Using the Product Research Spreadsheet for Amazon FBA Success

2025-11-20

Overview: Organizing Your Product Research

One of the most powerful tools in your product research arsenal is a well-structured Product Research Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet consolidates all key data for potential products into a single location for easy comparison. At first, it may look a bit complicated, for example, lots of numbers and two different sections. But once you understand it, it becomes an invaluable decision-making guide. In this chapter, we’ll break down how to use the spreadsheet step by step, explain each section, and show you how to interpret the data to identify the best product opportunities.

Why use a spreadsheet for product research? It helps you keep track of essential metrics for each product idea, compare opportunities side by side, and make informed decisions based on data rather than guesswork. By filling out the sheet for dozens of product ideas, you’ll gain a comprehensive view of which niches have high demand and low competition. The goal is to find a product that many people want (high demand) but not many sellers offer (low competition), which is a recipe for a successful Amazon FBA product. The spreadsheet clearly highlights these factors so that you can spot the opportunities immediately.

Amazon keyword research dashboard with magnifying glass, search bar, charts, data tables, and analytics graphics, illustrating keyword analysis and marketplace performance tracking

Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Keywords (Product Type vs. Specific Product)

The spreadsheet is divided into two main sections, reflecting two levels of your product idea:

Product Type (Short-Tail Keyword): This is the broad category or overall product idea. A short-tail keyword is usually 1~2 words that describe the general product. For example, if you are considering a type of baby blanket used for infant photography and milestone tracking, the short-tail keyword might be “baby photo blanket.” This represents the overall market or niche category you’re investigating.
Specific Product (Long-Tail Keyword): Under each product type, you will list specific variations or niches of that product. A long-tail keyword is a more detailed phrase (usually 3~4 words) that describes a particular subset or specific use case of the product. Continuing the example above, specific products could be “baby photo blanket for twins” or “baby photo blanket with butterfly design.” These are precise niches or product angles within the broader category.

Why separate these? Because it’s essential to gauge both the overall market potential and the specific opportunity you might target. The short-tail Product Type tells you, “If I enter this market and eventually rank among the top products, how much could I sell per month?” Meanwhile, the long-tail Specific Product tells you, “What is a manageable entry point or sub-niche I can dominate as a new seller?”

In other words, the broad category data shows the ceiling for success if you become a top seller in that category, and the specific niche data shows a realistic starting point, which demonstrates a focused niche where you can aim to be the #1 seller. Often, you’ll start by targeting a specific niche (e.g., “baby photo blanket for twins”) and, by succeeding there, possibly grow into one of the top sellers of the broader category (baby photo blankets in general) over time.

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Key Data Points to Collect for Each Idea

For each product idea, both at the Product Type level and for each Specific Product variation. The spreadsheet has columns for several critical metrics. Here are the key data points you will collect, and why each is important:

