The e hustle 47: You’ve got a product idea—now let’s test if it’ll actually sell

So you’ve got a product idea. That’s exciting.

But here’s the reality check: not every idea is worth pursuing.

The good news?
You can validate your idea before you spend a cent on inventory or branding—and it takes less than an hour.

In this edition of The E Hustle, I’ll show you exactly how to do it with four practical steps (plus tools you can use along the way).

Let’s get to work.

Step 1: Look for demand—without drowning in supply

You want to enter a space where people are already buying, but not where every seller and their dog is competing on price.

Here’s how to check:

• Amazon (search here): Look up similar products. Are 2–3 sellers doing well with lots of reviews? Great. If there are 50 nearly identical products—proceed with caution.

• Google Trends (check here): Search your product idea. Look at both 12-month and 5-year trends. A rising or stable interest is promising. A massive spike followed by a crash? Likely a fad.

• TikTok Search (try it here): Look for your product category. Are people reviewing or using it organically? Are there comments like “Where can I get this?” That’s a great sign.

• Facebook Ads Library (view here): Search for your product or niche. If brands are actively running ads, there’s likely money to be made.

You’re not looking for a brand-new idea.
You’re looking for a product that solves a real problem—and where you can offer a clear point of difference.

Step 2: Dig into customer reviews (this is gold)

Here’s where you can really outsmart the competition.

Go to Amazon, your competitor’s website, or a DTC brand in your niche. Filter for 3-star reviews—they’re honest and detailed.

Look for consistent pain points:

• “Shipping was slow”

• “Didn’t match the photo”

• “Smaller than expected”

• “Great idea, poor quality”

Quick hack: Let ChatGPT do the heavy lifting
Copy a batch of reviews and paste them into ChatGPT with this prompt:

“Can you summarise the key customer complaints and common requests from these reviews? Highlight any opportunities for product improvement.”

In seconds, you’ll have a tidy list of what needs fixing—and what you can do better.

Then jot down:

• Review insight: “Too bulky to carry around”

• Problem: Portability

• Your opportunity: Make it compact or foldable

This is how you spot weaknesses in current products—and build something better.

Step 3: Ask for feedback (not from your mum)

Now you’ve got some research behind your idea—test it in the real world.

Head into Facebook groups, Reddit communities, or Discord servers where your audience hangs out.

Post something like:

“Hey! I’m working on a product that helps [audience] with [problem]. Would love your honest feedback—would you buy this? Why or why not?”

This is where the magic happens.
You’ll either hear:

• “I’d totally buy this”

• Or: “I wouldn’t, and here’s why”

Either response is useful.
One gives you confidence, the other saves you time and money.

And if people start tagging friends or saying “I’ve been looking for this!”... you’re onto something.

Step 4: Define your edge

Now it’s time to craft a clear brand position.

Use this formula:

“Unlike [competitor], my product [solves X problem] for [specific audience].”

Example:
“Unlike most baby bags that are bulky and cluttered, ours is lightweight, waterproof, and designed for minimalist mums on the go.”

This becomes the foundation of your product messaging, your ads, your landing page—everything.

Bonus: Want the full workbook?

I’ve turned this whole process into a downloadable Product Validation Workbook you can fill out step by step.
If you want a copy, just reply and I’ll send it your way. Reply with WORKBOOk to this email.

And if you want to speed things up, I’ve also created a cheat sheet of 5 ChatGPT prompts to help with review mining, audience research, and writing your positioning statement. Let me know and I’ll send it over. Reply PROMPTS and i'll send it to you.

Until next week,

Paul.

Want to work with me?

If you're serious about turning your idea into a real business, I’ve built programs to help at every stage:

• ECOM Start – Launch your brand in under 90 days

• ECOM Grow – Scale past $50k/month

• ECOM100 – Double profits for 7-figure ecommerce brands

And if you’re not ready for a program yet, come hang out with me and thousands of other founders in my free Facebook group:
Learn Ecommerce with Paul Waddy

Let’s build something epic,
Paul