10 Hot Trends to Look at for Coming Up with a New Product Idea

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by Ken Tarlow

1. THE AGING OF THE POPULATION:

Think about products that appeal to an older age group. The average age of people in the U.S. is growing each year as the Baby Boom Generation moves into its 50's, and as advances in medicine prolongs people's lives. One of the hottest-selling catalog items these days is a long handled "picker upper" so that older people do not have to bend down to pick up small objects.

2. THE NEST / FORTRESS / HOUSE:

People are spending more time in their homes. They are constantly looking for ways to make their homes more comfortable, more entertaining and more secure. New interests in gourmet cooking at home is a result of this trend.

3. WORKING AT HOME:

More and more people are telecommuting and working from home offices. Think of the countless ways to make life easier for this growing population.

4. ROAD WARRIORS:

People are spending a lot more time in their cars, and in some cases, they are becoming offices on wheels. Think of ways to make life more bearable, entertaining, comfortable and safe for the commuting population.

5. HOME ALONE:

The number of women in the workforce continues to grow. Kids of all ages need entertaining, educational, safe things to do while not in school and not supervised by a parent.

6. THE ENDLESS FITNESS QUEST:

Fitness seems to be an obsession in the US There is always room for a product which creates a really new, fun, efficient way to exercise.

7. THE SHRINKING HOME:

As living space decreases, there is more need for ways to organize all the stuff we collect. How can we hang it, hide it, divide it, store it, display it or collapse it?

8. INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY:

It is still a little uncertain as to what we are all going to do with the Information Superhighway. But it is here! Keep an eye on ideas for items to assist people on this superhighway journey. A whole industry has been created in items associated with computers -- it is not hardware, it is not software -- it is middleware! Things for organizing wires, holders for disks, stands and swivels and anti-glare screens, etc. Chances are there will also be products needed to support the use of the Info Superhighway.

9. INTERACTIVE EVERYTHING:

Interactive video, virtual reality, sophisticated electronics that simulate reality and respond to our individual movements and questions. It is happening now and expanding rapidly each year. Look for novel applications for this new technology. You do not have to be a techno whiz to do this. Try to understand the capabilities of this new medium -- then say "What if ..."

10. CLEAN UP OUR MESS!

Saving the environment has replaced the Cold War as the biggest challenge to the continued survival of humans on this planet. There is a great opportunity in reinventing products and processes to make them environmentally friendly. The throwaway society is out of favor today. How can we throw away less? How can we conserve our limited resources more? How can we reduce our polluting ways? This is a product category that can be financially profitable and save the planet at the same time.