Discover 16 proven methods to find trending products for your dropshipping or eCommerce store in 2026 — with real tools, tips, and pro validation steps.
Need to find products to sell on your store?
Whenever someone enters the world of dropshipping, besides choosing their store name and working on brand, the biggest obstacle is finding trending products to sell.
The last thing you want to do is try to peddle yesterday's old products that have pretty much fizzled away and no one is searching for anymore. A great example of this would be fidget spinners.
If you hopped on this trend in its infancy, you could have made a fortune like a lot of marketers did.
Knowing how to spot trends can make you a lot of money in ecommerce and that is exactly what my blog post today is going to be about. So pay attention and take notes or just bookmark this page for future reference.
Before we get into the methods, there's just something I want to make you understand when it comes to products. Just because you find something that YOU like, it doesn't mean it's going to sell.
I don't care how much you think it's a great product. If your audience doesn't like it, it will NEVER sell no matter how much money you throw at it. Don't do that!
You need to find products that others will like - not necessarily you. So if you spot a trend that you have reservations about or perhaps you don't like the product, you're doing yourself a disservice if you pass it up. It's worth testing if everything checks out.
What Makes a Product “Trending”?
Before diving into the methods, it’s important to understand what “trending” really means.
A trending product isn’t just something popular today — it’s a product that’s rapidly gaining attention, searches, and sales because it taps into a new behavior, lifestyle, or problem people are suddenly talking about.
Think of it like catching a wave. You don’t want to be the last surfer paddling out when the wave is already crashing — you want to catch it while it’s building momentum.
Here’s how to spot that kind of wave:
- 🔎 Search volume is rising fast on Google or TikTok
- 💬 People are talking about it everywhere — Reddit, YouTube, Facebook groups
- 💸 Influencers are promoting it or using it naturally in their content
- 🛒 Competitors haven’t saturated it yet (few sellers, not too many ads)
- ❤️ It solves a small but relatable problem — convenience, comfort, or curiosity
The trick isn’t just finding what’s hot right now — it’s spotting what’s about to take off.
If you can identify a product that checks these boxes before the masses do, you’re positioning yourself right at the front of the trend curve — and that’s where the real profit happens.
Top 16 Methods For Finding Trending Ecom Products Online
#1: Google Trends
This tool is particularly useful if you have spotted a product somewhere else and want to gauge its popularity. To use it, just go to trends.google.com and enter in the product name in the search bar.
Using the term "fidget spinner" in Google Trends, this is what you will see:
As you can see, this would be a terrible product to try and sell now. It's popularity started to fizzle at it's peak at the end of April 2017. It still gets some searches but the trend has come and gone already.
So use this tool to your advantage. If you see the product in the chart moving upwards, it's probably something you should consider. If you start to see the decline, you can still get some sales but know that the product will eventually fizzle and die out so you better pay attention to your ad spend!
You can also click on "more trending searches" at the bottom of the tool to find what's currently trending. You never know what might come up.
#2: SaleHoo Directory
If you don't know what to sell, the SaleHoo Directory is a great place to start. This tool takes the most recent product data from places like eBay, Amazon and AliExpress to suggest top selling products.
You'll even get a list of vetted suppliers to get these products from. Of all the strategies on this list, this is the easiest, but it isn't free. However, it's very inexpensive at just $67 for a full year of access.
Learn more about it from the video below:
#3: Influencers
More and more marketers in the Ecommerce space are using Influencers nowadays. You don't need to follow top influencers like Kylie Jenner to find products, it's the smaller influencers with maybe 30,000+ followers to check out.
If you start spotting trends with a bunch of influencers (especially on Instagram) posting the same product - it could be a winner.
There are tools on the market to find influencers in a particular niche but I would just do this manually. It will take time but after a while you're going to uncover a lot influencers and possibly your next golden ticket.
#4: Blogs and Publications on Trends
Reading blogs on trend reports with custom research and consumer insights can really be a game changer for you.
Sites like these will write about new innovations in many different niches from automotive to tech and apparel. This will take some time and research on your part but you could end up spotting the next big trend with this resource and just hit it out of the park.
Keep in mind when using these sites you aren't going to get a list of products that are trending, but what you will get in an insight into a trending market. Just follow the breadcrumbs and you'll end up finding your golden nugget.
Some of these sites are:
#5: Review Blogs
Review blogs are great places to find trending products.
To find them simply do a Google search for the niche + review and you should find sites targeting the niche you are in. These will work best. For some examples, you can check out sites like:
These are pretty general but I think you get the idea. You'll be able to niche down by doing a more specific search.
