Winter is here and people would be buying sweaters, blankets, room heaters etc. But some people would think what else they can sell in winter and earn money out of it.

There are various things which you can sell in winter. Starting from winter wear, hot drinks to laundry services. Even some tourist attractions become busy in winter.

Depending upon your location you can have some of these ideas running for profit. For example if you live in Delhi or Shimla then you can start a woollen wear shop but if your city doesn’t get very cold then you can think of other options.

Here are some winter business ideas that you can try.

Whether you are a student or starting out in the business world, these 20 winter business ideas will help you make money during winter.

We will go over all the 20 winter business ideas in India along with who your target customer will be. We will also look into how much you can invest in the business and how to pick the right one for winter.

Why Should You Start A Business In Winter?

There are a lot of changes that occur in a person’s life when it’s winter. They start buying warmer clothes, blankets, heaters etc.

You can also look into other areas that can become profitable in winter like travelling, wedding season, clothes, etc.

Here are some reasons why you should consider starting a winter business.

• Demand for certain products: If it’s very cold in your city then there will be a high demand for products like jackets, room heaters and blankets.
• Winter Weddings: There are lots of weddings held during winter. So you can look into businesses like clothes or food which are in high demand during this time.
• Travelling: There are some places that only become busy during winter. So if your city falls in that category then you can look into starting a winter travel business.
• Some of these ideas can be started from home. You can either start with stalls or sell online.

Keep in mind that the weather plays a big role when it comes to winter. So know your market before investing money into a business.

20 Best Winter Business Ideas

Let’s take a look at 20 business ideas that you can try in winter. Some of these you can even run throughout the year.

1. Sell Clothes During Winter

One of the obvious things you can sell in winter is clothes. People will be buying sweaters, jackets, hoodies, thermals, gloves, woollen caps etc.

You can start a small stall during winter or sell clothes through social media. You can also open up a shop.

Depending on your location you can decide what to sell. If it gets extremely cold in your city then you can sell thicker jackets and sweaters. But if it’s slightly warm then you can sell light jackets.

Tip: Start with a small quantity of clothes. If it’s winter then you can only sell certain sizes and cheaper options. So don’t invest a lot of money into clothes.

2. Laundry & Dry Cleaning Business

When it’s winter you can start a laundry and dry cleaning business.

Clothes like coats, sweaters and other thick clothes may not be easy to wash and dry. People will prefer to give them to a professional for washing and ironing.

You can offer washing, ironing, dry cleaning etc.

You can start on your own or join a franchise like mr. blue.

Laundry can be done in summers too. So you can continue with this business all year round.

3. Start A Tea/Coffee Stall

What’s better than drinking a hot cup of tea during a cold winter day.

You can set up a tea and coffee stall outside an office building or near a college.

Sell tea, coffee, chocolates etc.

You can start with a few options and add more as per your requirement.

Just make sure that your place is clean and you maintain the right taste. Also check on the cost of items you use to prepare tea and coffee.

Tip: Add combos like tea and pakora’s or coffee and sandwich.

4. Sell Blankets And Rajais

Blankets are another product you can sell in winter. Especially if your city is very cold.

You can sell cotton filled rajais, fleece blankets, woolen blankets, light blankets etc.

If you are a small seller then you can source products from a wholesaler and start selling them.

Make sure to keep in mind the quality of the blanket, warmth it provides, price and sizes.

Don’t over buy if you don’t know the demand of your city.

5. Sell Room Heaters And Geysers

During winter people need room heaters and geysers to stay warm.

You can open an appliance shop and sell room heaters and geysers.

You can also repair and install these products. But it’s advised that you hire someone who knows about these products.

6. Start A Food Stall

During cold weather people love to have hot food.

You can open a small stall and sell soups, momos, pakora’s, sweet corn, peanuts etc.

Find a location that is busy and can generate you enough profit.

You don’t have to sell many items. Just a couple will be enough to keep your business going.

Before starting your stall find out the cost of ingredients and any losses that can occur due to food wastage. Make sure you have registered your food business as well.

7. Sell Scarves, Gloves Etc.

People might not want to buy new winter jackets but they will definitely want to buy scarves, gloves and other accessories.

You can sell mufflers, gloves, socks, caps etc.

These will take less space to display compared to jackets and coats.

You can sell them at a stall, store, online or even through social media.

Try to sell comfortable products that your customer can afford.

8. Start A Winter Tourism Business

There are many places that get cold during winter and become tourist spots. Like Manali, Shimla, Auli etc.

You can start a tourism business and help tourists book hotels and cabs.

Make sure to work with trusted hotels and cab drivers.

Weather may change at any time so you need to be flexible with your customers.

9. Home Cleaning Services

During winter people tend to use carpets, rugs, curtains etc. You can offer them a cleaning service.

You can offer carpet cleaning, sofa cleaning, mattress cleaning etc.

Sometimes people may need their house cleaned before a family function or festival.

Start with a small area and build on your customer base.

Use the right chemicals and equipment to clean carpets.

10. Sell Skincare Products

Winter can cause dry skin which means more people will be looking to buy skincare products.