Amazon Search Volume: Approximate number of searches per month for that keyword on Amazon. This indicates demand for Amazon itself. A higher Amazon search volume means more potential buyers are actively looking for that product. Use SellerSprite’s Keyword Research tool to find the monthly search volume on Amazon for both the broad category keyword and the specific long-tail keyword. This is a primary indicator of demand in the Amazon marketplace.
Google Search Volume: Approximate monthly searches for that keyword on Google. This reflects general interest in the product outside of Amazon. Suppose a product has significant Google search volume in addition to Amazon search volume. In that case, it suggests broader interest across the internet (people might be researching the product or looking to buy it elsewhere). You can obtain this number through SellerSprite’s tools or even Google’s Keyword Planner. It serves as an extra “leg” supporting the idea that demand is real and not just confined to Amazon.
Amazon Revenue (Top Sellers): This metric tells you how much money the top sellers are making with this product on Amazon. For a broad product type (category-level), record the average monthly revenue of the top 5 sellers on Amazon for that keyword. This gives a realistic benchmark of the market’s potential if you are to rank among the best. For example, if the top five listings for “baby photo blanket” make around $23k, $20k, $19k, $17k, and $16k per month, their average is about $19k/month; that’s the kind of revenue a top seller can expect in that category. For each specific product (niche variation), record the monthly revenue of the #1 top seller on Amazon for that exact long-tail keyword. This tells you the immediate potential of dominating that sub-niche. For instance, if the top seller for “baby photo blanket for twins” is making $13k/month, you know what the current ceiling is for that niche. SellerSprite’s product analysis tool or Chrome extension can estimate monthly revenues for listings. You can use these tools to gather revenue data (take the average of the top 5 for the broad category and note the #1 seller’s figure for each niche).
Etsy Revenue: The estimated monthly revenue of top sellers on Etsy for a similar product. Etsy is another popular marketplace (especially for handmade or niche products), and checking it can reveal additional demand that might not show up on Amazon. If a product is selling well on Etsy, it confirms there is multi-platform demand and maybe even that the product is underserved on Amazon. In the spreadsheet, for the broad category, you might note the highest monthly revenue of a top Etsy seller in that category. For each specific variation, you can also note if a similar product is selling on Etsy and how much the top seller makes. SellerSprite may offer some Etsy data; if not, you can do a quick manual check by searching the keyword on Etsy and seeing the top results. Sometimes the number of sales and price can give a rough estimate of monthly revenue (for example, if a listing has 500 sales and launched 6 months ago, it’s selling roughly 80 units a month; multiply by price to estimate revenue). Even a rough Etsy figure (say, “around $2,000/month for the top Etsy listing of this type”) is a valuable perspective. This metric is more of a supplementary indicator to reinforce demand.
Number of Competing Products (Amazon Page 1 Results): How many relevant products appear on the first page of Amazon search results for that keyword? In other words, when a customer searches for that exact term, how many direct competitors do they see immediately? Fewer results on page 1 generally indicate lower competition and a better chance for a new product to stand out. To get this number, search the long-tail keyword on Amazon and count the products on the first page that truly match the search term (ignore any sponsored ads or unrelated items). For example, if you search for “baby photo blanket for twins” and only 16 products show up, that’s a very low number, a strong sign of low competition. But if you search “baby photo blanket with butterfly design” and see 23 products that fit, that’s a bit more competition. A broad term like “baby photo blanket” might yield around 48 results on page 1 (Amazon usually shows around 48 items per page for broad searches). In our spreadsheet, we often highlight this cell in green when the number is very low (indicating an unsaturated niche) or in red when the number is high (very competitive) to help you visually spot competition levels at a glance.

By collecting these five data points for every product idea, you create a multi-dimensional picture of the opportunity. Think of each metric as one leg of a table: when all legs are strong, the table (the opportunity) is sturdy and promising. If one leg is weak (for example, high Amazon searches but almost no Google searches), the opportunity might be less stable or more uncertain. Using multiple metrics prevents you from relying on a single data source, which could be misleading. For instance, an Amazon-only view might miss broader interest outside Amazon, while focusing only on Google might miss the fact that people actually prefer to buy that item on Amazon. This well-rounded approach gives you confidence that a product idea is backed by consistent demand across platforms and that you’re aware of the competition you’d face.

Filling Out the Research Spreadsheet

Now that we know what each column in the spreadsheet means, let’s walk through how to fill it out during your product research process. The basic workflow is:

List a Broad Product Idea (Short-Tail Keyword): In the Product Type section of your spreadsheet, start by entering a broad product name or category you’re interested in. This goes in the Short-Tail Keyword column. It should be a 1~2-word description of the product. For example, you might write “Baby Photo Blanket” as a product type (our running example), or something like “Travel Mug”, “Yoga Mat”, “Pet Carrier”, etc. This is the starting point of your idea, the overall niche you want to explore.
Gather Category-Level Data: Using SellerSprite’s tools, fill in the data for this broad product type across the relevant columns in that row:
1. Amazon Search Volume: Find the approximate monthly Amazon searches for the short-tail keyword and enter it in the sheet.
2. Google Search Volume: Find the monthly Google searches for that keyword and enter it.
3. Top 5 Sellers’ Average Amazon Revenue: Perform a product analysis for that keyword on Amazon. Identify the monthly revenues of the top listings (the first page, or top 5 sellers) for the broad term. Calculate the average of the top 5 sellers’ revenue and record that number. (For example, if the top five “baby photo blanket” listings make $23k, $20k, $19k, $17k, and $16k a month, their average is roughly $19k. You would write 19,000 in this column.)
4. Top Etsy Seller Revenue: Check if this product category is sold on Etsy. If so, find a rough estimate of what a top seller in this category earns on Etsy per month and record that. (For instance, maybe the best-selling shop on Etsy for “baby photo blanket” makes about $3,000 a month). If the product isn’t sold on Etsy or data is unavailable, you can leave it blank or put “N/A”.

