Size Up the Competition

You’ve got your product ideas, you’ve spotted trends, and you’ve balanced passion with proof. Now it’s time to see what others are doing—so you can learn from them, differentiate, and avoid mistakes. You don’t need fancy paid tools for this. A few well-chosen free or low-cost ones can give you a strong competitive snapshot.

Why competitor research matters

• You’ll see what pricing works and what doesn’t.
• You’ll notice what product features people love (or seem to leave out).
• You’ll understand how branding, packaging, photography, and storytelling are being used in your niche. If everybody is doing something one way, you can stand out by doing it differently (but still well).
• You’ll also get ideas for what not to do.

Free / Low-Cost Tools to Try

How To Do Competitor Research

1. Pick 3 competitor shops in your product category (on Etsy or Shopify).
2. For each one, use one of the tools above to look at:
   
   • Top 3 best-selling items (by number of reviews, or how often they appear). 
   • Their price points.
   • Their photos: composition, style, background, props. 
   • Their keywords/tags/titles: what words do they use to describe the product and brand.
3. Write down what works and what feels “too common.” Ask: can I do better at one or more of those areas (photo, packaging, story)?
4. Use this research to inform your own listing: price it, photograph it, title it, tag it, and design packaging and story in a way that stands out.