downloads, which could turn your creation into a source of passive income. With an idea that solves a common problem or provides entertainment, your app could potentially make a significant impact and generate substantial revenue in the market.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
