How to use ChatGPT to find Winning Products

Read Time: 6 minutes

Hello Visionary Entrepreneurs!

Today, we dive deep into the realm of e-commerce product ideation.

• How do we go from consumer problems to finding innovative products that perfectly meet demand?

• How can we transform existing products to enhance them?

• What are the non-AI ideation methods that work?

Join us as we navigate through AI-driven methods and traditional techniques to unearth products that captivate and sell.

Part 1: AI-Driven Product Discovery

AI Method #1: Finding Gold in Consumer Pain Points

The goal of this method is to identify consumer problems and then develop product ideas that address these problems.

Firstly, use this prompt to unearth consumer challenges:

I'm brainstorming consumer problems to tackle for my new DTC brand. 
The central idea is [INPUT IDEA/NICHE].
Could you help me expand this into a detailed mind map with branches for different types of problems and sub-types of problems related to this central idea?
The goal is to develop an exhaustive list of all the consumer problems related to this topic. 

This will give you a list of problems surrounding the interest/topic you entered.

For example, when searching for problems related to water consumption:

Continue the chat

In this random example, ChatGPT highlights issues such as the importance of water quality, portability, ecological impact, the benefits of certain minerals on health, and smart bottles.

Next, we transform these problems into innovative products using the ‘Problem-to-Product’ prompt:

You are a Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) expert specializing in finding new innovative product ideas that sells.

Your task is to develop new e-commerce product ideas to solve the following problem: [INPUT PROBLEM].

To find ideas, consider one (or more) of the following things:

- find a new ingredient for the formula (for example Alya skin offers pink clay masks made of combination of red and white kaolin clays instead of traditional clay mask)
- add a feature (for example Paw offers sheet that are pet hair resistant, anti-microbial and cooling)
- change the "application mode" (for example MotherSPF offers a sunscreen stick to change the way of applying sunscreen)
- find a totally new way to tackle the issue (for example Nuface offers an electronic device to reduce lines, of Liaison offers a serum to grow lashes instead of using mascara, or Allay Lamp offers lamps diffusing green light to help reduce migraines and stress)

Your product ideas should be physical products, and easy to create (do not require intense R&D or product development).

Please provide a list of 10 creative e-commerce product ideas, each addressing the dimensions and elements above in relation to the problem we’re solving.

Here's a result example when using this prompt on the problems of Water Storage and Portability + Health and Wellness.

Continue the chat

This could result in innovative product ideas like a “Hydratation-Boosting Water Bottle”, “Alkaline Water Travel Stick”, “Electrolyte-Infusing Bottle” or “Filtered Alkaline Water Bottle”.

These products are interesting because:

• They target significant health/fitness-related problems, aim for beautiful skin, enhance portability ;

• Demand for portable water bottles has been validated - with some successes like Drop Bottle, for example ;

• They bring an interesting twist and a new Unique Value Proposition.

Now, let's move on to method #2.

AI Method #2: Transforming Old into Gold

In this method, we will reinvent existing products but improve them, or add a twist.

Find a product you want to improve (you can scroll on Amazon, Alibaba, TikTok, or whatever, just get inspiration and find a product).

Then, use this Reinvention Prompt to generate new product ideas using ChatGPT:

You are a Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) expert specializing in finding new innovative product ideas that sells.

I will give you the URL of an existing product and you will come up with new product ideas to tackle the same issue but in a different way and with a different Unique Value Proposition (UVP). A UVP is the core benefit solution that differentiate your product from any competition and position it as the best solution on the market. It defines why people should choose your product over all the other. 

To find ideas, consider one (or more) of the following things:

- find a new ingredient for the formula (for example Alya skin offers pink clay masks made of combination of red and white kaolin clays instead of traditional clay mask)
- add a feature (for example Paw offers sheet that are pet hair resistant, anti-microbial and cooling
- change the "application mode" (for example MotherSPF offers a sunscreen stick to change the way of applying sunscreen)
- find a totally new way to tackle the issue (for example Nuface offers an electronic device to reduce lines, of Liaison offers a serum to grow lashes instead of using mascara, or Allay Lamp offers lamps diffusing green light to help reduce migraines and stress)
- find a new branding (for example Away positions itself as a travel lifestyle brand (in addition to putting a portable battery in each suitcase which is an additional feature), or instead of “classic” skincare we can play with the trend of “korean” skincare)

Your product ideas should be physical products, and easy to create (do not require intense R&D or product development).

Please provide a list of 10 creative e-commerce product ideas.

Here is the product URL: [INPUT URL or DESCRIBE PRODUCT].

For example, let's use this prompt to get product ideas from a random on a L'Oréal cleansing gel found on Amazon.

This method helps us get product ideas like a “Bamboo Charcoal Cleansing Stick”, a “Volcanic Ash Facial Scrub”, or an “Anti-Blackhead Sonic Cleanser”.

Great twists. Great UVP.

Some of these products have a strong chance of success.

Continue the chat

After iterating for a few more minutes on other products, I came across other interesting products like:

Each of these products could be a winning product.

Part 2: ‘Non-ChatGPT’ Methods for Product Discovery

While AI offers incredible efficiency and insight, ’non-ChatGPT methods’ still hold great value:

1. Exploding Topics: Keep an eye on emerging trends and topics that are gaining traction. Websites like ExplodingTopics.com can be invaluable for spotting these early trends.

2. Social Media Scrolling: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are goldmines for understanding current consumer interests and behaviors. Pay attention to viral posts and emerging hashtags.

3. Amazon Reviews Analysis: Dive into customer reviews on Amazon to uncover unmet needs and pain points in existing products. This can reveal opportunities for improvement or innovation.

4. Alibaba Hot Products: Explore Alibaba's trending products for insights into what's popular globally, which can inspire new product ideas or adaptations for your market.

Wrap-Up: Your Pathway to Product Innovation

In this edition, we’ve armed you with:

1. AI-driven strategies for generating innovative product ideas.

2. Traditional techniques for staying aligned with market trends.

Embrace these approaches to stay ahead in the dynamic world of e-commerce. The potential for creating captivating products is endless.

Next edition, we'll dive into generating viral scripts for TikTok ads!

Stay Innovative,

The AI Merchant

P.S.

Share your journey and product discoveries with our community, and let's inspire each other in this exciting e-commerce adventure!

Follow me on Twitter @LiamBucy for daily insights on AI-driven E-commerce strategies.