#6: AliExpress - Best Sellers List & More
I can almost guarantee you know about this one already if you're interested in setting up a dropshipping store on Shopify. If you are not familiar with AliExpress, this marketplace is the top resource that dropshippers use to sell items on their Ecom Store.
AliExpress has a wide range of different categories and merchandise ranging from men & women's clothing, beauty, tech, toys, holiday items and so on.
You can also see what is selling well in their "best sellers" list. This is a great way to find products because the research is almost done for you already. If the product is selling well, you already know there is demand and people are buying.
Keep in mind though that just because a product is selling well in the weekly best sellers list on AliExpress, it does not mean that you are going to do well. You need to test, test, test!
#7: Find Trends on Buzz Sumo
This is a paid tool but they do allow you some free searches with a free trial version. If you're going to buy it, it will set you back $79 a month. Give the trial a go to see if it's something for you before you drop money on it.
Buzz Sumo will enable you to see what the best performing products are within social sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn.
With this info you'll be able to identify a potential trend popularity in your niche. This tool will also enable you to find an influencer, so it can be very valuable in this regard as well.
How it Works:
Simply enter the name of your product or the niche in the search bar of Buzz Sumo. It will then generate articles that are trending in that niche. Filters are available too, so you can choose your type of content, with either videos, infographics, interviews and more.
Buzz Sumo is targeted towards the more serious marketer who really wants to drill down niche research to the most absolute level.
“If you’re low on funds, check out my guide on How to Start an Online Business When You’re Short on Cash.”
#8: Consumer Marketplaces
A consumer market place is simply an online store that sells directly to the public. Stores like Amazon, Ebay, AliExpress and Etsy are all examples to get product research and ideas from.
To find products, just check out their trending pages to see what people are buying. You might just find a gem that is selling like hotcakes that you can find elsewhere to offer on your dropshipping store.
#9: Commerce Inspector - Snipe Data From Other Dropshipping Stores
Commerce Inspector is a free and a paid tool that basically "spies" on stores. You'll be able to uncover data from your competition to see what their top products and trends are.
The free plugin allows you to get product insights, traffic sources, apps, social links and the best selling products on any store.
With the paid version you get more data like revenue at both the product and store level, the previous week's bestsellers and a list of the top-selling and trending store lists.
It's a valuable tool and with the paid version at $49 per month it's worth looking into. You are limited to data on 3 stores though. The Enterprise package is $499 a month which allows you to get data on unlimited stores.
#10: Social Sites
You'll be able to get a lot of insight into trending merchandise by simply visiting social curation sites like Pinterest, Instagram, Wanelo or Fancy.
Pay attention to the interaction with the photos posted. For example on Instagram, if you're seeing a lot of likes and comments on a cool product, it's going to be worth looking into. The same goes for Pinterest and other similar sites. Check them all.
#11: See What the Top Shopify Stores are Selling
This strategy is very powerful. Not only are you going to see what the top selling Shopify stores look like so you can get inspiration, but you're going to see what they are selling.
When you think about it logically, these top visited Shopify stores aren't going to waste their traffic on poor performing products. They've probably invested thousands of dollars testing them first.
The old method of using MYIP.MS to find Shopify stores no longer works reliably — Shopify moved to distributed hosting and that IP lookup trick is essentially dead now.
The modern replacement is Dropship.io — a tool specifically built to spy on Shopify stores. You can see a store's top selling products, estimated revenue, recent additions, and traffic data. It's far more accurate and up to date than the old IP method ever was.
There's a free trial available so you can test it before committing to the paid plan at $29/month. I'd recommend using it alongside Commerce Inspector for maximum coverage.
#12: Sell The Trend
Sell The Trend This is a paid tool that cuts down your product research by at least 80% based on my personal experience using it. It's quite powerful and has many "explorers" that tell you what's trending on AliExpress, Amazon and on Facebook.
It includes a lot of data at a glance and makes it real easy to identify products. You can also "spy" on other stores and get notifications when new products are added.
Check out my Sell The Trend Review - i'm a real member and take you through the members area to see what you are getting. You also get a free 7 day trial so go ahead and sign up to test it out.
#13: TikTok Creative Center (Bonus)
TikTok isn’t just for funny videos — it’s one of the best places to spot rising product trends before they hit Amazon or AliExpress.
Go to TikTok Creative Center → Trends and check which products or hashtags are taking off.
If you see one item getting multiple viral videos, it’s worth testing.
#14: Exploding Topics
This is one of the most underrated product research tools available and it's free to use at the basic level.
Exploding Topics scans the internet for topics, products, and searches that are growing rapidly but haven't yet hit mainstream awareness. That's the sweet spot for dropshippers — you want to find something that's building momentum, not something that's already peaked.
