Day 2: High-Demand Products – AI-Powered Trend Research & Niche Ideas

Why It’s Important

Even the best marketing won’t help if you’re offering products nobody wants. Successful Etsy shops often dominate niches with high demand and low competition, selling items people are searching for without saturating the market. Today, you’ll investigate trending products or styles in your niche—aligning your offerings with market demand (or discovering a new product). Finding a “high-demand, low-competition” sweet spot can significantly boost sales. It’s also crucial to consider seasonal trends (spikes that happen around holidays or events) vs. evergreen products (steady year-round interest). Both can play a role in your shop strategy.

How to Use ChatGPT

Provide specific context about your niche or product category to get relevant suggestions. If results seem too generic or odd, refine the prompt or ask clarifying questions (e.g., “Why might these items be popular?”). If ChatGPT names certain items or trends, do a basic validation: ask about seasonality (are they only popular at Christmas or year-round?). Also, check competition by doing a quick manual Etsy or Google Trends search.

Prompt to use

Below is a structured “one-shot” prompt that clarifies your goals, context, constraints, and desired output. For best results, remember to use both search and reason mode so ChatGPT can search the internet and do the best reasoning. You can copy-paste (and customize the bracketed parts) to get maximum insight from the free ChatGPT plan.

Identify high-demand, low-competition product ideas in my niche, clarifying which are seasonal and which are evergreen.

Context & Details (Replace bracketed parts with your specifics):

  • My niche: [e.g., soy candles, farmhouse decor, boho jewelry, digital prints, etc.]
  • Shop style/brand: [e.g., rustic vibe, minimal, spiritual, etc.]
  • Current product range: [e.g., I offer 4 candle scents, or 10 digital art prints]
  • Any sales info: [e.g., which products have sold best so far, or “I have zero sales”]
  • Time capacity or constraints: [“I can only add 2 new items per month,” or “Open to big expansions if demand is there.”]

Constraints & Requirements:

  1. Suggest product ideas or sub-niches that have demonstrated demand (people actively searching) but relatively moderate competition on Etsy.
  2. Distinguish seasonal opportunities (e.g., holiday-themed, wedding season) from evergreen (year-round demand).
  3. Explain why these products might be popular or trending (cultural, social media, or lifestyle reasons).
  4. Provide general validation tips (like checking Etsy search results or Google Trends).
  5. If possible, mention keywords or styles that resonate with these ideas.

Desired Output:

  1. A list of at least 5–10 product/niche ideas (some can be seasonal, some evergreen), each with a brief rationale (why it’s in demand).
  2. For each idea, specify if it’s seasonal or evergreen. If seasonal, note the approximate timeframe or event.
  3. Basic guidance on validating each idea (like “search for X on Etsy, see how many results and if top listings are ‘Bestsellers’”).
  4. Potential keyword angles or design variations to stand out.
  5. If it suggests anything that seems too broad or outside your brand, ask for more relevant sub-ideas.

Example Output Style (Briefly Mention):

  • Product Idea #1: [Description], seasonal or evergreen, why it’s popular, suggested keywords or style twist.
  • Product Idea #2: … etc.

If any part is unclear, list what extra info you’d need so I can refine the prompt or respond. Format the response in numbered or bulleted sections for clarity.

 

Review the AI’s suggestions and, if needed, refine with follow-ups like “How competitive is that niche?” or “Are these items mostly sold in Q4?” Keep going until you have a short list of truly viable ideas.

Step-by-Step Action Plan for Day 2

  1. Identify Your Niche & Interests
    • Clarify your main product type and any related areas you might expand into (e.g., if you make soy candles, you might consider wax melts, personalized candle labels, etc.).
    • Note if you have strong brand elements (rustic, modern, boho) or if you’re open to new styles.
  2. Run the Trend Brainstorm Prompt
    • Use the comprehensive prompt above. Fill in your niche details, any product lines you currently have, and mention you’d like a mix of seasonal vs. evergreen suggestions.
    • Wait for the AI’s suggestions. If it’s too generic, refine: “Which of these are trending specifically for [some upcoming event]?” or “Can you rank them by potential demand?”
  3. Research & Refine
    • For each suggestion, ask ChatGPT follow-up questions:
      • “Which keywords indicate strong buyer intent for that item?”
      • “How saturated is the market for [suggested product]?”
      • “Is this item high competition or can I find a unique twist?”
    • Cross-check a couple ideas on Etsy yourself: type in the item and see if top results have 10k+ reviews or if it’s crowded. Look for “Popular now” or “Bestseller” tags as demand clues.
  4. Pick a High-Demand Idea
    • From ChatGPT’s list, select 1–2 ideas or trends that best align with your brand. Maybe you find a fall-scented item if you’re near autumn, or a year-round “crystal healing candle” if you do new age/spiritual.
    • If you only want to tweak existing products, identify which listings can adopt the new style or theme.
  5. Ask for Differentiation
    • Once you choose an idea, refine it with ChatGPT: “How do I stand out if the market is somewhat competitive?” or “Which brand story or packaging approach can I use?”
    • The AI might propose bundling ideas, unique designs, personalization, or marketing angles (like including a small card or free sample).
  6. Plan Implementation
    • Mark down short-term tasks: e.g., “Design new fall-themed label next week,” “Start ordering materials for personalized wedding candles.”
    • If you’re staying in the same niche but pivoting to a sub-style or trending color palette, note which listings to update (maybe create a new variant or SKU).

Metrics to Track (Day 2)

  • Number of new product ideas you discovered that align with your brand.
  • Potential evergreen vs. seasonal ratio (e.g., out of 5 suggestions, 2 are strictly holiday-based, 3 are year-round).
  • Baseline: how many products currently match a known high-demand niche? Possibly zero before today. Goal: add or adapt at least one item to match a proven niche.
  • Future: If you do launch a product from these ideas, you’ll measure views/sales. But today’s outcome is mostly qualitative—the real proof comes when you implement and see if those items gain traction.

Outcome:

By the end of Day 2, you should have:

  • A list of potential high-demand or trending product ideas (some seasonal, some evergreen).
  • A sense of how to verify demand on Etsy or Google Trends.
  • A decision on which idea(s) to incorporate into your upcoming product lineup or how to pivot existing products.

Tomorrow you’ll delve into SEO keyword research to ensure those products get found in Etsy search!

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