The most common mistake new sellers make is building something nobody’s looking for. An hour of checking now can save you weeks. Good news: competition is a good sign. It means people buy this.
Step 1: what’s already out there (Grok)
Competitor scan Grok
I'm thinking of selling [your idea] to [your buyer]. Find similar products for sale right now (on marketplaces, creator shops and blogs). For each: what it is, the price, how many reviews or sales it seems to have, and what buyers praise or complain about. Link every one. Then tell me what seems to be missing.
Click through to a few of the listings yourself. Read the 3-star reviews: that’s where buyers say what they wish existed.
Step 2: what moms are saying (Grok)
What’s the real problem Grok
What are moms posting on X and elsewhere about [the problem your product solves] lately? What are they frustrated with, what have they tried, and what words do they use to describe it? Quote short examples and link them.
Save the exact words moms use. They become your product title and description in Module 6.
Step 3: find your gap (Claude)
Where do I fit? Claude
Here's research on products like mine and what buyers are saying: [paste Grok's answers]. Help me find a gap I could fill. Suggest 3 ways my product could be clearly different: a more specific buyer, a missing feature, a better format, or a different style. For each, say how I'd describe it in one sentence. Point out anything in the research that looks unreliable.
Step 4: ask real moms
AI research tells you what’s out there. Real people tell you if they’d buy yours. Ask 5 to 10 moms in your life or your online groups (where self-promotion is allowed):
- “Do you struggle with [problem]? What do you do about it now?”
- “If there was a [product] that [what it does], would you use it?”
- “What would make it worth $[price] to you?”
Listen for “Where can I get it?” That’s the green light. “That’s cute” is not.
Go, change or stop
- Go: others are selling it, buyers have complaints you can fix, and real moms said they want it.
- Change: lots of competition and no clear difference. Narrow your buyer or change the format.
- Stop: nobody’s selling anything like it and nobody’s asking. That’s usually a sign there’s no market, not a secret opportunity.
Try it tonight
Run the competitor scan for your top idea. Read five real 3-star reviews yourself. Text three moms the first question above.
