Quote from James A.Hart on July 17, 2025, 12:09 am

Before you launch a product, it’s important to understand what your target customers actually want. You don’t need fancy tools or expensive surveys — just pay attention to where people are already talking and buying. Two of the best places to do this are Amazon and Reddit.

Here’s how to use both platforms to gather real, actionable insights before launching your business.

1. Start With the Products Your Audience Already Buys

Let’s say you already have a clear picture of who you want to serve — maybe moms who do CrossFit, or digital nomads who travel light. The next step is to list four products this audience already purchases.

Why four?
Because if you can’t name at least four things they’re already buying, you probably don’t know the market well enough — or you’re not really interested in it.

For example, if your person is a biohacker, common products might include:

• Coffee blends
• MCT oil
• Protein bars
• Collagen supplements

This step is not about creating your own version of these products yet. It’s about identifying what’s already working.

2. Dive Into Amazon Reviews

Once you’ve listed those four products, head to Amazon.

Search for each item and start reading reviews — especially the 3-star and 4-star ones. These usually contain useful feedback: things people liked, things they didn’t, and what they wish the product had.

Look for patterns:

• Are people unhappy with packaging?
• Do they say the product is effective but bland?
• Is it great quality but not made for their lifestyle or identity?

You’re not trying to out-engineer the competition. You’re looking for opportunities to be more specific to your target customer.

3. Use Reddit to Hear Honest Opinions

Reddit is a goldmine of unfiltered feedback. Find subreddits where your target audience hangs out. If you’re selling to paleo diet followers, look into r/paleo. If it’s new moms, try r/beyondthebump or r/babyledweaning.

Search for threads discussing the products you listed earlier. Pay attention to:

• Complaints
• Recommendations
• Brand loyalty (or lack of it)
• Gaps they mention (e.g., “Why isn’t there a version of this for people like me?”)

These comments can reveal where people feel underserved — and that’s where your brand can step in.

4. Focus on What Feels Missing

Sometimes, people aren’t looking for a better product — they’re looking for a brand that speaks to them.

That means:

• Same product, but better packaging.
• Same features, but different positioning.
• Same ingredients, but framed for a different identity.

If no brand is speaking directly to your person, that’s your opening. You don’t need to invent something new. You just need to make it feel like it was made for them.

5. Key Principle: “Different” Beats “Better”

You don’t need the best formula, the best hardware, or the best sourcing. What you need is a product that’s different in a way that feels personal.

That difference could come from:

• Packaging
• Story
• Marketing copy
• Community involvement

In short: make people feel like this is “their brand,” and you’ll win — even if other products are technically better.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need luck or genius to spot product opportunities. Just listen carefully.

Amazon shows what people are buying. Reddit shows what they’re saying. If you study both, patterns will emerge — and those patterns are where real brands begin.

Start there. Observe, don’t invent. Listen, don’t guess.
And you’ll be much closer to building a product that people don’t just buy — they believe in.