Once you’ve filled these in, you have one row completed in the Product Type section of your spreadsheet. This row gives you a snapshot of the overall market for that product idea.

Identify Specific Niches (Long-Tail Variations): Next, brainstorm and list specific sub-niches or variations of that product. These will go into the Specific Product section of the sheet as long-tail keywords related to the broad product type. To come up with good long-tail ideas, consider variations based on:
1. Target audience or use case: e.g., “…for twins,” “…for baby boys,” “…for baby girls” (in the case of baby blankets); or for a travel mug example: “…for kids,” “…for hikers,” “…for office workers.”
2. Design or style features: e.g., “with butterfly design,” “woodland theme” for blankets; or for mugs: “with floral print,” “sleek minimalist design.”
3. Specific features or sub-types: e.g., “waterproof version,” “insulated extra-large” version of a product; “solar-powered” variant, etc.

List each specific long-tail keyword idea in the Long-Tail Keyword column under the Specific Product section of the sheet. It’s helpful also to note which broad product type it belongs to (you might have a column for Product Type next to each long-tail entry, or color-code the rows, or group them in the spreadsheet). This way, you can keep track of which niche ideas fall under which broad category. For example, under the product type Baby Photo Blanket, you might list niche ideas like “baby photo blanket for twins,” “baby photo blanket for boys,” “baby photo blanket for girls,” “baby photo blanket with butterfly design,” etc., each on its own row in the Specific Product section.

Gather Data for Each Specific Product Idea: Now, for each long-tail variation you listed, use the research tools to fill in that row of data (just as you did for the broad idea):
1. Amazon Search Volume: Find the monthly Amazon search volume for the specific 3~4-word keyword (using SellerSprite Keyword Research) and record it.
2. Google Search Volume: Find the monthly Google searches for that exact phrase and record it.
3. #1 Amazon Seller Monthly Revenue: Search the long-tail keyword on Amazon, find the top-selling product that appears for that search term, and note its estimated monthly revenue. Essentially, when someone searches for that specific keyword, how much is the best-selling relevant product making per month? Enter that number in the sheet under “#1 AMZ Monthly Revenue” for that row.
4. Etsy Revenue: If that specific variation (or something very close) is being sold on Etsy, try to find the top seller’s monthly revenue for it and note it down. If the niche is particular and doesn’t exactly exist on Etsy, you can leave this blank or use the broader category’s Etsy figure as a reference.
5. Amazon Page 1 Products: Do a quick count on Amazon. Search the exact long-tail keyword and count how many relevant products show up on the first page. Count only those that truly match the niche (ignore sponsored listings that aren’t relevant and skip over any products that don’t fit the description). Enter that count in the sheet. This number tells you how many direct competitors a shopper sees immediately for that niche search term.

Repeat this data-gathering process for each specific product idea under the category. You will end up with several rows of data, all tied to one broad product type. If you have multiple product types you want to research, move on and start a new section of the spreadsheet for the next idea (go back to step 1 for the latest product type). By the end of your research phase, you had filled out data for 50 to 100 specific product ideas across 10~20 different broad product types. The more ideas and data you gather, the better your chances of finding a truly golden opportunity. It is a bit of work, but this comprehensive approach ensures you’re not just jumping on the first idea that looks good. Instead, you are systematically comparing many options to pick the best one.

Example: To illustrate, here’s a hypothetical excerpt from a research spreadsheet, showing one broad product type and a few specific niches under it (note: these numbers are made-up for demonstration, but reflect what such data might look like):

Product Type: Baby Photo Blanket
- Baby photo blanket for twins: Amazon volume: 500 searches/month; Google volume: 400; #1 Amazon seller revenue: $13,000/month; Etsy revenue: ~$500/month; Page 1 products: 16
- Baby photo blanket with butterfly design: Amazon volume: 100; Google volume: 70; #1 Amazon seller revenue: $7,000/month; Etsy revenue: ~$300/month; Page 1 products: 23
- Baby photo blanket for boys: Amazon volume: 1,300; Google volume: 0 (no significant Google traffic specifically for this phrase); #1 Amazon seller revenue: $17,000/month; Etsy revenue: ~$2,000/month; Page 1 products: 48
- Baby photo blanket for girls: Amazon volume: 1,600; Google volume: 0; #1 Amazon seller revenue: $24,000/month; Etsy revenue: ~$3,000/month; Page 1 products: 48

(In the above example, all four specific ideas fall under the “baby photo blanket” category. The broad Baby Photo Blanket category itself might have its own overall stats recorded in the Product Type section: e.g., Amazon search volume ~3,600; Google volume ~5,400; average top 5 Amazon revenue ~$19,000; top Etsy seller ~$3,000. Those category-level figures provide context for the specific niches.)

