How to Do Product Research Before You Sell Anything
Prove people are searching for it
Type the product into Google and marketplaces. Look for active listings with recent reviews, 'people also search for' suggestions, and questions people ask in forums — unmet questions are product opportunities.
Read the one-star reviews
Competitors' negative reviews are free research. Repeated complaints about size, quality or instructions tell you exactly how to differentiate — or warn you the product category is trouble.
- Note the three most repeated complaints
- Check if you can realistically fix the top one
- If complaints are about the product itself, walk away
Run the margin maths honestly
Product cost + shipping + platform fees + ad cost + returns. If nothing is left, no amount of marketing saves the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much competition is too much?
If the first page is all giant brands with thousands of reviews and you have no angle, pick a narrower niche within the category.