Okay, this is going to encompass a whole lot more than just t-shirts, but t-shirts seem like a great place to start.
With the advent of a global pandemic, there is now an almost entirely new niche.
While the pandemic is happening (several months or possibly longer) you can sell anything and everything that helps people get through this traumatic time, whether it’s something to make them smile (hence the t-shirt) something to occupy their time or things they need for peace of mind.
If you go to Google and search for “flatten the curve t-shirts” and then click on images, you will find that sellers are indeed creating and selling a wide variety of these shirts.
Personally, I like the commemorative shirt that reads, “I helped flatten the curve, 2020.” “Stay calm and flatten the curve” is a good one, too.
Search for “pandemic t-shirt” and you’ll see, “Baby’s first pandemic” and “Never underestimate a nurse who survived the pandemic.”
(That last one gave me a lump in the throat – not all nurses or doctors are surviving this. Infinite gratitude to our first responders and medical teams around the world, they are our real rock stars and heroes, and we thank them all.)
No doubt there are many other pandemic shirts to be created and sold because humor is one of our best weapons for getting through tough times.
Other products to consider selling – anything that keeps people busy while they are stuck at home. Things to occupy children’s time that can be immediately downloaded are selling especially well. For example, science experiments your child can do with ordinary household items and art projects for a rainy (or self-sequestered day).
Jigsaw puzzles are selling so fast, stores ran out in early March. In fact, I imagine that any family type of game or activity will do quite well for the next few weeks and months.
There’s something called a “Coronavirus Plush”, a stuffed toy meant to resemble the virus. I have no idea if it’s selling or not.
And then there’s a coronavirus blanket. Perhaps it’s to keep you safe from the virus? Strange is the best word to describe it.
You could create books or courses for kids in no time and start selling them in just days. Enlist the help of your own children to tell you what kids want to do most.
A lot of people would love to know how to make more money from home. You might be a good example of this.
This is the perfect time for people to learn a new skill and you can teach it to them.
Guides for couples on how to survive being cooped up together 24/7 could be handy. Pandemic recipes, pandemic games, pandemic meditations… the list is endless.
I think right now just about anyone who is a good listener could start a service where they will simply listen to someone for 30 minutes for a fee. There are a LOT of scared people out there who need to talk to someone, and not everyone has someone they can talk to.
But don’t stop there… think about the time when things are getting back to normal… what will people want then?
And afterward, things like preparedness kits might do well, as well as celebratory products. It’s difficult to say right now exactly what people will want when this is all over, besides the things they usually want. They say that after the pandemic of 1918, most people never even wanted to talk about it again, almost like it didn’t happen.
My point is, there are plenty of products you can be selling right now. As to new products for after the pandemic when things are starting to normalize, we’ll just have to see.
