What store to open in 2025 in Ukraine?

Is it worth opening a store in Ukraine in 2025?

Trading has always been a profitable trade for those who know how to see what people need right now and organize the supply of these goods to the consumer. 

So, if you want to start a business in 2025, the question is not whether to open a store, but what kind of store to open and what to sell. To do this, you need to analyze what Ukrainians bought in 2023-2024 and what they will buy in 2025.

What did the demand for increased in 2023-2024?

Ukrainians buy more pet products during the war (by 27% compared to the pre-war period). In 2024, most pet products were purchased in offline stores. The demand for travel bags, thermal underwear, sleeping bags, tents, flashlights, batteries, solar panels and generators, table lamps, books in Ukrainian, protective equipment, drones, and used household appliances has increased. There is a stable demand for food, alcoholic beverages, children's products, stationery, household and business supplies, detergents, hygiene and skin care products.

What to sell offline?

People prefer traditional stores to buy food, alcoholic beverages, pet products, household chemicals, hygiene and skin care products, everyday household goods, stationery, used household appliances and furniture, and houseplants.

What to sell online?

Online shoppers most often order electronics, household appliances, cosmetics and perfumes, clothing and footwear, sports equipment and sportswear, and backpacks. 

Which store is better — offline or online?

Traditional offline store

Despite the active development of online commerce, online stores have not replaced traditional ones. Owners of traditional stores continue to make high profits and open more and more offline outlets. 

Why do customers choose a traditional store?

Accessibility. Offline stores are physically closer to customers, making it easier to access goods and services.

Urgent purchase. People often need to buy something urgently: they've run out of bread, sugar, salt, matches, etc.; they've suddenly been invited to a birthday party and need a gift for today; something is broken and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. In such situations, customers go to the nearest store, not online.

Instant receipt of goods. No need to wait for the delivery of the goods — you pay and take them.

You can hold it in your hands and look at it. It is more pleasant to choose a real product rather than a virtual one, and this is what shopping therapy provides. People sometimes go shopping just to walk around the stores, like in galleries and museums, to breathe in the pleasant aromas of a sales area with cosmetics and flowers, to see what's new in the grocery store, to feel the delicate textiles of clothes or a plush toy. But after holding the product in their hands, customers have a desire to buy it, and most of the sudden purchases are made offline.

Less risk of disappointment. "Eyes have seen what they bought" — the customer is sure that they are paying money for the exact product they will receive and can try it, measure it, check it without leaving the cash register or even before buying it. The ability to assess the quality of goods before buying is a significant advantage of a traditional store.

Personal communication. Customers can talk to salespeople live, ask questions and hear answers immediately, and get advice. This gives them a much-needed sense of confidence that they will be heard, and their issues will be resolved.

Advantages of a traditional offline store for the owner

It's easier to get regular customers — Customers know what you sell and where to find you. When a customer searches for a product online, they look at offers from different sellers and choose the most favorable one. If the customer buys in a traditional store, he does not look for offers around the city every time, but goes either to his favorite store or to the nearest one.

Greater trust. In an offline store, customers usually know the sellers and sometimes even the owners, so it's easier to gain customer trust. Therefore, having a physical store strengthens the brand's reputation and raises the company's status.

Less competition. The competition is territorial — you compete mainly with the stores closest to you, not with all the stores in Ukraine and the world. 

More room for promotion. You can also advertise your store in all online ways, on social networks, YouTube, and in real life — hand out leaflets, business cards, create the right atmosphere in the store with decorations and music.

Less costs and hassle with delivery. 

• There is no need to pack and send each purchase by delivery services, you just need to organize the delivery of goods to the store.

• You don't need to buy boxes, crates, film, and other consumables to pack your parcels.

• Paid goods cannot be lost, damaged, or broken on the way to the buyer, because they fall into their hands immediately after payment. 

• There are no risks of "received someone else's order", "wrong address", "the parcel was not picked up", etc. delivery troubles.

Less stress with returns. All customers have the right to return goods within 14 days of making a purchase. This is not a pleasant event for the seller, and when the goods still need to be delivered from the customer and a replacement or refund sent to them remotely, the return process becomes a whole problem. In a traditional store, it's easier to return and replace goods, and more importantly, it's easier to resolve a dispute and protect yourself from unfair returns and increase the number of effective sales. 

