EP56: How to Validate Your eCommerce Product Idea Without Spending a Dime

What this episode covers

In this episode of the ASOM Pod, hosts Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer, formally Founder of Sendlane), John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), and Bryan MacDonald (Direct of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) get into how today’s best founders validate ideas fast and effectively without relying on biased feedback from friends or family. Whether you're pre-launch or post-launch, this episode will help you stay sharp, curious, and customer-first.What you’ll learn in this episode:Validate or Vaporize: Why skipping validation is the fastest route to building a product no one buys.Google Knows Best: How to use Google Trends, search volume, and keyword data to back up your gut feeling.Talk to Strangers: Why your inner circle isn’t the best place to source honest feedback (and who is).Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em: How to run smoke tests and pre-sell to gauge real market demand.Social Listening 101: The underrated art of eavesdropping on the internet to spot pain points and product gaps.Validation Never Ends: How to keep testing, learning, and iterating, even after launch.This episode is packed with practical advice, real-life examples, and a few spicy takes on the myths of overnight success. If you’ve ever said “I think people want this,” this one’s for you._____Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences via email and sms with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/LiveRecover — Live Agents for eCommerce — Get more out of your revenue strategy with real-time SMS engagement and sales recovery for higher ROI. Learn more at https://www.LiveRecover.comKintsugi — AI that monitors, files, and optimizes sales tax for you. Eliminate your tax headaches forever. Mention ASOM for 3 months free at https://www.TryKintsugi.comSubscribe to our newsletter! We drop weekly hot takes, totally unfiltered. Join us at https://asompod.comCome hang out with us IRL - https://commerceroundtable.com_____00:00 Teaser Trailer03:06 Intro to the ASOM Pod06:30 Deep Dive into Product Validation15:49 Competitive Research and Market Analysis24:57 Leveraging Social Media for Product Research26:09 Distinguishing Trends from Sustainable Markets27:31 The Rise and Fall of Trend-Based Businesses29:01 Using Data and Tools for Market Analysis32:49 The Importance of Social Listening40:45 Pre-Selling and Validating New Products51:10 Common Mistakes in Product Validation52:42 Final Thoughts _____Follow Jimmy Kim at: X:  https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykimIG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykimFollow Bryan MacDonald at:X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomasprideLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ctIG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasaladTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasaladFollow John Roman at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRomanLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromesTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmromanFollow Amer Grozdanic at: X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanicLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanicIG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanicTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanicContact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips

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