Choosing the Right Platform: Factors to Consider When Making Products
When it comes to creating products, there are various factors that need to be taken into account, including the profit model, product functions, and perhaps one that is often overlooked – the choice of platform. The final influence and value of a product are often the result of multiple factors working together.
Considering factors such as the number of users, degree of competition, willingness to pay, and payment price, it is crucial to choose the right platform for your product. To help guide your decision-making process, here are some popular product platforms along with their respective product numbers:
– Apple mobile apps: more than 1.6 million apps
– Android mobile apps: more than 350 apps
– Chrome browser plug-ins: nearly 200,000 plug-ins
– Wordpress plug-ins: more than 58,000 free plug-ins
– Mac App Store: Over 30,000 apps
– Shopify: over 8,000 apps
– Heroku: over 200 add-ons
– Web products: well over millions
Based on the above list, one can roughly estimate the number of users on each platform, which provides valuable insights into where products should be made.
When deciding where to make products, three key points should be given priority:
1. Number of users: Opting for a platform with a larger user base is often the most intuitive choice. More users mean more potential consumers for your product. However, it’s important to note that platforms with more users also tend to have more competition. To avoid excessive competition and ensure initial success, consider these options:
– Find a niche market within a larger platform.
– Strive to be among the top few on a smaller platform.
– Enter platforms with a high willingness to pay.
2. Technical difficulty: Among the various mentioned products, web products are generally the least difficult to develop. They are simpler both in terms of technological popularity and product launch. However, easier entry often means more intense competition. On the other hand, choosing a platform that requires a higher technical threshold can establish a competitive advantage. For instance, integrating AI technology, a relatively lesser-known field, can give a product an edge. By leveraging your familiarity with specific technologies and by choosing less-saturated fields, you can produce more products efficiently while reducing competition.
3. User willingness to pay: For commercial products, the willingness of users to pay is a crucial aspect. Apple mobile phone users, for example, are generally more willing to pay and pay higher prices compared to Android users. Despite the larger user base on Android, putting apps on iOS often proves to be more profitable. Additionally, commercial platforms tend to have higher willingness-to-pay rates compared to browser plug-ins. Platforms such as Heroku and Shopify have a higher willingness to pay than browser plug-ins, making them attractive options for commercial products.
In conclusion, for those embarking on the journey of product creation, it can be overwhelming to consider what kind of product to create, how to promote it, and how to monetize it. Therefore, it is recommended to engage in experiential trial and error initially in order to gather valuable experience. As familiarity in the field grows, it becomes possible to delve deeper into more profound questions, leading to higher quality and more successful products. By thinking strategically and considering factors such as user base, technical difficulty, and willingness to pay, one can maximize the chances of product success in the chosen platform.