You can sell moisturiser, lip balm, hand cream etc.

You can either sell branded products or start your own line of skincare products. But remember that you will need to follow safety measures and guidelines if you’re selling your own products.

Don’t advertise the medical benefits of your products.

Understand your customer and what they are willing to spend on products.

11. Dry Fruits Business

People love to buy dry fruits during winter. You can start selling dry fruits and nuts.

Almonds, cashews, walnuts, raisins etc.

You can start by buying packed dry fruits and selling them at your shop.

Quality of dry fruits should be maintained. If you’re selling dry fruits for gifting then pack them nicely.

12. Homemade Soup Business

If you know how to cook soup then you can start selling them to people.

Target office goers, students etc. You can make different types of soup like tomato soup, veg soup etc.

Take advance orders from people or sell at a particular time.

Make sure that your food stays at the right temperature and you use hygienic methods.

13. Wedding Decorator

There are many weddings that happen during winter. You can become a decorator for those weddings.

You can decorate the stage, entry gate, flower decorations etc.

You can start with small functions and move towards bigger weddings.

Make sure you have good vendors and staff who can handle multiple weddings.

14. Bonfire Party

During winter you can organise bonfire parties for people.

You can charge them for arranging the bonfire and provide them with chairs and food.

Don’t just limit to bonfires you can provide other services as well.

Make sure the place allows bonfires and you have proper ventilation.

15. Shoes Store

People who buy clothes during winter will also need shoes.

You can sell boots, shoes and other footwear.

Depending on your location you can sell waterproof shoes as well.

Focus on comfort and quality of shoes rather than how they look.

You can also sell socks and other shoe related products.

16. Knit Woollens

If you are good at knitting then you can sell woollens in winter.

You can knit mufflers, caps, baby clothes, gloves etc.

Some people may prefer to buy handmade products. So you can take orders from your customers.

Find out how much it costs you to knit one product and sell it at an appropriate price.

17. Photographer

There are many functions that take place in winter. So you can become a photographer.

You can shoot for weddings, family functions, pre-wedding shoots etc.

If you have a good camera and editing skills then you can start on your own.

Agree with your client on what you will provide and how much you will charge for travel and editing.

18. Repairing Heaters/Geysers

If you have knowledge about repairing room heaters and geysers then you can start a repair service.

Many houses will have room heaters and geysers installed. They will need servicing and repairs from time to time.

You can provide services like checking the appliance, repairing and installing new ones.

Make sure that the person doing the repair has the required knowledge.

19. Gift Hampers

You can create winter gift hampers for people.

Combine different products together like mufflers, socks, tea/coffee packets, dry fruits etc.

You can sell these hampers to companies or families.

You can take advance orders from your customers.

Don’t go overboard with the packaging of your hampers. If you’re including edible or cosmetic products make sure they are packed properly.

20. Air Purifiers

During winter some cities have bad air quality. So you can sell air purifiers and service them.

Sell different types of air purifiers and provide them with maintenance.

Know about the air purifiers you’re selling and what they cover.

Not every city will require this business so make sure you know your market.

What Business Should I Start Based On My Investment?

Depending on your investment you can try out some of the ideas above.

If you want to invest less money you can try out some of the following.

• Tea stall
• Woollen accessories
• Food stall
• Handmade products

If you can invest a little more then you can look into

• Clothes shop
• Gift hampers
• Dry fruits
• Shoe store

If you have more money to invest then you can try out

• Appliance shop
• Laundry & Dry cleaning
• Events
• Travel business

These are just rough estimates. You can spend more or less depending on your requirements.

If you’re starting from your home you will need less money to invest than opening a shop.

How To Pick The Right Business Idea

There are many things to consider before picking a winter business idea.

• Know your market: Depending on your location you can have certain business ideas. Find out what people need in your city and sell to them.
• Investment: Figure out how much money you will need to start the business. This includes machines, raw material, transportation, rent, advertisements etc.
• Competitors: Check your competitors and see what they are charging for their products. You can then compete with them and provide your customers with something they don’t have.
• Start selling early: Don’t wait until the last minute to start selling your products. Make sure you have your products ready when people start demanding them.
• After winter: When winter ends your business may slow down. So you can think of other things you can sell to your customers.

Should I Start A Seasonal Or Non Seasonal Business?

Starting a seasonal business can be a good option if you want to test out a business idea. You won’t have to spend a lot of money on a shop.

But you will only make money during a particular season. So you need to keep that in mind.

For example if you sell winter accessories you will have less sales during summer.

If you start a laundry and dry cleaning business then you can sell your services all year round. You can also add cleaning of woollens, quilts etc. during winter.

Both can be profitable depending on what you want to do.

Conclusion

These were some of the best business ideas you can start during winter.

Just because a business idea is popular doesn’t mean it will work for you. You need to look at your location, customers and other factors.

If you want to start a small business then you can look into some of the retail ideas mentioned above. But if you want to start a business that you can continue after winter then look into laundry and dry cleaning, cleaning services or appliance repair.

Find out what your customers want and try to satisfy that.

Frequently Asked Questions