This is a guest post from SmartScout, one of the leading market research and data analytics tools trusted by Amazon sellers worldwide.
Amazon is abuzz with activity as buyers and sellers trade millions of products across a vast array of categories every day. Navigating this marketplace successfully is vital for sellers, and a crucial aspect of that lies in identifying the top-performing product categories.
Recognizing the top-selling categories empowers vendors to spot potential opportunities for new items to branch out to, understand consumer trends, and strategically expand their offerings.
In this post, we’ll explore the 10 best-selling categories on Amazon based on estimated monthly revenue. We’ll uncover the secrets behind their success and the key trends fueling their growth.
Whether you’re an established Amazon seller or a newcomer, these insights will help you optimize your product selection and boost your sales.
What are the best-selling categories on Amazon?
Here’s an overview of the top 10 categories on Amazon based on monthly revenue.
Category |
Est. Monthly Revenue |
Clothing, Shoes, & Jewelry |
$5,364,805,909.31 |
Home & Kitchen |
$3,879,525,594.72 |
Health & Household |
$3,407,125,818.43 |
Sports & Outdoors |
$3,051,131,098.20 |
Pet Supplies |
$2,924,255,815.11 |
Books |
$2,864,205,446.12 |
Patio, Lawn, & Garden |
$2,544,481,499.40 |
Beauty & Personal Care |
$2,350,263,284.26 |
Tools & Home Improvement |
$2,115,375,918.63 |
Electronics |
$2,052,925,680.32 |
Note: This information was collected from SmartScout. The estimated monthly revenue figures represent the revenue each category generated as of June 15, 2023. These figures may change over time due to market fluctuations and trends.
1. Clothing, Shoes, & Jewelry (est. monthly revenue: $5.3 billion)
This category tops Amazon’s sales charts, earning an estimated monthly revenue of over $5.3 billion. It appeals to fashion enthusiasts and style-conscious shoppers with its vast selection of items.
Key growth trends include:
- Online shopping surge: Consumers increasingly prefer shopping online, drawn by Amazon’s convenience, diverse options, and competitive prices.
- Sustainability and quality: The demand for sustainable, high-quality products has skyrocketed as consumers prioritize ethically made, durable items, even at a higher cost. Sustainable brands lead the way — Pangaia, Tala, Stella McCartney, and others are capturing more market share by championing organic and recycled materials, fair labor practices, and transparent supply chains.
- Influencer culture and social media marketing: Shoppers turn to Amazon for influencer-promoted or social media-featured items, driving the category’s high sales. According to a study published in “Frontiers in Psychology,” influencers’ authenticity and relatability strongly affect consumer behavior, particularly among Gen Z, impacting purchasing decisions.
2. Home & Kitchen (est. monthly revenue: $3.8 billion)
This category offers home organization products, eco-friendly solutions, smart home technology, home decor, and health and wellness products. As people spend more time at home and prioritize comfortable and functional living spaces, the category has experienced significant growth.
Key growth trends include:
- Home organization and storage: The increasing focus on home life has boosted demand for clutter-free spaces. Consumers actively seek storage containers, closet organizers, and space-saving furniture to optimize their living spaces. This minimalistic trend drives sales of home organization products.
- Smart home technology: Products like voice-controlled assistants, smart thermostats, automated lighting systems, and smart kitchen appliances have gained traction due to their convenience, energy efficiency, and enhanced functionality.
- Health and wellness: Consumers are buying products like air purifiers, water filtration systems, exercise equipment, and wellness-related kitchen gadgets to promote a healthy lifestyle and home environment.
3. Health & Household (est. monthly revenue: $3.4 billion)
Expanding beyond the previous category, this sub-group comprises personal care items, health products, home medical supplies, and natural and organic alternatives, thriving on the growing emphasis on wellness and self-care.
Key growth trends include:
- Home healthcare and medical supplies: With an aging population and the rise in chronic diseases, consumers actively seek products like blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, mobility aids, and orthopedic supports. These items help manage health conditions and provide comfort for individuals facing health challenges.
