What it does
This Assistant performs deep research on product trends and opportunities, helping you figure out what new products or product line extensions you should consider. It compiles product ideas backed by market data and prepares information you can share with suppliers. It’s essentially a product development researcher working for you.
How it works
When you’re thinking about expanding your product line, you can ask this Assistant something like “What new product should I launch next?” or be specific, “Research trending ingredients or styles in my category.” The AI will then:
Analyze market trends – The AI Assistant will pull data from social media (trending hashtags, viral products), e-commerce trends, and your own sales to spot gaps or opportunities. For example, it could find that “sustainable packaging” or “mini/travel sizes” are trending in your industry, suggesting you could capitalize on that.
Identify customer needs – If you have customer reviews or feedback data, the Assistant will scan for common requests. Say many customers wish your skincare brand had a cleanser to go with a moisturizer, the AI notes that.
Generate product ideas – Combining the trend research and customer insights, it lists a few concrete product expansion ideas. Each idea comes with rationale. For instance: “Idea: Vitamin C Night Cream – Rationale: Searches for ‘vitamin C skincare’ are up 30% this yea and your brand’s vitamin C serum sales are strong, indicating demand.” Or “Idea: Eco-friendly Gift Set packaging – Rationale: many brands in your niche launched gift sets last holiday and they sold out, plus your customers value eco packaging.”
Prepares a summary report – The Assistant compiles the findings into a nice report or slide deck format. This report can be shared directly with potential suppliers or used internally. It might include data points (charts of trends), a list of suggested products, and even potential suppliers (if it overlaps with sourcing knowledge).
Why it’s useful
Market research and product brainstorming can take a product manager weeks – scanning articles, social media, and sales data. This AI does it in a fraction of the time (saving at least 2 hours of initial research, if not more). You get data-backed suggestions, reducing the guesswork in deciding your next product. Especially for a small business that can’t afford a dedicated R&D team, this Assistant ensures you’re not just picking new products blindly – you have some evidence that “if we make this, it could sell.” Moreover, by packaging the ideas in a shareable format, it becomes easier to then approach suppliers or pitch the idea to your team/investors.
Example use case
You run a home fragrance brand (candles, diffusers). You ask the AI to suggest a new product. It comes back with research: It shows that wax melts have surged in Google searches by 50% in the last year and many competitors have added melts to their lineup. It also notes that several of your customers left reviews saying “Wish you had flameless options.” The Assistant then suggests: “Wax Melts Collection” as a new product line, explaining it meets the trend and customer request. It even lists two suppliers from Pietra’s network that specialize in scented wax products. You now have a clear, justified direction for expansion, and you can move forward confidently.