Should I launch a product, similar to what already exists?
Hey hackers,
I've been working on a product for a little while, something I initially started building for myself, to solve an existing problem. I then figured I could turn it into a side project, and offer it as a service. As I was thinking on how to build it right, I started researching, and I found a couple of existing alternatives (one of them being even listed here, on IndieHackers). I didn't want to just let it go, and thought of still coming up with my alternative. However, I'm not totally sure this is the right thing to do, and maybe I should just focus on something else.
Of course, I could look for some flaws in the existing product, and fix them in mine (that's what I'm focused on right now, actually). But I'd still want to hear what y'all thinking.
Yes! The internet is big enough for many companies doing the same thing. If the product you are talking about is very niche then you don't want to be serving the exact same niche as your competitors.
I think many indiehackers have asked themselves that question so I'll also share a previos post on here by @shenku asking a very similar question: https://www.indiehackers.com/forum/how-do-you-recover-when-confronted-with-there-are-no-new-ideas-in-real-life-9102c85b9d
Yeah, I'm trying to shift a little bit from what they do, to not be a 1 to 1 match. Thanks for sharing the link.
I agree with everyone else here! Unless you're deliberately ripping off another niche product then there's always room for competition and you can always steer your product in a different direction or offer different features to the existing ones.
Agree with everyone else - a competing product should not stop you! But also: Validate! I, along with many other IHers, skip this step at our own detriment (and huge time costs).
Maybe they'll help steer you toward a solution that solves problems that make money!
Go ahead and do it.
As long as you're delivering value, there is a market for you.
Paul Jarvis answers “Why are you building X when Y exists?” in this article https://pjrvs.com/competition/.
You'll love it.
Thanks a lot for sharing the article!
Keep going!
I definitely will, thank you!! :)
Yes! I just tried to put myself in place of you. I think the following positive.
All of these are very valid points. Thank you, that is really really encouraging.
Yes; that tells you that there is a MARKET FOR IT.
Do it.
This post (not by me) distills the wisdom of not making something the world has never seen before.
https://medium.com/user-camp/what-app-to-build-next-23ce2764ed6e
I never really looked at this from that point of view - if there are similar products then there's market for it! So simple but so true. Thank you.
There is hardly any idea which is original anymore. Build your own brand, improve on little things that you find annoying in the alternative or maybe take an existing product and adjust it for a different target market. Just put your heart into it. You gotta believe in the idea.
Thank you!
YES! YES! YES! The market is big enough for everyone. 🙂
Don't worry about the competition. Focus on making your product. I just read this recently: https://justinjackson.ca/focus-on-your-own-shit/
Just launch! Ours is similar to many products but everyone sees problem in different ways and applies something anyone else doesn't have
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If you feel strongly about your product then build and launch. Google wasn’t the first search engine, FB wasn’t the first social media platform.
And frankly, there will be many people who would not know about the existing players until they encounter the pain point. Once they do, you want to be the one discovered.
Good luck. Don’t worry about existing competitor, build a great product, and deliver value to your users.
I keep telling myself - there's Uber and Lyft. There's Bird and Lime. And a huge amount of other similar products. Thanks for encouraging words!