We’ve been keeping a close eye on all news related to COVID-19 and its current and future impact on the global market. As a customs broker and consulting agency, it’s critical that we’re providing importers with updated and accurate information. 

We recently put out a quick interview we did with our founder and president, Adam Lewis, to get his perspective on the situation as it evolves. You can give it a read here! This week, we wanted to cover something a little more light (for some?). 

The BBC put out a list of 6 surprising goods that are booming in sales right now, during the pandemic. We’ll outline the imported goods in the list below, so you can see if there’s a lingering opportunity there for your business! Read on: 

Fitness Gear & Bikes

With gyms and other wellness facilities temporarily closing their doors, the desire to stay in shape while at home has caused purchases in that category to explode. Along the same vein, bikes are also seeing a spike. As the BBC puts it: whether for exercise or for a safer means of travel.” 

Indoor & Outdoor Gaming Equipment

Items like table tennis, board games, puzzles, pool tables, video games, etc. are all on the rise. Understandably, as people are self-quarantining, they are looking for ways to keep themselves entertained with recreational activities — inside and outside the home. 

Home & Garden Improvement

This category includes things like: home decor, plant seeds, indoor herb gardens, furniture, etc. With people spending so much time in their homes, the things that require improvement become obvious — or the pieces that may be lacking. Also, some consider home improvement to be a form of entertainment!

Books

Quarantined people are looking for ways to stay entertained and be mindful of screen time with their devices — and books are a great way to do that. Further to that, story books and picture books is a surefire method to keep kids having fun during this time too. 

Check out some of Amazon’s top titles right now: 

Fridges & Freezers 

At this point, we’ve all seen the images of empty shelves and frantic shoppers in supermarkets — stockpiling in preparation for the pandemic. While there was never any real risk of food shortage as a result of the global market, people could not help but to grab more than they needed. Possibly as a result, there’s been a surge in fridge and freezer purchases. 

Coffee Products

Perhaps because people are grappling with letting go of their morning coffee run before work, there’s been a major increase in coffee sales. As BBC reports, the increase has impacted more “exotic” or third-wave coffee sales. 

Unfortunately, despite the increase in sales for these surprising goods, businesses are still struggling with the changes in the market as a result of COVID-19. With factories closing, layoffs taking place, and purchasing slowing down, there are many types of imported products that will continue to see a decrease in the coming months. 

As brokers with decades of experience working with importers of all sizes, we’re poised to help businesses look at their options and make the right decision for them. There is no one-size-fits all solutions for businesses right now, so it’s critical that they move forward with caution. 

If you have any questions about how Clearit can help give you some pointers on navigating the pandemic, start the conversation here.