16 Ecommerce Brand Success Stories [2024]
Breaking into the ecommerce world offers the exciting challenge of building your own online brand from the ground up. An ecommerce brand involves creating a web-based store where you sell your products directly to consumers.
Starting this business requires choosing a niche, sourcing or creating products, and setting up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. You'll handle inventory, marketing, and fulfill orders, so there's a significant amount of work involved.
However, the rewards can be substantial. You have the freedom to craft your brand identity, engage directly with your customers, and scale your venture at your own pace. If you're keen to control your product offerings, pricing, and customer experience, an ecommerce brand could be the right move for you.
In this list, you'll find real-world ecommerce brand success stories and very profitable examples of starting a ecommerce brand that makes money.
1. Bro Glo ($3.6M/year)
After a joke about his pale complexion during his honeymoon, Jaron decided to develop a self-tanner for men. Together with Tom and Joe, they launched Bro Glo in 2021 during the pandemic, achieving rapid success with average monthly revenues of $50K and a viral TikTok account that now boasts nearly 100k followers.
How much money it makes: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $974
How many people on the team: 0
Bro Glo is a self-tanning company for men that started during the pandemic, earned an average monthly revenue of $50k within a year and a half, and owes its rapid popularity to TikTok.
2. XSuit ($3M/year)
Maximilien Perez, the founder of xSuit, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the limitations and discomfort of traditional suits. Through extensive market research and sourcing, he developed a suit made from premium stretch fabric that was also liquid-repellant and resistant to stains. After launching on Kickstarter and receiving overwhelming demand, the business quickly took off, reaching sales of over $350,000 in just a few months and expanding to other product lines.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 12
xSuit founder Maximilien Perez launched a modern-day redesign of the classic suit that is comfortable and requires less maintenance, resulting in over 20,000 suits sold to date and $350,000 in sales from July to September 2017 alone, selling online and exclusively kicking off through a successful Kickstarter campaign.
3. Countryside Amish Furniture ($3M/year)
Mel Stutzman, the founder of Countryside Amish Furniture, came up with the idea for his business by combining his furniture expertise, Amish business connections, and entrepreneurial ambitions. After experiencing setbacks with previous furniture companies, he realized the importance of being conveniently accessible to target markets and decided to create a digitally-based operation that could sell throughout the country. Today, Countryside Amish Furniture generates millions in sales by partnering with Amish artisans to offer thousands of made-to-order furniture options to buyers across the continental US.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $120K
How many people on the team: 0
Countryside Amish Furniture is a highly successful e-commerce retailer generating millions in sales annually by partnering with Amish artisans to offer thousands of made-to-order, high-quality wooden furniture options and prioritizing customer communication and SEO strategy.
4. BuildFBA ($1.2M/year)
Samrudha, the founder of a 6-figure Amazon e-commerce business, came up with the idea after being heavily impacted by the pandemic and looking for a touchless business model. Starting with dropshipping and then transitioning to Amazon arbitrage, Samrudha eventually decided to develop a unique product, a bike wall stand, due to high demand in the biking niche. With a bare minimum capital of $5,000, the business has now achieved over $1 million in sales in just 2 years' time.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 3
This case study follows the journey of a founder who built a 6-figure Amazon e-commerce business from scratch, with initial capital of $5k USD, and achieved more than $1M in sales in just 2 years, focusing on a unique niche in sports and outdoors products through influencer marketing and quality products.
5. Hagan Ski ($1.08M/year)
After growing up in a flat region of Minnesota, the founder developed a passion for skiing and an admiration for brands that focused on quality and specialty products. Years later, after a career in the military and coaching endurance athletes, he combined his love for skiing with business and launched Hagan Ski Mountaineering, a company dedicated exclusively to backcountry ski touring. With a focus on performance and durability, Hagan has gained recognition and seen 50% annual growth in recent years, appealing to both devoted backcountry skiers and specialty retailers.