The way it works is simple. Go to explodingtopics.com, browse by category, and filter by growth rate. You're looking for products showing consistent upward growth over 6–12 months rather than a sudden spike that crashes just as fast.
What makes it different from Google Trends is that it surfaces things you wouldn't have thought to search for in the first place. Google Trends requires you to already know what you're looking for. Exploding Topics finds trends and brings them to you.
The free version gives you enough to work with. The Pro version at $39/month unlocks more data and earlier trend alerts — worth it if product research is a core part of your business.
#15: Amazon Movers & Shakers
This one is completely free and almost nobody talks about it — which makes it even more valuable.
Amazon has a dedicated page called "Movers & Shakers" that updates every hour showing the biggest gainers in sales rank across every product category. These are products that have jumped significantly in popularity in a very short period — exactly the kind of momentum signal you're looking for as a dropshipper.
To find it, go to Amazon and search "Amazon Movers and Shakers" or navigate directly to amazon.com/gp/movers-and-shakers.
From there, browse by category relevant to your niche. If a product has jumped 500% or more in sales rank within 24 hours, something is driving that — whether it's a viral TikTok video, a news story, or organic word of mouth.
Cross-reference anything interesting with Google Trends and TikTok to confirm the momentum is real. If it's climbing in multiple places simultaneously, you've found something worth testing.
The best part — this data is live, updated constantly, and costs nothing to access. Make it a habit to check it a few times a week and you'll start spotting patterns before most of your competitors do.
#16: Reddit
Reddit is one of the most overlooked product research tools in ecommerce — and that's exactly why it's so valuable. By the time a product is trending on Amazon or AliExpress, thousands of dropshippers are already selling it. Reddit often surfaces products weeks or months before they hit the mainstream platforms.
The reason is simple. Reddit is where people share things they're genuinely excited about — not because an algorithm served it to them, but because they actually found something cool and wanted to tell others. That organic word-of-mouth is one of the earliest signals a product is gaining real traction.
Here are the specific subreddits worth bookmarking:
r/shutupandtakemymoney — Products people see and immediately want to buy. If something is getting thousands of upvotes here, there's genuine consumer demand behind it.
r/BuyItForLife — Products known for quality and durability. Great for finding evergreen items rather than fads.
r/malelifestyle, r/femalefashionadvice, r/DIY, r/fitness — Niche subreddits where product recommendations come up naturally in conversation. Find the subreddit for your niche and lurk regularly.
The process is straightforward — sort by "Hot" or "Top" within the last month and look for product posts with high upvotes and comment engagement. If people are asking "where can I buy this?" in the comments, that's a buying signal you can act on immediately.
Cross-reference anything promising with Google Trends and TikTok Creative Center to confirm it's building momentum beyond Reddit. If it's gaining traction in multiple places at once, you've got a strong candidate worth testing.
How to Tell if a Trend is Worth Chasing
Not every trending product is worth your time — some go viral and die out faster than you can launch an ad.
Before you jump on the next “hot item,” take a few minutes to check whether it’s a real opportunity or just short-lived hype.
Here’s how to tell the difference 👇
1️⃣ Check Search Trends Over Time
Pop into Google Trends or Exploding Topics and type in the product name.
Look for a chart that’s steadily climbing — not one that’s spiking and crashing.
If the line keeps rising over a few months, that’s a good sign the trend still has room to grow.
If the graph looks like a roller coaster (up fast, down fast), that’s a fad — you can still test it, but don’t expect long-term results.
2️⃣ Research the Competition
Head to AliExpress, Amazon, or TikTok Shop and see how many sellers are offering the same thing.
If everyone’s selling identical products, look for a way to stand out — different color, bundle, design, or niche angle.
🧠 Pro Tip: Use a tool like Commerce Inspector or Dropship.io to see what top-performing Shopify stores are selling right now.
3️⃣ Calculate Your Profit Margin
Don’t fall in love with a product just because it looks cool — make sure it’s profitable.
Add up your product cost, shipping, FBA or Shopify fees, and ad spend.
If you can’t clear at least 30–40% profit margin, move on.
A trending product with weak margins can still lose you money.
4️⃣ Validate Through Social Proof
Check TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Reddit to see how people react to the product.
Are comments full of “I need this!” or are people calling it a gimmick?
If real users are excited and sharing it, you might have a winner.
5️⃣ Test Small — Don’t Go All In
Before ordering hundreds of units, start with a small test.
Run a few ads with $50–$100 and track engagement (clicks, saves, comments).
If your CPMs and CTRs look healthy and people are adding to cart, scale up gradually.
The Bottom Line
Trends come and go — the goal isn’t to chase every new one, but to spot the patterns.
Products that solve a simple problem, have emotional appeal, and get early buzz are your best bets.
