How These E-Commerce Side Hustlers Made $1,000+/Month

Forbes

12-05-2025

You don't need more resources; you need strategy
Imagine checking your phone during breakfast and realizing that you've raked in $1,000 or more that month…not from your job, but from your own side hustle. How would this improve your ability to live in comfort, pay off your debts, and cover your bills when the cost of living is already high? Picture the joy and satisfaction that would come from knowing that you just bumped up your salary by an extra $12,000 a year, all without needing to beg your employer for a raise.
That's the reality for a growing number of American professionals with e-commerce side hustles right now. A new survey of 1,000 American professionals by Omnisend revealed that of the respondents who did ecommerce as a side hustle, about 12% make $1,000 or more from their e-commerce side hustles each month. (The survey's findings were shared via email correspondence for this story.)
And they're not putting in excessive hours either. About 46% spend between five to 10 hours a week working on their business, while only a quarter report using 11-20 hours on their e-commerce business. And if you think you'd need extensive years of experience to achieve this level of success, you're wrong, because a sizeable proportion--a third of the e-commerce side hustlers surveyed--have only launched their side hustle less than a year ago. Some are as fresh as six months into their business.
So what is it that is making this small percentage of ecommerce side hustle businesses wildly successful?
According to the survey, these U.S. professionals share three tips or principles that they adhere to, which ensures long-term profitability and financial freedom (and these tips apply to other types of side hustles too so are not limited to ecommerce alone):
Many of these side hustle business owners bootstrapped and were financially savvy, funding their ventures on a shoestring budget. 'One-third launched their store with just $500–$1,000 of investment,' Omnisend analysts revealed. Their most common ongoing expenses are logistics (46%), equipment and supplies (36%), and marketing (29%).
This proves that you don't need enormous sums of money in your savings account to launch and grow a successful side hustle business. What matters more than the amount of money you have, is how strategic you are with where you allocate it in your business, and how you prioritize spend and reinvest your profits. You can turn a little into something lucrative if you spend wisely, start small, and be resourceful with what you already have.
These side hustlers defy conventional marketing wisdom. Instead of forking out money on PPC (pay-per-click) social media and Google ads, most of them are restricting their spend and committed to leveraging their own resources and online presence, which is free. They're getting traffic by building it with their own hands, not jumping on ad solutions.
The survey reports that about 57% rely on owned social media to drive traffic (this means their personal and business accounts which they manage and run), while only 25% use digital ads. 'Word-of-mouth (43%) and online marketplaces like Amazon (50%) remain critical. Email marketing (32%) plays a big role as well,' Ominsend continues.
Last but not least, technology advancements have made it tremendously easier than ever to start an ecommerce side hustle. 'Starting an ecommerce side hustle has never been more accessible,' says Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend. 'With tools like dropshipping, print-on-demand, and Shopify, anyone can go from idea to income with just a smartphone and a few spare hours.'
Some print-on-demand tools you can use include:
You can also use generative AI tools to help you create compelling sales copy, email marketing copy, and product page copy/product descriptions that are SEO-optimized. These tools save you time, especially when your schedule is limited due to work and other life constraints infringing on your day.
Being more lean is the name of the game. You don't need more time, more resources, or more investment. With your laptop and/or smartphone, a few hours, and a focus on strategy and sustainability, you can scale your ecommerce side hustle to bring in as much as $1,000 or more each month.
Being lean allows you to make and save more money
Today, your job is to find your niche and get started.