You could do a similar exercise for another product type. For instance, say you also consider Travel Mugs as a product type. Your sheet might include entries like:

Product Type: Travel Mug
- Travel mug for kids: Amazon volume is 800; Google volume is 500; #1 Amazon seller rev is $10,000; Etsy rev is ~$600; Page 1 products is 20
- Travel mug with floral design: Amazon volume is 300; Google volume is 200; #1 Amazon seller rev is $5,000; Etsy rev is ~$250; Page 1 products are 30
- Travel mug for office: Amazon volume is 1,200; Google volume is 400; #1 Amazon seller rev is $8,000; Etsy rev is ~$0 (maybe not a popular Etsy item); Page 1 products are 40

(And so on, with the Travel Mug category itself perhaps having broader stats like 5,000 Amazon searches, etc.)

Aim to fill the spreadsheet with as many ideas and variations as you reasonably can, at least 50, and up to 100 specific product entries if possible. Yes, that’s a lot of research, but the idea is to cast a wide net and then filter down to the best opportunities. You might research 5~10 specific niches for each broad product type and explore 10 or more different product types. Filling out this sheet forces you to look up real data for each idea. This process alone will teach you a ton about the market and may even spark more ideas as you notice trends. Many sellers find that after gathering data on dozens of products, one or two ideas practically jump off the page as clearly superior (high demand, low competition). Those are the gems you’re hunting for.

Tip: If you work efficiently, you can often gather data for a dozen product ideas per day. Using SellerSprite’s tools will speed up the process of finding search volumes and sales estimates. After a week or two of consistent research, you could have those 50~100 product niches analyzed. This thorough approach ensures you’re making decisions based on evidence, not just a hunch or a single datapoint.

Analyzing the Data: Demand vs. Competition

“Abstract Amazon product research interface with charts, data tables, magnifying glass, shopping cart icon, and analytics elements, representing e-commerce insights and market analysis

With your spreadsheet filled out, it’s time to analyze the results. The key is to identify product niches with strong demand across multiple metrics and relatively low competition on Amazon. Let’s break down how to interpret the numbers:

Assess Demand First: Look at the demand-related columns (Amazon search volume, Google search volume, Amazon revenue, and Etsy revenue) for each idea. High numbers in these columns are a positive sign, indicating that many people are searching for and buying the product. Here are some general guidelines for demand:

Amazon Search Volume: Ideally, a niche long-tail keyword has at least a few hundred monthly searches on Amazon. That shows a decent number of people actively looking for that exact item. Broad category terms will often have much higher search volume (thousands of searches). More is better, but even a smaller niche with, say, 300~500 searches/month can be viable if the competition is very low and the buyers are keen. Remember, search volume is an indicator of interest; even a few hundred interested buyers can be enough if you can rank in front of them and convert well.
Google Search Volume: It’s a good sign if there are also searches for the product on Google (e.g., a few hundred or more per month). This confirms there’s general interest beyond Amazon. If Google volume is zero or very low while Amazon volume is high, it might mean people only search for or buy it on Amazon (which can be okay if Amazon is the place people go for this item). Or it could mean the term is particular to Amazon’s ecosystem. If both Amazon and Google volumes are healthy, demand is robust across the board. Essentially, non-zero Google volume is a nice bonus confirmation that the trend isn’t isolated.
Amazon Revenue: This is one of the most critical indicators. Look at the #1 Amazon seller’s monthly revenue for the niche (and the average top 5 for the category). If, for a given niche, the top seller is doing, say, $10k or more per month, that’s a strong sign of money being spent there. For broader categories, if the top 5 average is in the tens of thousands, the category is clearly lucrative. As a rule of thumb, we like to see the potential for at least $10,000+ per month in revenue for the top niche player. This suggests that if you entered that niche with a great product, you could also aim for that level. (If you have a minimal budget, you might target niches where the top seller does around $5k~$8k/month, since those might be less competitive. Just keep in mind that lower revenue means a smaller pie, so you’d be fighting for a small opportunity. Generally, bigger is better if you can manage it.)
Etsy Revenue: Treat this as a supplemental indicator of demand. Steady sales on Etsy (even a few hundred dollars a month, or better yet, thousands) reinforce that the product has demand on multiple platforms. If an item is hot on Etsy but hardly present on Amazon, that could be a big opportunity. You might be one of the first to offer it to Amazon’s much larger customer base, effectively capturing unmet demand. On the other hand, if neither Amazon nor Etsy shows much revenue for the item, it might be a sign that demand is weak overall. Many successful products have decent showings on both platforms, indicating a broad appeal.