What store to open in 2025?

1. Pet products: everything for keeping pets, food, accessories, care products

• Advantages: growing demand, low competition, small size of the premises.

• Disadvantages: it is difficult to choose the assortment at first — you should consider which pets are popular in the area of your store; you need to take into account the shelf life and storage method of loose food so that it does not spoil and is safe; you need specialized equipment, such as aquariums, filters, etc. and animal care in case of selling not only accessories but also live animals.

2. Grocery store: staple foods, water, juices, other beverages, milk and dairy products, fruits, vegetables, organic products. 

To increase interest in the store, you can add separate shelves with products for people with dietary requirements: gluten-free, lactose-free, glucose-free products, and mark lean products with special labels for the Lenten season.

• Advantages: It is a basic necessity product, without which it is impossible to survive, so there is always a demand for food.

• Disadvantages: you need to have a large assortment of goods; limited shelf life, special conditions for storing food — some food requires refrigerators, low humidity; the possibility of inspections by sanitary and epidemiological services.

3. Alcoholic beverages: beer and other low-alcohol beverages, wine, spirits.

• Advantages: stable demand, long shelf life, boom in sales on holidays and weekends.

• Disadvantages: increased reporting requirements, excise stamps and excise tax, licenses, age restrictions; difficult to advertise and recruit qualified personnel.

4. Everyday household goods, hygiene products and household chemicals: light bulbs, batteries, matches, lighters, dishes, sponges, kitchen sponges, detergents and laundry detergents, shampoos, shower gels, toothpastes, soaps, laundry detergents, etc.

• Advantages: high demand — these are consumable goods, so stocks need to be replenished; hardly competes with online — these are exactly the products that are bought in convenience stores; long shelf life and easy to store.

• Disadvantages: you need to have a large assortment of goods; competition with store chains such as EVA.

5. Children's store: clothes, toys, creative kits, accessories for holidays and everything for children 

• Advantages: people try not to save money on children, so even if the economic situation worsens, these products remain in demand; children grow up quickly, so customers will come back to buy the next size or a toy for a bigger age; there are Ukrainian manufacturers, which is convenient for forming the assortment.

• Disadvantages: you need to have a large assortment of goods; increased requirements for the safety and quality of materials of toys and clothing; high competition.

6. Stationery: everything for school and office, notebooks, notebooks, pens, plasticine, paints, cardboard, etc.

• Advantages: stable demand — you can't do without these things while studying and working; there are many domestic manufacturers, which makes it easier to arrange delivery of goods to the store; these are consumables, so customers will come back.

• Disadvantages: you need to have a large assortment of goods; seasonality — most people buy in August and September, and in the summer you have to temporarily reorient the store and add seasonal summer goods, usually toys and leisure items.

7. Used appliances and furniture: appliances that are expensive in new condition, such as refrigerators, televisions, electric stoves, boilers for autonomous heating, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, microwaves, furniture, such as cabinets, cabinets, tables, sofas, beds, including baby seats, strollers, cribs, and play mats.

• Advantages: low competition — there are no major players in this market — chain stores, supermarkets, online stores; this is the equipment that is better sold offline because buyers are afraid of whether it is in good condition and prefer to check the goods before buying; growing demand for used items due to the following factors: people have to move around the country and there is a need to quickly and cheaply equip a new place of residence, buyers are increasingly not ready to invest heavily in new equipment for fear of losing it, and the general deterioration of the economic situation. 

• Disadvantages: the goods need to be prepared for sale — usually, some appliances and furniture are broken and need to be repaired, and the goods may be dirty, worn out and need to be cleaned, painted, etc.It is difficult to find a supplier — there are no manufacturers of used goods, so you often have to buy goods from users by the handful, not in bulk; it is difficult to form an assortment — the used goods market does not always have exactly what you have already sold, so the goods are constantly different; customers may want a guarantee for at least a short period of time.

8. Home and garden products: everything you might need in your household, garden furniture, appliances, tools, etc.

• Advantages: stable demand, wide range of products, long shelf life.