How much money it makes: $1.08M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 1
Hagan is a ski mountaineering gear company that has 50% annual growth and focuses solely on backcountry ski touring, resulting in the world’s widest selection of mountaineering skis.
6. CaliConnected ($840K/year)
Nassir Silwany, Co-Founder of CaliConnected, came up with the idea for the online headshop marketplace after realizing that the cannabis equipment industry was untapped by large retailers like Amazon. With his background in the retail industry and knowledge of the cannabis industry, Nassir saw an opportunity to create a trustworthy and customer-friendly platform for smokers looking for quality smoking accessories.
How much money it makes: $840K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
California-based online headshop marketplace CaliConnected has grown its inventory to over $40m and generated nearly $2m in lifetime sales while operating without paid search advertising, instead focusing on SEO and affiliate marketing through platforms such as Affiliatly and Moz.
7. Everyman ($720K/year)
James Montgomery, the owner and CEO of Everyman, came up with the idea for his everyday carry (EDC) eCommerce company after researching businesses to purchase. With his experience in international travel and a desire for functional and high-quality gear, he saw an opportunity to provide premium EDC products for men seeking a minimalist lifestyle. Since acquiring Everyman, he has focused on building relationships with customers through personalized experiences and has successfully launched new products through Kickstarter. The company is currently generating $60,000 per month in revenue and plans to continue growing its product line.
How much money it makes: $720K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Everyman, an everyday carry eCommerce company, has been generating around $60,000 per month in revenue after completing a brand and website revamp last year, with an average of 35% returning customers who spend $50 or more on the site.
8. Bluebird Provisions ($635K/year)
After being told he would never run again due to a foot injury, the founder of Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth healed his foot and got back to winning ultra marathons using bone broth. Fueled by his conviction to share this healing elixir, he quit his job and started Bluebird Provisions. Now, the brand is the fastest-growing bone broth brand in North America, with monthly revenues of $49,000 and a 5000% increase in customer base since its inception.
How much money it makes: $635K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 1
Bluebird Provisions Bone Broth is North America's fastest-growing bone broth brand, doing 49,000 per month and growing 50% YoY, with 5000% growth in customer base since starting, thanks to an SEO-focused strategy, email marketing, referrals, and Amazon.
9. Mouqy ($480K/year)
Mouqy was founded by Daren Low, who recognized the increasing demand for affordable eyewear during the Covid-19 pandemic. Leveraging his experience in the digital world, Daren created Mouqy to offer high-quality, fashionable eyeglasses at affordable prices. With a focus on practical content marketing and providing a seamless user experience, Mouqy has seen early success and aims to become a go-to resource for all eyewear needs.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200K
How many people on the team: 12
Mouqy founder Daren Low discusses how he leveraged his experience in digital marketing to create a retail brand offering quality eyewear at affordable prices, with 172 unique frames currently available and targeting 1,000 frames by year's end, with the company's core online store running on Shopify and lead generation from content on WordPress CMS with performance enhanced by Gatsby and Zendesk for customer support.
10. Smartbuy Kenya Limited ($360K/year)
Mark, the co-founder of Smartbuy Kenya, came up with the idea for the e-commerce website specializing in electronics after building an e-commerce site for a B2B company he was freelancing for. Recognizing the potential in the industry, Mark and his friend Abdirizak decided to start their own venture, investing in SEO to drive traffic to their site. After months of hard work, their determination paid off, and they started seeing a spike in traffic, leading to the growth of their business, which now generates an average of $30,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 20
Smartbuy Kenya, an e-commerce website specializing in electronics, increased their monthly revenue from $8,000 to $30,000 through investing in SEO, cutting down on ad-marketing costs, and providing quality products and customer service, with plans to expand internationally and diversify their product range.
11. Yes To Brand ($132K/year)
Veronica Baljak, the co-owner of Yes to Brand, started her online business journey by building dropshipping stores for herself, family, and friends. Through networking, sharing her knowledge in blogs and on social media, and becoming a motivational dropshipping influencer, Veronica gained a dedicated following and decided to create Yes to Brand, an agency that helps people start and improve their online businesses. With sales averaging $11,000 per month, Veronica's positive mindset and passion for manifesting success have led to rapid growth and opportunities for collaboration.