- Home fitness: Consumers are buying fitness equipment, workout accessories, and wellness-related products for home use. Items like resistance bands, yoga mats, and stationary bikes have witnessed increased sales as individuals focus on maintaining their fitness routines from the comfort of their homes.
- Mental health and self-care: Shoppers invest in products promoting relaxation, stress reduction, and overall well-being. Items like aromatherapy diffusers, meditation aids, sleep aids, and stress relief supplements experience higher sales as emotional and psychological well-being becomes a top priority.
4. Sports & Outdoors (est. monthly revenue: $3 billion)
This category encompasses fitness equipment, sports gear, outdoor recreation products, and athletic apparel. Its popularity is soaring as more individuals prioritize active lifestyles and outdoor activities.
Key growth trends include:
- Health and fitness consciousness: Consumers are increasingly focused on physical fitness and active lifestyles, leading to a rise in demand for fitness equipment, workout apparel, and accessories for activities like running, cycling, yoga, and strength training.
- Tech-integrated sports gear: The sports gear industry has embraced technology, introducing innovations like smartwatches, fitness trackers, GPS devices, and sports performance analytics that have gained popularity among sports enthusiasts. These advancements enhance training, tracking, and overall sports experience, driving increased sales.
- Outdoor recreation: Consumers seek products like camping gear, hiking equipment, fishing accessories, and water sports equipment to enrich their outdoor adventures. A desire for exploration, connection with nature, and a break from sedentary routines fuels the demand for outdoor recreational products.
5. Pet Supplies (est. monthly revenue: $2.9 billion)
The pet supplies category owes its success to a large and devoted consumer base of pet owners. This category fulfills pet needs with products like food, accessories, grooming items, and health supplies.
Key growth trends include:
- Premium and natural pet products: The pet humanization trend is driving the demand for top-notch, natural pet products. Consumers invest in high-quality pet food, organic treats, and eco-friendly accessories, prioritizing their pets’ well-being and nutrition.
- Eco-friendly and sustainable products: Sustainability holds increasing importance in the pet supplies market. Consumers seek eco-friendly choices like biodegradable pet waste bags, natural and organic bedding materials, and recycled or upcycled pet toys. Brands offering environmentally conscious pet products have carved out a niche in the pet supplies category.
- Smart pet technology: Technological advancements led to the birth of smart pet technology. Pet owners opt for smart pet feeders, GPS trackers, pet cameras, and automatic pet toys, valuing the convenience, remote monitoring capabilities, and overall enhanced pet ownership experience.
6. Books (est. monthly revenue: $2.8 billion)
Despite the prominence of all things digital, books maintain their popularity, with physical and ebook formats driving strong sales. The books category spans various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, self-help, and children’s books.
Key growth trends include:
- Ebooks and digital reading: Ebooks and digital reading devices have transformed the book industry. Consumers increasingly prefer the online format for convenience, portability, and easy access. Ereaders, tablets, and smartphone apps have thus expanded the reach of the books category, opening new opportunities for authors and publishers.
- Self-help and personal development: Consumers seek guidance, inspiration, and practical advice on mindfulness, productivity, relationships, and career growth. The books category caters to these interests, empowering individuals to enrich their lives and achieve their aspirations.
- Audiobooks and podcasts: Consumers value the convenience and multitasking ability of audio formats, and the books category has embraced that trend, offering a wide selection of audiobooks on platforms like Amazon’s Audible. The podcast boom also enables authors to reach fresh audiences and promote their works effectively.
7. Patio, Lawn, & Garden (est. monthly revenue: $2.5 billion)
This category serves outdoor living, gardening, and landscaping needs. The growing interest in outdoor entertaining, gardening hobbies, and serene outdoor havens propels its growth.
Key growth trends include:
- Outdoor living and entertaining: Consumers are shaping their outdoor spaces into extensions of their homes, fashioning areas that invite relaxation and socializing. This trend has boosted sales of patio furniture, outdoor décor, fire pits, and grilling accessories.
- Gardening as a hobby and self-sustainability: Shoppers embrace gardening to connect with nature, cultivate their own produce, and create picturesque landscapes. This trend heightens the demand for gardening tools, planters, seeds, and organic fertilizers.
