Microwave Ovens: A ‘Hot’ Homeware Product for Online Sellers

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Look around most households these days and chances are, you will see a microwave!

Microwaves are a basic necessity that almost all kitchens should have. Whether you’re in a rush (heat up those leftovers, please!) or not in the mood for preparing food, this kitchen appliance saves time and energy in cooking meals.

But of course, not all microwaves survive a lifetime and these little helpers need to be replaced from time to time. They're also popular additions during kitchen renovations, or when you're moving into a new home.

There’s already a potential market for this product, but let’s find out if selling this item is profitable with the help of our very own Market Research Lab.

1. Types of Microwave Ovens

There are many types of microwaves. The examples below are just a few of the main types you could sell.

Over-the-Range Microwave: Also referred to as over-the-counter microwaves. With a ventilation hood, it's designed to fit a cabinet opening and mount on the wall above a range or built-in cooktop.
Countertop Microwave: Designed to sit on your kitchen countertop. These models fall in 3 categories – compact (0.9 cu ft or less), mid-size (1-1.4 cu ft), and full-size (capacity of 1.5 cu ft or more).
Stainless Steel / Plastic Microwave: Stainless steel resists corrosion and rust, but it's durability makes one of these microwaves a bit pricey compared to its plastic counterpart.
Convection Microwave: Uses a fan and a heating element to create air flow patterns that ensure optimum cooking, browning of food, and baking.
Grill Microwave: This type of microwave browns the food, making it crispy outside but juicy on the inside, like a grill would. It typically comes with a wire rack that adds to the grill experience.

2. Why Sell Microwave Ovens?

Before you jump into selling microwaves, it is vital to know the success rate, competition, and average selling price on the largest online selling platforms to give you an idea of their profitability. The Labs data shows 3 brands of microwave ovens. Let’s see what they have in common.

High Sell Rate

Notice that all 3 lab results show a high sell rate – from 61% to 89%, respectively. That’s actually pretty good given that this is an electronic item. A 50% sell rate is ideal when you're searching for products to sell online. That means for every two identical results, one of them would lead to a successful sale.

You could succeed at selling microwaves if you know the brands, types, and features people are looking for (I'll tell you more about this later). Learning more about microwaves helps you find alternative ways of selling these items. You'll also notice these models have something else in common: 2 are countertop types, while all 3 are stainless steel models. While you can still sell over-the-range microwaves and other varieties, you know from the data that stainless steel countertop models are the most popular.

High Average Selling Price

So one main goal for selling any product online (not just microwaves!) is to earn a decent profit. Given the results above, the average selling price of these 3 microwave oven types range from $170 to $241. That's not bad at all! For low-volume products, we suggest you find specific items with high selling prices to maximize profitability.

I've compared a specific microwave from one of our suppliers to an identical product on eBay. I've found that the supplier is selling it at $199 compared to eBay's at $234.84. You can even lower the unit price if you purchase microwaves in bulk, allowing for greater profits if you have some money to spend up front.

Low Competition

Low competition is ideal for retail because it means you are more likely to stand out amongst all the options. Based on the results above, competition on these specific microwaves is low which is a good sign. The low numbers give you an advantage when breaking into this market. Knowing your competition allows you to figure out their advantages and disadvantages, which gives you an idea of which areas to improve on (price, promotional offers, even the listings themselves).

3. General Demand

The AffiloTools Keyword Research tool will show you search volumes for keywords on Google. The data below is gathered from the Related Keywords module in AffiloTools, based on a search for "microwave ovens".

*Note: The keyword search results will give you a long list (with different microwave types, even brands) but here are 7 top examples below.

As you can see from the results, "microwave oven" topped the chart for the most-searched keyword (local volume) by far. The results also show the most-searched-for types and brands. These keywords can tip you off to the most popular products to sell ("over the range microwave" has a whopping 12,100 local searches), and the specific keywords to include in your listings. You may also want to take note that people are also searching for specific brands of microwaves, such as "GE over the range microwave," or "Samsung over the range microwave." This will give you another idea to look into before you decide to sell a particular brand or model.

Below are also results of brands that are most-searched for with microwaves, using the AffiloTools Keyword Research tool.

Averaging 9,900 monthly searches: Samsung microwave, Whirlpool microwave
Averaging 6,600 monthly searches: Sharp Carousel microwave, Kenmore microwave
Averaging 5,400 monthly searches: Fridgidaire microwave
Averaging 2,400 monthly searches: GE microwaves
Averaging 1,900 monthly searches: GE over the range microwave
Averaging 1,600 monthly searches: Samsung over the range microwave, Whirlpool over the range microwave

If you narrow down your keywords to specific microwave oven types or brands, it could increase your visibility and land you with a potential sale.

4. Tips on Selling Microwave Ovens

If you want to draw more attention to your listings, why not offer some extra accessories for your customers' convenience? Some successful products from SaleHoo Labs to add to your listings include non-stick silicone baking mats and other bakeware, microwave food covers, or even microwavable food storage sets. I've also found microwave oven racks, silicone oven mitts, and even shelf racks that you can use for steaming or heating 2 items at a time. You can get all of these from SaleHoo's verified suppliers, too!

eBay and Amazon have the most traffic among online marketplaces. However, listings across both platforms number in excess of 1,000. To earn sales faster, focus on selling microwaves with features that people have been looking for. Another way to get ahead of the competition is to offer bundled items. This will help attract potential buyers thanks to the "plus" that comes with your product. Think of the small items I've mentioned earlier, like the microwave covers.

Over to You!

We have microwave oven suppliers that all ship globally and that we have verified as safe and legitimate. You can access them instantly here in our directory.

Let us know if you're selling microwave ovens online and share your success story with us! Also, please feel free to leave your comments below and let us know if we've missed something.

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Disclaimer: The information published here is strictly for informational purposes. All above items are only suggestions for possible products which we believe will sell favorably, and this article should be used as a guide only. At the time of writing, all above products were researched using methods recommended by SaleHoo and found to be potentially profitable for sellers. All sellers are encouraged to conduct their own market and product research.