How much money it makes: $132K/year
How much did it cost to start: $7K
How many people on the team: 3
Dropshipping entrepreneur Veronica Baljak shares how her agency, Yes to Brand, helps people start and grow their online businesses, averaging $11,000 in monthly sales just three months after launching by focusing on positive mindset, collaboration, and transparency with customers.
12. Parkdale Brass ($120K/year)
Shawn Santiago, the founder of Parkdale Brass, came up with the idea for his business while working as a web developer for a digital agency that created cannabis websites. He noticed that most existing cannabis products had similar designs and were made from materials that often arrived broken. This inspired him to create his own brand, focusing on classic, luxury, and durable designs using brass. Since its launch in 2019, Parkdale Brass has gained recognition from prominent publications like Forbes and Weedmaps and has seen an average of 10k in monthly sales.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 1
Parkdale Brass specializes in mindful cannabis use and their high-end, vintage-inspired brass pipe, The Brockton Mk2, has been featured in Forbes and Weedmaps, with the company now seeing approximately $10k in monthly sales and focusing on expanding their product line and B2B sales.
13. Worm Bucket ($78K/year)
Audrey & Rob Wynkoop came up with the idea for the Worm Bucket Indoor Composting Kit after turning to backyard gardening during the pandemic. Rob experimented with various designs for an indoor worm composter to address the limited space of apartment living. Audrey quit her corporate job, built a website, and launched the vermicomposting kit, which has now generated $6,500 in monthly revenue.
How much money it makes: $78K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 1
Husband and wife duo Audrey & Rob Wynkoop built the Worm Bucket, an indoor composting kit for individuals living in apartments and condos, and have now launched on Amazon as well as their own Shopify store, currently doing $6500 in monthly revenue.
14. On Cloud Faith ($60K/year)
Jonathan Waldmann, his then-girlfriend Ilona, and her mother Sonja started their business in 2012, initially selling handmade Gimp bracelets and headbands on Etsy. They later transitioned to crystalized wedding apparel and eventually expanded their product categories to include travel shirts, party shirts, bridal shirts, and engagement shirts. They have made an impressive $7.2 million in sales since their inception with a starting investment of $5,000.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 11
This case study follows the story of a successful online business that has made 7.2 million dollars in sales since 2012, with profits of around 30-45%, and the founders share insights on lessons learned and tools used.
15. Celer ($30K/year)
Sarah Anderson, the founder of Celer Ergonomics, came up with the idea for her athletic training brand after experiencing overuse injuries throughout her running career. With a background in engineering and kinesiology, as well as a passion for biomechanics, Sarah developed the RunCeler strap, a functional resistance band worn while running to promote improved running form and decrease the risk of injury. With four published patents and 20% month-over-month growth, Celer is focused on expanding its presence in the fitness community, particularly among runners.
How much money it makes: $30K/year
How much did it cost to start: $14.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Celer Ergonomics, a small 2-person start-up out of NYC, has developed the RunCeler strap, a functional resistance band worn over the sock and shoe while running to promote improved running form, reducing the risk of injury and improving performance, with 4 published patents and growing 20% month over month.
16. Be Kind Apparel ($5.4K/year)
to look. We wanted it to be clean, simple, and user-friendly. We wanted our logo to be prominent and for customers to easily navigate through the different product options. It took us about a week to design and build the website, and we made sure to include high-quality product photos to showcase our clothing.
How much money it makes: $5.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.6K
How many people on the team: 1
Be Kind Apparel is an ethical and sustainable Irish leisurewear brand that focuses on spreading kindness and supporting mental health, selling tee shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts in a variety of colors and sizes with recycled materials being used in production and 5% of profits donated to local charities, making a profit of 450 euros per month.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
