Ideas are cheap?

I've been in this situation more than once, very discouraging. I think the best way to think about it is..."Can I do it better, can I do it cheaper & is it a big enough problem to solve."

Just plugging in Micro SaaS Ideas if you want to explore more ideas.

I've been on that situation before, maybe it was around you for a while but you didn't notice until you had the idea

Yes mate! Don't give up.

The person who ranked #1 on ProductHunt spent months building, running, and marketing their project. If you can come up with an idea faster than they did - in half a month - you are a genius.

It's called a multiple discovery or something similar. It's a phenomenon where discoveries and inventions are made independently and nearly simultaneously by multiple inventors in different locations. This often occurs as a response to the current state of knowledge in a particular field.

In any case, this only reinforces the potential success of your idea. Simply having an idea, or being the first on Product Hunt, isn't enough. What's crucial is to establish effective processes and develop the product thoroughly. This requires considerable effort and time.

If your idea truly inspires you, then go for it. I believe in your potential for success.

Try taking a look at the "Deep Thoughts Engineering Speaker Series: John Carmack" video on YouTube (I'm not allowed to post links yet). He's always interesting to listen to, and has some good advice on when to follow ideas.

You should, unless it's already too big in the market right now

It's a good validation for the idea & there is a proof that customers need it

Think about how you can fundamentally build differently or build efficiently

People are wired to make a few design mistakes while building a product, see how you can avoid this & solve for it

Lastly,try to find your anchor to get into the market, you need a moat to be able to replicate a solution in the market

The moat can be either good design, good tech(low latency etc), new feature etc

The moat can never solely be a cheaper cost alternative

Definitely yes! It's proof you're on the right track. All the very best.

I'd say go for it, they always say no idea is truly a new one, it's all in the innovation and execution along with timing.

Yes, dude! You've got to scratch that itch and build it; otherwise, you'll keep wondering and telling yourself 'what ifs'.

I think it's even better if there's another player in the market. That means there's a market for it!

You can do these things:

1. Sit and watch, while you're building your app. Learn from their launch, mistakes, or shortcomings.

2. You can be a mystery shopper and learn about their features, and see what you could do better and improve the process. This could be your differentiation.

3. Trust me, launching and growing your own product will provide a valuable experience that is priceless. You'll get hooked on improving your product instead of worrying about competitors and money. It will be fun!

Good luck and go for it, dude! Have fun!

So how does it end if you just blatently post an almost identical product on producthunt? Will the users there bash you or is it just “ another entry down the line”?

Don't get discouraged. At least it shows that you had a good idea and can actually come up with a good one ;)

Whether to go after this idea or not will however depend on the idea, your and your competitors position/capabilities. For example, if somebody has been working on that idea for a while and already raised some capital while the idea itself requires significant amount of capital to be developed and you do not have it, then it does not sound good to go after it. If however they just started, did not make much progress and you believe you can quickly catch up / include some additional differentiating points or just make it better, then it could be feasible to go after it.

Agree with the feedback that there can be more than one. Having a point of view on distribution is as important as the product itself. I've built okay products in the past that were winners because our team had distribution — not because it was the better product. Three of my non-negotiables for new ideas are: customer willing to pay to solve problem, distribution, iteration speed, and I love the customer.

Yes with a caveat -- only if you can build it in under 3 days (or a weekend).

And if you really want to be ahead of the pack, limit yourself to doing it only if you can validate it first (i.e. find 1 customer that will pay you for it up front, or 5-10 people that will give you an email).

BTW if you're looking for fresh ideas, check out Unvalidated Ideas -- at least 57 free ideas in there right now, you might find one you want to do more than the linktree clone!

Don't be afraid and do your project. It's a common misconception that a unique idea is required for success. On the contrary, if there are competitors who are getting paid, it's likely that you can find your own users too :)

Here's a simple test: take the top 500 companies in the US, each with at least 10 competitors. Then, you can visit any startup accelerator and see the failed startups (hint: many of them were unique).

If you think you can win, go for it!

I think it really depends on your background and experience. If you've already a seasoned developer/entrepreneur in micro SaaS, move on. If you're considering your first project, I suggest you take action first. It's just like playing tennis (or other sports you can imagine). Hitting the ball inside the line is important, but before that, you'd better learn how to hit a ball back first.

This shit slaps, I can't compete. Secure your @ https://bento.me/en/home