How to identify products to study on Shopify

To find products to study on Shopify, you need to go beyond simply searching for ideas and observe the visible signals in existing stores. The challenge is to identify the right catalogs, analyze useful information on product pages and avoid jumping to quick conclusions.

You will discover where to look for these products, which elements to compare and which method to follow to build a list of products to analyze in more detail.

Why observe Shopify catalogs

Public Shopify store catalogs provide an initial overview of the products a brand highlights. By reviewing them, you can identify references to analyze before dedicating time to a more complete study.

Why is a public catalog useful?

An online store displays several pieces of information visible to everyone, such as the categories offered, the organization of product ranges, product pages and the way offers are presented. These elements make it possible to compare several stores and identify products that deserve further analysis.

You can notably observe:

• the types of products present in the same store;
• the importance given to certain products in the navigation;
• the way collections are organized;
• the elements used to present an offer, such as promotions or available variants.

A catalog is not enough to confirm that a product works, but it allows you to create an initial selection. For example, if several stores present similar products with different positioning, you can add them to your analysis list and compare their characteristics later.

The goal is therefore to transform an idea search into a structured observation method. You start with visible products, then check which signals deserve a more in-depth study.

Where to find products to study

To identify products to study, start by looking for Shopify stores that are already visible in your market. The goal is to collect catalogs to compare, not to immediately conclude that a product is relevant.

What sources should you explore to find Shopify stores?

You can start from several sources:

• Google results: search for product categories, brands or stores using precise queries. A search like « online pet accessories store » can reveal catalogs to analyze.
• Social networks: observe stores that regularly showcase products, their sales pages and the collections they highlight.
• Advertising libraries: they allow you to observe stores running visible ads on certain platforms.
• Store databases and analysis tools: they allow you to identify Shopify sites and examine their public catalogs.

How should you organize your research?

Create a list of stores to review with the store name, the type of products sold and the elements that catch your attention. You can then compare the ranges, presentations and offers provided.

You can use an analysis tool like Evidio to study public Shopify stores and structure your observations. The analysis only covers information visible from public pages. Discover Evidio features

Which elements to review in a catalog

What should you observe on a product page?

A product page helps you understand how a store presents its offer. Do not just look at the product itself. Analyze all the elements that build the proposition.

Check in particular:

• The range offered: observe whether the store focuses on a specific category or whether it brings together several product families. A store specializing in pet accessories, for example, does not present its products in the same way as a general store.
• The product presentation: look at the photos, titles, descriptions and organization of the information. A clear product page allows you to quickly understand the product and its use.
• The visible offers: note the presence of bundles, variants, displayed promotions or other elements that change the way the product is presented.
• The catalog structure: observe the categories, collections and order of the products. This can indicate which products the store highlights.

How to organize your observations?

Create a list with the product name, category, presentation used and the elements that catch your attention. You can then compare several catalogs using the same criteria and identify the products that deserve a more in-depth analysis.

How to select interesting products

What criteria should be used to sort the identified products?

After collecting several products, rank them using the same criteria to avoid choosing only based on your intuition. A simple method is to:

1. Check the presence of the product in several catalogues: a product observed in several stores may deserve further analysis, as it shows an interest worth monitoring.

2. Compare the product presentation: look at the quality of the listing, the visuals used, the key points highlighted and the space given in the catalogue.

3. Observe the consistency of the offer: an isolated product may be less interesting than a complete range with several variants or associated products.

4. Note the signals to investigate further: add products that show specific elements, such as repeated highlighting or a different presentation strategy.

How can you avoid choosing too quickly?

Do not select a product only because it appears in a store. A single indicator is not enough to draw a conclusion. Compare several catalogues and group your observations before deciding which products to analyse in more detail.

Then create a short list with the selected products, the stores where they appear and the reasons for your selection. This base will serve you for your next searches.

Common mistakes

Relying on a single indicator

A product visible in several stores is not enough to conclude that it deserves in-depth analysis. Repeated presence can simply come from a trend, a season, or similar catalog choices between several sellers.

• Do not judge a product solely based on its appearance. A well-presented listing alone does not show whether the product is relevant to study.
• Do not draw conclusions from a single store. Compare several catalogs to identify common points.
• Do not confuse visibility with interest. A product highlighted on a homepage attracts attention, but this does not provide all the necessary information.

Ignoring the catalog context

Looking at a product without examining the rest of the store can lead to misinterpretation. For example, an item may be part of a seasonal range or a collection with a specific presentation.

Take the time to note why a product caught your attention, then check whether other catalog elements confirm this observation. A selection based on several signals allows you to build a list of products to study with greater method.

Conclusion

To identify products to study on Shopify, you need to follow a simple method: review several public catalogs, note the elements that catch your attention, then compare the visible signals before selecting a product to analyze in more detail. This approach prevents you from choosing based solely on a quick impression and helps you keep track of the reasons that justify your selection, such as the presence within a coherent range or a particular catalog presentation.

The next step is to create a list of products to analyze by recording the information observed for each one and the questions to check later. You can organize this list by category, by store observed, or by the element that triggered your interest, so you can easily find the leads to explore during your next searches and compare products using the same observation framework. This organization allows you to revisit your choices using identical criteria and continue your analysis in a structured way without starting from scratch for each new future analysis.