Quick Ways to Test If Your Product Will Sell
You’ve got an idea. It feels like a good one. Maybe even a great one.
But before you spend months crafting the perfect brand, obsessing over packaging, and bulk-ordering inventory for the millions of customers you’re sure are out there waiting…
Let’s pause and make sure the market actually wants what you’re building.
Here’s how to test demand fast — without a full ecommerce site, manufacturer, or budget blowout.
1. Start with Search Signals: Are People Already Looking for This?
Search trends = early signs of demand.
Plug your product idea into Google Trends — is interest growing or flatlining?
Use tools like Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or AnswerThePublic to see how many people are searching for similar products or problems.
Check out competitors — what keywords are they targeting? What sort of content are they posting, and who’s engaging with it?
If no one’s looking for this kind of thing, it doesn’t mean your idea’s dead — but it might need reframing or repositioning.
2. Estimate Competitor Sales (The Sneaky Way)
If your competitors are running Shopify stores, there’s a little trick i learned from my friend Jonny:
Add a product to your cart and proceed to checkout — note the order number.
Do this again a few days later or at the end of the week.
Subtract the two numbers to get a rough sales estimate.
This gives you a snapshot of sales volume — a useful indicator of real-world demand.
3. Create a ‘Coming Soon’ Page That Captures Interest
No need to build a full store yet. Just set up a simple one-pager using tools like:
Carrd
Framer
ConvertKit
Include:
A strong headline that explains the product, its benefits and how it solves a real problem.
A mockup or concept image (it doesn’t have to be perfect). You could easily use an Ai tool like Chat GPT or Midjourney.
A data capture form & call to action: “Join the waitlist,” “Get early access,” etc etc.
This isn’t just about collecting emails — it’s about measuring how many people care enough to sign up.
4. Drive a Bit of Targeted Traffic
Time to see how the idea performs in the wild.
Run a small Meta or TikTok ad campaign to drive traffic to your landing page (you only need £50–£250 to start)
Share the landing page in relevant Reddit communities, Discords, or Facebook groups — just don’t be spammy
Try Google Ads if your product solves a specific problem people are already searching for
Watch for:
Click-through rate (CTR) & signups (conversions)
You’ll learn more in a weekend of live traffic than from weeks of internal debates.
5. Optional Extras: Preorders or Micro-Surveys
Want to dig a little deeper?
Add a preorder button (just be clear that’s it’s early-stage!)
Embed a short survey — ask what their biggest frustration is, what they’ve tried already, or how much they’d pay to solve it
This helps you gather insight, build an audience, and position your offer with confidence.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Build Blind
Testing your idea doesn’t have to be complex — or expensive.
With the right tools and a curious mindset, you can validate your concept, learn from your audience, and avoid building a brand no one asked for.
Got an idea? Let’s test it.