It can be tempting to search for product ideas to sell online in India by thinking about what you like. What about a different approach? Start with what customers already complain about. Complaints are a result of actual problems. Proof that there’s something that you can solve with an idea.
Let’s talk about the potential risk of not doing this. CB Insights studied 101 startup post-mortems. It found that 42% of the startups failed because there was no market need. That was the top reason…ahead of running out of cash (29%).
Before Shiprocket became India’s leading eCommerce enabler, it was a different company with a different idea.
“We have been through two pivots. Both times, we almost died. We resolved never to die again.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
A Study of Shiprocket’s Beginnings
Shiprocket began as Cart Rocket, a website builder for Indian merchants. The idea was inspired by Shopify, a model that was working well in the US. It looked sensible. It was also wrong.
Speaking with Masters Union, Saahil Goel said this of Shiprocket’s first few days: “We took that insight back to India without realising that in India, people can pay a developer. So they do not actually care that it became super simple. Only we cared about it.”
A product that wins in another market may be focused on a problem your buyers do not have. India is not the US, and buyers here complain about different things.
Is Passion Enough to Choose a Product?
Passion helps. When you know a field well, you spot gaps faster. But passion on its own is still a guess. The best ideas sit where two things meet: a field you care about, and a problem many people complain about.
“I wish I had known earlier. Look for the complaints. You have to look at what customers are complaining about, not only what you want to do, because that is not the best way to launch a product.”“Simply flipping products with ad arbitrage is fine for testing the market, but it won’t last. In the end, you need customers who will pay high margins for the value you have added, and who are willing to repeat with you.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
Where Do You Find Customer Complaints Online?
Shoppers already treat negative reviews as the honest ones. These reviews are free market research.
Start with these four places:
- Reddit and Quora: threads where people ask “is there a good…” or vent about a product
- Marketplace reviews: the 1-star and 3-star reviews of top sellers in your category
- Big brand pages: comments under their posts on Instagram, X and LinkedIn
- Google search: your category plus phrases like “why is there no”, “worst” or “I wish”
You do not need to read everything by hand. Copy 30 to 50 threads or reviews into an AI tool and ask:
Here are customer comments about Business. List the top 10 complaints. For each one, show how often it appears, how strongly people feel, and what they use today.
You now have a ranked list of problems in the buyer’s own words. Use public posts only, and follow each site’s rules on collecting data.
“We love to complain as Indians on social media. Pick the big FMCG brands and look at their pages. There are tons of complaints. There is rich data sitting out there.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
What Is a Painkiller Product, and How Do You Spot One?
Products fall into two groups:
- A painkiller solves a problem that hurts right now.
- A vitamin is nice to have, but nobody needs it today.
Imagine that you get a toothache at night with only one chemist open. You will pay almost any price for relief, right away. A vitamin is different. You have to explain why it is good for the buyer, so your ads cost more.
“Whenever you think of a new product, the deeper the pain, the better. Even if it is only 10 customers, that is fine. At least you will understand what customers are willing to pay for.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
Test each product idea with four questions:
- Do many people mention this problem?
- How strongly do they feel? Look for repeat attempts and workarounds.
- Do current products fail to fix it?
- Are people already paying for a poor fix, such as imports?
How Do You Choose a Niche for Your eCommerce Brand?
Get as specific as you can!
“India is actually not one India. We have different consumer categories, Tier 1, 2 and 3 clusters, then regions and languages. I think there are 10,000 Indias, if you ask me.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
Consider this case:
Moxie Beauty makes haircare for Indian hair types and weather. The company crossed a ₹100 crore annual run rate within two years of launch. Personal care is also the top category on Shiprocket, at 27% of orders.
Order values of ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 are already common among online-first brands on Shiprocket. A niche may look small today, so be patient. Three to four years is a realistic wait.
Are Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities Worth Selling To?
Yes.
Shiprocket’s report, How MSMEs of Bharat Sell Online, found that 71% of orders come from non-metro areas. Only 29% come from metro cities.
Smaller cities also have strong brands with loyal buyers. A regional product with real authenticity, sold online with a trusted delivery experience, can reach buyers far beyond one city.
How Do You Check Product Demand and Delivery Risk Before You Launch?
Complaints tell you a problem exists, and data tells you if the market is worth entering.
Shiprocket Trends is created based on Shiprocket’s order data. It shows you:
- Top-selling categories and products in each city
- Average order value by location
- RTO (Return to Origin) rates by region
- Payment preferences and the busiest ordering times
“There is no need to guess today. Shiprocket Trends gives you data on what is actually shipping where, which cities, what the RTO rate is and what the return rates are. You can do a good job of planning first, and then test your product against the complaints.” ~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
High returns in your target cities can wipe out your margin, even when demand is strong. Check RTO before you commit to stock.
How Do You Validate a Product Idea Before Buying Stock?
“You talk to your friends: ‘If I do this, would you take it?’ ‘I’ll take it.’ But that is not the research. The research is what they are complaining about.”~Saahil Goel, Co-founder and CEO, Shiprocket
Do not build the full product first. Sell first.
- Order a small batch or a sample run.
- Offer it to the group that complained, such as a Reddit thread or WhatsApp community.
- Take pre-orders or sell your first 10 to 20 units.
- Track who buys, who buys again and what they say after delivery.
Pro Tip: Do not rely on friends to confirm your idea.
Let Customers Choose Your Product
You do not have to come up with a brilliant product idea from scratch. Your potential customers are already sharing what frustrates them and what they wish worked better. Their reviews and online discussions can help you spot opportunities worth exploring.
Start with a category you understand and look for problems that keep coming up from different sources. Focus on a specific customer need, explore underserved markets, including smaller cities, and test your idea with a small group before investing in large amounts of stock.
You do not need to get everything right on your first attempt. The goal is to make conscious decisions and improve your approach as you go.
