5 Products I Wouldn't Sell or Start a Business Around in 2027

If you're planning on getting into craft shows in 2027, or you're looking for your next product to build a business around, here's my advice: don't jump into the most crowded markets just because they seem easy to get started in.

Before anyone gets upset, this is just my opinion. If you're already selling one of these products and making good money, keep doing what you're doing. There are plenty of people who have built successful businesses around these products. This list is aimed at someone who's starting from scratch and trying to decide where to invest their time and money.

1. Sublimated, Epoxy & Resin Tumblers

Tumblers had an incredible run, and there are still people making great money selling them. The problem is that almost every craft show has multiple tumbler vendors, and a lot of them are selling nearly identical designs. Walk through any event and you'll see the same flowers, sports teams, glitter, sarcastic sayings, and trendy graphics over and over again.

When customers have seen the same product at five different booths, the only thing left to compare is price. That's not the kind of market I'd want to jump into today.

2. Generic 3D Printed Products

I think 3D printing is one of the coolest technologies to come along in years, but it's become one of the most saturated categories at craft shows. Nearly every event we've attended this year has had several vendors selling articulated dragons, octopuses, dinosaurs, fidget toys, and other models downloaded from the same websites.

There's nothing wrong with 3D printing itself. What I'd avoid is building an entire business around products that hundreds of other people are already making. It's getting harder every year to stand out unless you're designing your own products or offering something people haven't already seen a hundred times.

3. Beaded Pens

This one has never really made much sense to me, but people obviously buy them or they wouldn't keep showing up everywhere.

If I were starting a new business, though, I'd stay away from them. Between stocking hundreds of bead styles, constantly chasing trends, and competing with countless other sellers, it just doesn't seem like the best place to invest your money. There are easier ways to build a brand around products that people see as more than impulse purchases.

4. Generic Laser-Cut Decor

I use lasers every day, so this isn't a knock on laser businesses. It's a knock on businesses that all look exactly the same.

If your plan is to download a bundle of SVG files and cut the same signs, layered mandalas, earrings, and seasonal decorations that everyone else is selling, you're going to have a hard time standing out. Customers have already seen those products over and over again.

The machine isn't what makes a business successful anymore. Original ideas, quality, and good branding are what people remember.

5. Cheap Trinkets and Single-Use Items

Bookmarks, coasters, dice, hair clips, keychains, and other small trinkets seem like a great idea because they're inexpensive to make. The downside is that they're inexpensive for everyone else to make too.

Those products are competing against imported goods, online marketplaces, and dozens of other vendors at the same event. It's difficult to build a profitable business when everyone is selling similar items and competing over a few dollars.

My Advice Instead

If I were starting over in 2027, I wouldn't be asking, "What's selling?"

I'd be asking, "What isn't everyone else selling?"

The best businesses I've seen don't win because they have the cheapest product. They win because they have something customers remember. Whether that's a unique product, exceptional quality, personalization, or a great buying experience, they give people a reason to stop at their booth instead of the five booths next to them.

Craft shows aren't getting less competitive. Every year there are more vendors entering the market, which means standing out matters more than ever. I'd rather spend my time building something different than trying to become the tenth person at an event selling the exact same thing.