It’s the end of 2022, so it’s time to look forwards and see what is going to be selling like hot cakes next year.

Many of 2022’s best sellers will probably continue to do well. But there will be several themes that will become particularly noticeable next year.

For instance, with the economic environment still looking difficult, consumers will be looking for small treats. They don’t want to spend a lot of money but they do want to feel special, so this isn’t the same kind of thing as ‘cheap stuff’.

They’re looking for quality and luxury, but in tiny amounts. It’s like having a really intense  but tiny chocolate truffle, instead of a big slice of apple pie. In the tech crash of 2001, Estee Lauder saw lipstick sales rocket; women weren’t buying expensive handbags or shoes, or new outfits, but a new lipstick was both easily affordable and made them feel good.

So small indulgences might be products like

•      costume jewelry

•      lipstick

•      chocolate

•      aromatherapy oils

•      silk socks.

Customers might want to buy a new fruit bowl or coffee mug, but probably not a whole new dinner service.

Male grooming has been a really strong sector for a while, and there are plenty of small treats in this sector too; shaving foams, gels, mustache waxes, and so on.

Another trend we’ll see a lot of is “make do and mend“. The European Union has even passed laws requiring makers of electronic and mechanical products to ensure that products are easily repairable.

Repair products could include packs for repairing mobile phone screens or car windscreens, touch-up pens, or furniture reviver kits including different wood color waxes and scratch removers.

In this sector, you’re not providing craft materials so much as giving people an easy way to avoid a big outlay on having to buy things new. A leather dye and scuff remover is an easy way for someone to make their shoes last longer. Think about how you can present these products in a classy and user-friendly way, and make your customers feel really happy about using them.

Clothing has been all around the place since the pandemic started, with fashion oscillating between comfy onesies for the home and extrovert strut-your-stuff trends for back to the office. But athleisure has been an area that’s done really well. Now the trend seems to be for smart athleisure like Muji’s lovely soft gray pants and loose linen shirts.

In home decor, there’s a similar trend for hygge, for soft, welcoming, cocoon style stuff. Big chunky knit throws and shaggy rugs, for instance, warm a room up nicely. Yes, this trend has been around since 2017 but it’s still going strong, updated to include a more natural and decluttered style.

While sustainability isn’t top of mind for consumers right now, about half of all consumers have got used to buying sustainable and eco-friendly products. That market isn’t going away, but it might slow. However, cork and bamboo products will keep going, with new products joining the mix; cork yoga mats, bamboo bowls and plates, even bamboo pajamas and cork laptop wraps. The final word for this year is authenticity. Customers have got interested in local food, local producers, and local traditions, and they’re looking for things with an authentic feel.  If you can mix the local story of single estate teas or coffees with a sense of luxury, for instance, you have a really convincing product. A set of spices for a particular cuisine, like ‘all the Korean spices you need’ or ‘the Singapore box’ could do well