The Hottest Ecommerce Businesses to Start in 2014 (Infographic) A look at the areas in ecommerce where the little guys have the most potential to make a big splash.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Being the big guy has its moments. Football, for example, tends to favor the larger fellows. But on the digital playing field, being little - as long as you're fast and nimble - can be a win.

If you are looking for blockbuster ecommerce business ideas that favor the small, check out this infographic (below) from Austin, Texas-based ecommerce platform-making company Bigcommerce. Analyzing data provided by 50,000 of its own clients for the past year, Bigcommerce determined that auto, jewelry, toys and games and pet care are fast-growing areas where one-of-a-kind merchants are outperforming their big-box or chain store peers.

For example, auto e-tailers are beating the pants off the likes of AutoZone, independent sporting goods e-tailers are growing faster than REI and Cabela and ecommerce craft stores are hopscotching over big names like Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby. By the same token, Toys-R-US and American Girl web stores are not growing as quickly as their smaller toy ecommerce counterparts, Bigcommerce data shows.

Here is the infographic with more granular data breaking down growth of revenue per store, size of order and number of stores in various online industries.

Click to Enlarge+

The Hottest Ecommerce Businesses to Start in 2014 (Infographic)

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

What's Open on Easter Sunday? Costco and Target Will Close, But One Major Retailer Will Be Open. Here's What To Know.

The stock market was closed for Good Friday on April 18. Here's what's closed for Easter Sunday, April 20.

Side Hustle

This Couple Started a Side Hustle to Improve a 'Terribly Made' Bathroom Essential. Now the Business Earns More Than $3 Million a Year.

Michael Fine and Lisa Schulner-Fine launched lifestyle brand Quiet Town in 2016 and have been growing it ever since.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Living

The 3 Lifestyle Habits That Made Me Sharper, Stronger and More Successful

These three simple yet powerful lifestyle changes transformed my productivity, energy and mindset. Here's how you can do the same.

Business Solutions

You and Your Kids Can Develop Future-Proof Tech Skills for Only $56

Develop future-proof tech skills even if you have no previous tech experience, such as data storytelling, Python, ChatGTP, Internet of Things and more.

Marketing

If You're Using ChatGPT This Way as a Marketer, You're Missing Out on Its Full Potential. Here's How to Maximize Your Results.

The real value of AI isn't in what you ask — it's in how you shape the conversation. Mastering prompt interactions means better content, sharper thinking and fewer generic outputs.