• Disadvantages: you need to have a large assortment of goods; some goods are difficult to transport; some goods are not essentials, so if the population lacks money, demand for them will fall first, for example, for garden furniture.

Online store

In 2023, Ukrainians made 12% more online purchases than in previous years. In 2024, the popularity of online commerce continues to grow, so it's a good idea to open your own online store. 

Why is an online store better than a regular one?

Cheaper business start-up. Creating and maintaining your own online store is cheaper than an offline outlet: you save on rent and maintenance of retail space, and you need fewer staff.

Fewer inspections. The online store is not inspected by firefighters, the sanitary and epidemiological service, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, and similar organizations. But tax inspections do take place.

Favorable working hours. You can earn money around the clock. It is not necessary for employees to have night shifts — you can set up your online store so that customers can place orders at any time of the day.

Safer. The popularity of online shopping in Ukraine is growing because:

• during the military operations in Ukraine, it is safer to buy from home, 

• you can sell online during air raid alerts, curfews, and quarantine,

• It is more convenient for a customer to choose a product and order it in an online store with home delivery if they are tired after work, sick, or simply do not have the desire and mood to spend time shopping.

Cover a larger sales territory. You can sell your goods to other cities and abroad by arranging the delivery of parcels by a transport company, such as Nova Poshta. You can synchronize your online store with Ukrposhta and Nova Poshta delivery services so that sending parcels takes a minimum of time.

What kind of online store to open? 

1. Electronics and home appliances: smartphones, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, drones, smartwatches and other gadgets.

• Advantages: the demand for equipment is constantly growing; the goods are small and lightweight, which is convenient for delivery; a wide range of prices from cheap to expensive.

• Disadvantages: the old model loses its popularity and value when a new one appears; the possibility of a "technique does not work" situation.

2. Cosmetics and care products: cosmetics, skin and hair care products, children's and adult hygiene.

• Advantages: high margins; the ability to promote through bloggers and influencers; small-sized products are easy to ship by mail; people are in no hurry to save money on personal care, so the economic situation has a slower impact on this market.

• Disadvantages: a large assortment of goods is required; high competition in the market.

3. Fashionable clothes and accessories: men's, children's, women's clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry.

• Advantages: you can advertise through social networks and bloggers; it is convenient to deliver; there is a choice among domestic manufacturers and well-known brands.

• Disadvantages: many suppliers sell goods in size ranges with limited demand for certain sizes; the likelihood of returning goods due to "size not suitable".

4. Sporting goods and outdoor activities: sportswear, sneakers, fitness equipment, bicycles, backpacks for hiking, tents, etc.

• Advantages: growing interest in sports equipment, especially tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, and anything else that may be needed for survival in the field; the opportunity to cooperate with sports institutions, coaches, and athletes.

• Disadvantages: some products are large in size and weight; you need to be well versed in the nuances of the product to successfully select the assortment.

5. New home appliances: small household appliances, electric kettles, fans, toasters, microwaves, water heaters, solar panels, generators, gas and electric stoves, including autonomous portable stoves for cooking with small gas cylinders up to 400 ml. 

• Advantages: the ability to cooperate with manufacturers and purchase goods in bulk, including with a manufacturer's warranty; stable demand for household appliances, especially small and portable ones; the ability to cooperate with banks to provide goods in installments.

• Disadvantages: some products are large and weight; high competition among offline and online home appliance stores, hypermarkets, and marketplaces, such as Comfy, Rozetka, and others.

Golden mean

To maximize the number of sales, it is best to open an offline store with an online store together. This is not difficult, since you can create an online store in 1 day and install an accounting program that will synchronize information about products and sales in both your stores. With Torgsoft you can manage several stores simultaneously from one program: the program will record online and offline sales, adjust warehouse balances, keep records at all points of sale simultaneously, calculate employee salaries, adjust the cost of goods in accordance with the exchange rate if necessary. All this and more, the Torgsoft accounting program will perform for you at all your accounting centers simultaneously. So starting your own business is easy.

Useful links:

How to choose a name for your store

How to conduct competitive analysis and why 

What are trendy and high-margin products?

What is automation, and why is it needed?

Free video tutorials of the Torgsoft accounting program on YouTube

Accounting and automation courses from Torgsoft