Everyone wants to build the next Amazon. Almost no one starts by asking the obvious question: what should I actually sell? Here are five frameworks that work.

1. Solve your own problem

The best products often come from founders solving their own frustrations. If you’ve thought ‘why is there no good X’ more than twice, that’s a signal. Allbirds, Casper, Warby Parker — all started this way.

2. Find an underserved niche

Don’t try to sell ‘pet products’. Sell ‘organic raw food for German Shepherds’. The more specific your niche, the easier it is to dominate. Smaller markets = less competition = higher margins.

3. Improve an existing product

You don’t need to invent something new. You need to find a category where the existing options are mediocre and make a better version. Better materials, better design, better service.

4. Follow rising trends

Tools to use: Google Trends, TikTok ‘trending’ tab, Shopify trend reports, AmazonGenie. Look for products with rising search volume but few established sellers.

5. Bundle or repackage

Take three existing products and bundle them as a ‘starter kit’ or ‘complete system’. The convenience premium customers pay is real. Skincare brands do this brilliantly.