11 Most Profitable Mall Kiosk Business Ideas

Look no further than our list of the most profitable mall kiosk business ideas if you are planning on opening a kiosk in your local shopping mall.

Mall kiosks have become larger over the years, with more customized designs being introduced, so that the retailer can make them more visually appealing and advertise a particular brand if they wish. This makes more of an impact on the customer, but, of course, more customization comes with a larger price. People who are willing to pay not a cent more than 10,000 bucks for a kiosk unit, end up getting a bill of $18,000-$30,000. So it’s just about maintaining a balance between the price and the design.

The cost you will have to bear will also be affected by the location you have chosen. For example, if you wish to start your business in one of these 11 high end shopping malls in America, it might be more expensive.

Design and price are obviously not the only things that a retailer needs to worry about when starting a business. In addition to being aware of the licensing agreements prevailing in the desired location, a thorough research on the target audience and other aspects of the shopping mall is highly recommended. You can find a step by step procedure on starting a kiosk business on Entrepreneur, but if you want help in deciding what products you should display and sell at your kiosk, then keep reading our article on the most profitable mall kiosk business ideas.

To prepare our list, we combed the internet and decided to use the 17th Annual Guide to Cart & Kiosk Startup Packages issued by Specialty Retail, a magazine dedicated to “the promotion, growth and success of the specialty retail industry”. The products with the most recommendations made our list. Read ahead to find out more!

11. Massage Products and Services

Every shopping mall these days has a kiosk dedicated to massages. They usually house massage chairs that people tired of walking through the mall can utilize. Foot massages are also a possibility, but probably not a body massage since you have an open area as your place of business. Along with this service, massage products are also available at such outlets and both combined will be extremely profitable for your business.

10. Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes, were surprisingly one of the most recommended products as their acclaim is growing with time. In fact, with the younger population of the US, electronic cigarettes are more popular than regular cigarettes.

9. Eyewear

Selling eyewear at the mall is also a great way to earn some money. Sunglasses are usually the only product that kiosks are comfortable selling,  but you can expand if you wish to. For example, frames for eye glasses can be displayed beneath your glass counter while you can take orders for contact lenses as well. Since a prescription from an eye doctor is necessary for spectacles or lenses, you can get glasses made to order once a customer presents his particular prescription.

It is much more effective if the kiosk is in a conspicuous position for a product like this one. Secondly, it is important to know your customers. Sunglasses will probably be purchased by an impulse buyer: someone who passes by sees the display and suddenly remembers – Oh, I need new sunglasses! Eyeglasses are obviously more of necessity. Someone who requires them should remember your kiosk and how easily accessible it is.

8. Household Items

A kiosk selling household items, which rank 8th on our list of most profitable mall kiosk business ideas, always makes people remember what they had to purchase for their house but kept forgetting. These can include any type of home accessories: like bed linens, bedroom slippers, rugs, even kitchenware. Make sure you keep the display as diverse as possible in order to attract hordes of people. After all, you can never have too many customers, can you?

7. Snacks and Beverages

With delicious fragrances emanating from a kiosk full of mouth-watering treats, who wouldn’t be tempted? Things like peanuts, biscuits, pretzels, and donuts are high sellers in a crowded shopping mall. It is hard to walk by without buying something and you can take advantage of that. You can get cooking equipment for your kiosk, like grills, deep fryers and ovens, and sell freshly cooked items. Other possibilities include selling packed or processed food, juices, shakes and smoothies as well. And now, let’s see what else we have on our list of most profitable mall kiosk business ideas.

6. Gift Items

You can open your own mini gift shop at the mall. Many walkers-by who just stroll into the mall without the faintest idea of the gift they are going to buy for their loved one, but hoping to get inspiration, might get it from your outlet. Not only that, but you can begin a packaging service too, which would definitely add to your profits.

5. Customized Products

Customization is an interesting business that can be done in a wide variety of ways which is why it has made it to our list of 11 most profitable mall kiosk business ideas. You can print people’s names, initials or their desired piece of writing on anything they bring you. It could be a T-shirt, a wallet, a mug, a mobile case or any number of items. Or you can customize the items that you sell. Then you could give discounts if a customer purchases one and then requests to customize it. Since the rates will be a little bit higher for a product that is brought to you only for customization, customers will be tempted to purchase from you, increasing your sales greatly.

4. Toys and Games

Housing toys in your kiosk will attract eager kids towards you dragging their parents along with them. With kids as the targeted audience for such products, you need to make sure that the kiosk has quite a visual impact. Furthermore, the toys displayed should be such that they appeal to all types of kids: sporty, princessy, artsy, your kiosk should have them all. Video games and board games, on the other hand, can also attract a large customer base.

3. Gadgets and Related Accessories

Music players, portable DVD players, phones, tablets and other gadgets are products which are fit to be sold at a place with a swarming crowd. Cell phone accessories can also be placed in the display to entice more customers. In fact, phone cases are one of the most popular items to sell in a mall. However, at a shopping mall, it is important not to deal with extremely expensive items. Products of a low price range should be made available because it is not likely that a high luxury gadget will be bought at a mall kiosk.

2. Cosmetics

With cosmetics, the target clientele is mostly female, and there can be a very diverse range of products. Makeup, hair styling products, lotions, perfumes, skincare products, there are endless possibilities. Once your business picks up a little, you can also start different types of services that would give your customers an even better experience. For example, someone who buys nail polish from your kiosk can get her nails painted. If you don’t know how to perform this kind of service, you can always hire someone. And now, let’s see the number one on our list of most profitable mall kiosk business ideas.

1. Accessories and Clothing Items

With a mall full of shops which are packed with clothes, you might be thinking that clothing items will be hard to sell. But it’s quite the opposite. Accessories and clothes had the most recommendations and anyway, clothes always sell in shopping malls, right? The catch is that you have to be unique. Keep your prices extremely reasonable without compromising on the quality. Maintain a balance between both of them and your business may just pick up. Of course, clothing items are not the only things you should be selling at a kiosk like this one. There should be some variety which you can add with accessories like shoes, bags, jewelry, and scarves. When customers walk by seeing that they can purchase such a diverse range of items from the same place, they will surely eye your kiosk with interest.

That’s a wrap for our list of 11 most profitable mall kiosk business ideas. Be sure to pick the one that you love to deal with and have the most knowledge about. Your business will reflect your interest and most certainly thrive!