Amazon Product Research

Product research not equal market research
Being product centred and focussed on numbers - using tools like Jungle Scout, Helium 10, etc. -  on Amazon is what everyone does.

Hyper-competition = we HAVE to differentiate.

“Zig when they zag” (Andre Chaperon)
You need to have a differentiated business model to create a differentiated product.

If everyone starts on Amazon - get off Amazon.

Numbers vs. People

Keywords as the start vs. People as the start

“Grow where you’re planted” (Verne Harnish)
Start with jobs, hobbies; activities of spouses, friends, family
It has so many advantages: 

You’re going to care more

As Seth Godin puts it “you care enough to get hit” (he was talking about ice hockey, not street violence!)

You already have a knowledge head start
You’ll understand the customer better
You can literally talk to your future customer

Start with your customer (PAP)
Don’t start with a product and search for the customer.

Decide on your ideal customer.

Talk to them! Find pain.

Pick a pain.

PAP - Person and Pain

Develop a product with and for your customer. 
Custom manufacturing 
Ryan Schaffer’s episode of 10K Collective podcast 

Of course, you should run the marketing numbers before ordering!
Don’t start selling to profit; develop to learn 
First thing is to iterate product - or find other ones -  until good enough for a private customer.

The second thing is the same with a pilot project until the market likes it.

Only then are you aiming to roll out on a big scale and go for profit.

Doing both is ideal (profit plus learning). But that’s a bonus.
“The only way to fail in business is to run out of money” (Anon)
Cashflow trumps “profit” as well.

Don’t worry about profit initially; instead, think of minimising risk and making sure you can afford the downside if it happens. (Risk-reward ratios)

Watch my discussion of Amazon Product Research: The Open Secret