After evaluating demand, look at competition.

Assess Competition Next: The primary competition indicator in our sheet is the number of competing products (the page 1 results count for the niche keyword). Pay attention to this column for each idea. In general:

Low competition (green highlight): If the count is very low (for example, under ~20 relevant results on page 1), that’s an excellent sign. It means the niche is not saturated. A searcher doesn’t have many choices, so a new, well-optimized product could stand out easily. In our example, only 16 products on page 1 for “baby photo blanket for twins” is very low, which means a shopper searching that term doesn’t have many options, increasing the chances they’ll see and buy your listing if you enter that niche. We mark such low counts in green on the spreadsheet to flag a potentially prime opportunity.
Medium competition (yellow/orange): If you see a moderate number of results, perhaps around 20~40 relevant products on page 1, that indicates medium competition. This isn’t automatically a deal-breaker. Many niches with a moderate number of competitors can still be broken into, especially if their demand is high or if those competitors are not very strong (for example, if they have poor reviews, mediocre product quality, or lack innovation, which means things you can capitalize on). A yellow or orange highlight in our sheet means caution, but not dismissal. You’d note it and plan to investigate further (for instance, by checking those competitors’ reviews to see if you can beat them with a better product).
High competition (red highlight): If page 1 is filled (typically 48 products or close to it), or if there are generally more than ~50 relevant listings, that’s a red flag that the niche is very competitive. A number like 48 usually means Amazon is showing the maximum number of items, indicating a broad term or a saturated market. Going up against dozens of established sellers is challenging. It’s generally risky for a first product launch, unless you have a game-changing innovation or a powerful differentiation strategy. Red in the sheet is usually a sign to either proceed with extreme caution or to set that idea aside in favor of a greener pasture.

Now, combine the demand and competition insights to pinpoint the best opportunities. The ideal scenario is high demand + low competition. Let’s use the example niches we listed earlier to illustrate this comparison:

Baby photo blanket for twins: Demand metrics, Amazon searches ~500/month; Google searches ~400/month; Top Amazon seller makes about $13k/month; some Etsy sales (~$500/month). Competition: only 16 relevant products on Amazon page 1.
Baby photo blanket with butterfly design: Demand metrics, Amazon searches ~100/month; Google ~70/month; Top Amazon seller ~$7k/month; very modest Etsy sales (~$300/month). Competition, about 23 relevant products on page 1.

Which niche looks more attractive? Clearly, the “for twins” niche outshines the “butterfly design” niche:

Higher Demand: Across both Amazon and Google, the twins keyword has roughly 5 times the search volume of the butterfly keyword. The top Amazon seller’s revenue in the twins’ niche is almost double that in the butterfly niche, indicating that shoppers spend more there. Even on Etsy, the twin-oriented blankets have a bit more going on than the butterfly ones. So, significantly more people want the “twins” version of the product compared to the “butterfly” version.
Lower Competition: The twins’ niche has fewer competing products on page 1 (16 vs. 23 for the butterfly niche). Fewer sellers offering “twin” blankets means a new entrant can more easily grab a top spot. Meanwhile, “butterfly design” provides more options for shoppers, making it harder for newcomers to stand out.

This side-by-side comparison shows that “baby photo blanket for twins” is a better option than “baby photo blanket with butterfly design.” More people are looking for it, and fewer sellers are providing it, with a perfect combination for a prospective product. This is precisely the kind of insight your spreadsheet is meant to deliver. By laying out the data for each niche, you can directly compare them and see which one has the more favorable demand-to-competition ratio.