- Wellness and relaxation in outdoor spaces: Related to the first point, people also seek products that promote relaxation and mental well-being in their outdoor spaces, like hammocks, yoga mats, meditation gardens, and Zen-inspired décor.
8. Beauty & Personal Care (est. monthly revenue: $2.3 billion)
Beauty and personal care includes skincare, haircare, makeup, and personal care products. The focus on clean and natural beauty, personalized experiences, and self-care has contributed to the success of this category.
Key growth trends include:
- Natural and organic ingredients: The clean beauty movement has gained momentum as consumers increasingly prefer products formulated with natural and organic ingredients. This trend has also sparked the rise of indie brands and the expansion of clean product lines among established brands.
- Skincare routines: Individuals now prioritize skincare routines and are willing to invest in high-quality products, including serums, essences, face masks, and other specialized treatments. This trend has boosted sales of skincare products that address specific concerns such as anti-aging, hydration, and acne.
- Men’s grooming and self-care: Men have embraced skincare, haircare, and grooming routines and so seek products tailored to those specific needs. This trend has driven the expansion of men’s grooming offerings, including beard care products, skincare designed for men, and specialized grooming tools.
This category covers tools, home improvement supplies, and equipment for DIY projects and renovations. With more people taking on home improvement projects, plus the integration of smart home technology, the category has seen a noteworthy increase in sales.
Key growth trends include:
- DIY culture and home renovations: The popularity of DIY projects and home renovations has risen, driving sales of tools, power equipment, and construction materials. Consumers seek products that enable them to tackle projects themselves, in turn saving them money and personalizing their homes.
- Smart home technology and automation: Buyers are embracing products such as smart thermostats, home security systems, voice-controlled assistants, and automated lighting systems. These innovations provide convenience, energy efficiency, and enhanced functionality and so are driving sales within the category.
- Home organization and storage solutions: The focus on decluttering and organizing living spaces has driven the popularity of home organization and storage solutions. So, shoppers are buying products such as shelving systems, storage containers, closet organizers, and garage organization solutions.
10. Electronics (est. monthly revenue: $2 billion)
The electronics category includes a wide range of devices, such as smartphones, laptops, TVs, and smart home devices. Advancements like smart home technology and the increasing demand for mobile devices have driven the success of this category.
Key growth trends include:
- Mobile devices and accessories: The demand for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets remains strong. As such, consumers continually seek out the latest models and advancements. Additionally, the market for mobile accessories, including cases, chargers, and wireless headphones, has grown as shoppers look to enhance their mobile experience.
- Smart home technology and connected devices: Buyers are adopting smart speakers, displays, thermostats, and other connected devices to create a seamless, automated living experience. The convenience, energy efficiency, and integration of smart home products have accordingly boosted sales within the category.
- Wearable technology: Wearable technology has become increasingly prevalent in modern society. Customers have embraced smartwatches, fitness trackers, and health monitoring devices to track physical activity, monitor health, and stay connected.
Wrapping up — Find your Amazon store’s next big sales ticket
Understanding the top-selling categories on Amazon and the trends driving their success is crucial for any seller aiming to thrive in this competitive marketplace. But acquiring knowledge is only the first step. From there, you need to:
- Identify your niche: Examine the categories and trends aligning with your product or business idea. Can your product stand out in a specific category? Is there a trend you could capitalize on?
- Understand your customer: Gain insight into what encourages customer purchases. Use that information to become familiar with your target customer’s needs and preferences.
- Tailor your product offering: Can you adapt your product to better fit these trends? For example, if you operate in Amazon’s Beauty & Personal Care category, could you offer products with natural and organic ingredients?
- Market strategically: Apply these trends to your marketing. Emphasize how your product aligns with them in your product descriptions, social media posts, and other marketing materials.
- Optimize your fulfillment: Work with a logistics partner that can help you across a wide range of 3PL services, so no matter which categories you expand to, you’re ready with FBA prep, DTC, and more.
Armed with these insights, you’ll be well equipped to make strategic decisions that drive your success on Amazon.