When we think about summer, we usually think about the same things. Going to the beach, family vacations, travel, barbecues, and large gatherings. But in 2020, the year of COVID-19, how will things be different? Will people be flocking to public places as soon as everything opens back up? Or will they still be exercising caution and doing more staycations at home regardless of accessibility?

Sorry, no crystal balls here, so we can’t answer that definitively! What we CAN do is focus on what you can sell no matter what the future holds. Whether public parks, beaches, and vacation hotspots open back up completely, with restrictions, or remain closed, there are still things you can successfully sell right now to keep your profit margin up.

There’s a good chance that at this moment, people are focusing more on their own backyards and pools rather than making plans to travel anywhere. Right now no one can really gauge whether it’s worth securing hotels or flights over the next few months for a trip that may not even be possible. Keeping that in mind, you can focus on the things that people will be looking to buy whether they take a vacation or stay home all summer.

Dive Into Pool Accessories

Just because people may not go to the beach this year doesn’t mean they aren’t planning on swimming! People who own pools or have access to them will be looking to stock up on the following items:

-Floats

-Pool games and toys

-Skimmers

-Pool chemicals and testing kits

-Pool vacuums

-Swimsuits, coverups, and swim shirts

-Beach towels

-Sunscreen

-Hats

-Sunglasses

-Water shoes, sandals, and flip flops

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Summer

Even if we’re still practicing social distancing, people still want their homes to reflect the spirit of each season. Look at the following items to be hot sellers:

-Outdoor furniture

-Decorations (summer themed, Memorial Day, and 4th of July)

-Summer plasticware (bowls, plates, serving platters, pitchers, and drinkware)

-Outdoor lighting

-Gardening tools

-Gardening accessories (gloves, mosquito net hats, clogs, and bug spray)

-Garden decorations (birdbaths, bird feeders, gnomes, and fairy garden accessories)

-Planters 

-Yard tools (hoses, rakes, trimmers, and wheelbarrows)

-Kids’ outdoor toys and activities (sidewalk chalk, bubbles, toy gardening tools, inflatable kiddie pools, sandboxes, squirt guns, and sprinklers)

-Backyard games (beanbag toss, bocce ball, horseshoes, badminton, volleyball, and lawn darts)

-Sports gear and accessories (for tee ball, baseball, soccer, and basketball)

Of course we’re all hoping that by summertime we can once again gather with family and friends and enjoy all the benefits of the season together. But we also know that there’s no guaranteed timeframe and that we have to prepare for many different possible scenarios over the next few months. By focusing on the things that will sell no matter what the reality is, sellers can continue to turn a profit and keep their businesses thriving.

Happy Selling!