Not every comparison will be as clear-cut as the example above, but the approach is the same. Check each idea’s demand indicators against its competition level. You might even create a simple scoring system or ranking to help quantify the opportunity. For instance, some sellers add a column for an “Opportunity Score”, perhaps by giving each idea a demand score and dividing by its competition count, or some formula like that (one popular notion is search volume ÷ number of products, as a rough demand-vs-supply indicator). Our template includes columns for a Demand Index, a Competition Index, or an Opportunity Score, which you can define using your own formula or criteria. This is optional, but it can help when sorting or filtering your ideas. Whether or not you formalize a score, often just scanning for high volumes (significant demand) and low counts (few competitors, lots of green highlights) will allow the best options to jump out at you.

Remember that all these numbers are estimates and snapshots in time. They’re handy for guidance, but they’re not infallible predictions. Search volumes and revenue figures can fluctuate month to month, and the research tools only provide approximate values. Use these metrics as a guide to narrow your list of ideas, not as a guarantee of a specific outcome. The goal is to use data to stack the odds in your favor by choosing a product with a strong chance of success.

Refining Your Choices and Next Steps

After filling out the sheet and evaluating the data, you should have a short list of auspicious product opportunities, those that show solid demand and manageable competition. Here’s how to refine your decision further and prepare for action:

Look for Green Lights: Ideally, the best opportunities will check most of the boxes: healthy Amazon search volume (hundreds or thousands of searches), decent Google volume (at least not zero, the higher the better), strong Amazon revenue potential ($10k+ per month for the top seller in that niche), and a low number of competing products (preferably under 20~30 on page 1). If one of your ideas has all of these in its favor, that’s a big green light. Highlight it as a top candidate to pursue. These are the niches where demand is proven and competition is minimal, which demonstrates a sweet spot for launching a new product.
Don’t Dismiss Medium Opportunities: If none of your researched ideas are an obvious home run (it does happen, sometimes every niche you find has moderate competition or only middling demand), you might need to consider those “okay” opportunities more seriously. A niche with, say, 30~40 competitors on page 1 can still be viable if you have a plan to outperform those competitors. Look beyond just the numbers: investigate why competition is higher and whether you can still thrive. For example, 30 competing products are not bad at all if most of them have glaring weaknesses, such as outdated designs, high prices, or mediocre reviews. You could enter with a much better offering and siphon away sales. On the other hand, if those 30 competitors all have 5-star ratings and polished, excellent products, then breaking in will be much harder. The quantity of competitors matters, but the quality of those competitors matters too. In the next phase of research, you’ll be digging into competitor reviews and product details to assess this. So, a medium-competition niche might still be a good choice if you identify ways to differentiate and improve on what’s available.
Leverage Data for Differentiation: The spreadsheet doesn’t just help you compare niches; it can also reveal how to position your product. Look at which variations within a category are most popular. In our example, the data showed that “for twins” vastly outperformed “with butterfly design.” This tells us something important: people care more about functionality (serving parents of twins) than a particular aesthetic (a butterfly pattern). You can use insights like this when designing your product. If you decide to enter the baby blanket market, you’d focus on features that appeal to parents of twins (e.g., larger size, ability to fit two babies, twin-themed captions, etc.) rather than, say, just adding more cute designs. Always combine quantitative research (numbers) with qualitative research (customer opinions and needs) to craft a superior product. The data can show you what really matters to customers.
Aim High, Plan to Be No.1: When you pick a niche, set your sights on becoming the top seller in that niche, not just an “okay” player. This mindset will motivate you to create a truly great product and marketing plan. The spreadsheet shows you the reward for being #1. That’s why we record the top seller’s revenue for each niche. For example, if the #1 seller is doing $15,000/month and the #2 is doing $10,000, that top spot is worth a lot. You should aim for that kind of success. Everything we do in the following stages, finding competitor flaws, designing a better product, optimizing the listing, planning marketing, will be geared toward reaching that top position. By being #1 in a focused niche, you not only reap the most sales but might even start ranking for broader category keywords over time, capturing an even larger market. (E.g., dominate “travel mug for kids,” and your product could also begin appearing for the general “travel mug” searches as it gains popularity.)
Keep Using the Spreadsheet (Continuous Research): Product research is not a one-and-done task. The market changes and new trends emerge, so that this spreadsheet approach can be used repeatedly. Even after you launch your first product, keep an eye out for new opportunities. Many successful sellers maintain a research spreadsheet of ongoing ideas, updating the data periodically. You might run through this process for your second product, or expand your brand with new variations of your initial product. Continuously filling and refining the spreadsheet ensures you always have a pipeline of well-vetted product ideas to consider. It’s a habit that can pay off with every new launch.