If you validate before you invest, you’ll avoid the dreaded “fidget spinner” effect — all hype, no sales.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding Trending Products
What is the best way to find trending products to sell online?
Combine Google Trends, TikTok Creative Center, and AliExpress Best Sellers. Start by spotting what's getting attention on social media, then verify demand with search data. If a product is trending upward in multiple places simultaneously, it's worth testing.
How do I know if a product trend is profitable?
Do a quick profit check before spending anything. Add up your product cost, shipping, transaction fees, and ad budget. If your total cost is $15 and you can sell for $30 or more, you've got solid margins. Always aim for at least 30–40% profit margin after all expenses.
Are trending products too competitive to sell?
Not always. The trick is to catch the trend early or sell from a unique angle. If everyone's selling a popular phone case, create a version with better materials or themed designs. Sometimes even a small twist is enough to make your product stand out.
How long do trending products stay popular?
It depends on the product and market. Some trends like fidget spinners last only a few months, while others evolve into long-term niches. Keep an eye on Google Trends and social mentions — if the buzz starts dropping off, move on to the next opportunity.
Should I focus only on trending products for dropshipping?
No — think of trends as traffic boosters, not your entire business. Start with trending products to get quick wins, but eventually build a brand around evergreen items that sell year-round. That's how you create stable income, not just a short-term spike.
Conclusion
I hope you got some good ideas on how to find some winning products to sell on your store. With a little work you will be able to spot trends and get in the game before the majority of other dropshippers.
Once you get good at it, you'll find which method works for you but I encourage you to test them all.
With all this knowledge you have on finding trending products now, it's completely useless if you don't know how to properly set up your store, do your sales copy, create a brand and the biggest one - creating your ads.
My advice to you is to enroll in an Ecommerce/Dropshipping course which will enable you to accelerate your growth much quicker and avoid costly mistakes of going at it on your own. Your instructor will also discuss ways in which to find products as well. A lot of these strategies won't be found for free either, so a good course will also assist you with product research.
It's critical that you invest in your education and my recommendations come from top marketers in the ecommerce space that not just teach it, but actually do this stuff and make a killing with it.
Any questions? Comment below or feel free to send me an email.
Drew
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Great article to blow up my mind, currently I enrolled in an online course though that was not recommended by you, haha, but anyway a good start point for me to accelerate my study. thanks again and appreciate your detailed shared knowledge.
No problem Yi, main thing is that you apply the training (whatever it is and hopefully legit) and never give up!
Great article, I really learned something new and useful from this!
Thanks Drew!
Glad you got something out of it Mihai!
Thanks a lot, Drew! This is very insightful.
One question – if I find what I think is a great product (using any of these strategies, but say, looking up on top selling products of other stores, or likable product pictures on Instagram, etc., and discover that this product is not on AliExpress. Then what? I don’t mean the products that other stores clearly produce themselves, but just general products. Are most of them on AliExpress, or arethere any other ways to find the realiable suppliers for them?
Thank you,
Anzh (or I also signed as “An” here before by mistake)
Pretty much anything that is selling I am sure its on Aliexpress already. If it’s not, it probably will be very soon. I never really had trouble finding anything. You could use a tool like Salehoo to find other products or suppliers so that is an option but it’s a paid tool so keep that in mind but you can always get a $1 trial to check it out. Learn more about it here – https://drews-review.com/salehoo/
Hope that helps!
Wonderful. Thank you very much.
Have a great day Drew!
You’re welcome!
Great resources Drew! Thanks again for the useful content you provide
Thanks Julie!
I’d been thinking about the drop shipping business for the past 3 weeks. I saw several youtube videos that got my interest but it was not until I found your Drew’s Review webpage and found your Cheat Sheet that I decided to take the leap. Thank you for all the valuable info and the step by step explanations. I’m now headed to read your reviews of the Marketing Courses.
Awesome stuff! I’m glad I’m able to help out. Feel free to ask any questions if something isn’t clear. All the best!
Like always very great and useful content, thanks so much <3
You’re welcome Audrey glad you got something out of it 🙂
Many thanks drew for all the very useful information.
This makes me a focused beginner with a goal to win
You are a motivator and have made me purpose to do whatever it takes to get to the next level
I am encouraged that if others have done it, i can also do it
I do not have a website yet and hope to get you again to teach me how that can be done.
You’re welcome Irene and thank you as well for the positive comments! What I suggest is to grab my ecom cheat sheet, it’s a free download. It will help you get started with eCom and prepare you for what’s ahead. If you just answer the questions on the bot assistant on the site, (bottom right hand corner) you’ll be directed to it – just choose Ecommmerce/dropshipping.