Once you’ve zeroed in on one very promising product idea from your spreadsheet analysis, what’s next? The data might point to a winner, but you should validate the opportunity by diving deeper before fully committing. Key next steps include:

Customer Review Analysis: Go onto Amazon (and other platforms like Etsy if relevant) and read the customer reviews for the top competing products in your chosen niche. This will give you direct insight into what customers love or hate about current offerings. Look for recurring complaints or wishes. For example, do buyers of other “baby photo blankets” complain that the fabric is low quality or that the blanket is too small? Do parents of twins mention that they couldn’t find a blanket large enough for two babies? These insights are gold. They tell you exactly how to improve your product and which features to highlight. Drawing on reviews will guide your product design and differentiation strategy.
Supplier Research and Feasibility: There’s no point in pursuing a product that looks great on paper if you can’t produce it reliably or profitably. The next step is to check if you can source or manufacture the product with the improvements you want to make, at a cost that allows for a healthy profit margin. This might involve contacting suppliers, getting quotes, and discussing customizations. For example, if you want to create a twin baby blanket with higher-quality fabric, can a supplier do that within your target budget? Ensuring the idea is feasible from a production standpoint is crucial.
Calculate Profit Margins: Using rough revenue potential from your spreadsheet (e.g., your target is $10k/month in sales), estimate all costs: the unit cost of the product from your supplier, shipping costs, Amazon fees (FBA fees, referral fees), packaging, marketing, etc. This will tell you what profit you might expect. Sometimes you’ll find that a product that sells for $20 doesn’t have enough margin once all costs are factored in, whereas a product selling for $50 might. It’s better to discover any profitability issues now before you invest. A general rule is to aim for a product that can cost 2~3 times its selling price (for example, if it costs you $5 to manufacture, it should retail for at least $15) to cover fees and leave a profit. If your chosen niche product looks profitable, that’s another green light to proceed.
Consider a Small Test Launch: If the data is promising but you still feel unsure, you could run a small trial run. This might mean ordering a smaller batch of inventory or even creating a prototype and launching it with minimal marketing, to gauge genuine customer interest. While this course and the spreadsheet analysis aim to minimize uncertainty, the market’s response is the ultimate test. A test launch can validate that people will buy your improved product and can surface any unforeseen issues. Keep in mind, though, that a half-hearted launch might not capture the full potential of a great product. So, this is optional and should be done carefully (e.g., you might launch 50 units to see if they sell quickly, before investing in 500 units).

Conclusion

The Product Research Spreadsheet method is all about making data-driven decisions. By examining multiple metrics, e.g., Amazon searches, Google searches, Amazon sales revenue, and competition levels, you get a well-rounded picture of each potential product. This approach helps you avoid common pitfalls, like choosing a product with a lot of hype but no real market depth, or one with tons of sellers already battling for the same customers. Instead, you’ll be able to zero in on those “hidden gem” niches that have substantial demand waiting to be met.

Filling out the spreadsheet for dozens of ideas might seem tedious, but it’s a crucial investment in your business’s success. It forces you to research thoroughly and objectively. Many successful Amazon sellers credit a rigorous research phase for their first product's success, while others failed. By doing your homework now, you’re stacking the deck in your favor.

At this point, you should have your research sheet complete or well underway, and you’ve identified a handful of top contenders. The data you’ve gathered will guide you to the right choice, which means the product idea that stands out as having the best odds. In the next part of the course (or the next chapter), we will take the top contenders from your spreadsheet and perform a deeper validation: analyzing customer feedback in detail, examining competitor products closely, and refining the product concept. By the end of that process, you’ll know exactly what product to launch and how to make it better than the competition.

For now, make sure your research sheet is filled in for all your ideas and review your findings. You should feel confident that the numbers support your chosen product. Remember, solid data and a clear plan support the best decisions. Happy researching and getting ready to move forward with the product that checks all the right boxes!

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