# What people want, row by row.

Scattered signals about demand, turned into a dataset you can check one source at a time. This is a sample for a category we made up: refillable kitchen basics, the dish soap tablets, spray concentrates and refill pouches that replace a plastic bottle.

**Sample data.** We chose synthetic sample data over real signals. A real category would mean republishing other people's reviews and forum posts row by row, which we won't do without permission, and a category we invented can't be mistaken for anyone's real numbers. The numbers are invented. The method, the source types and the way we grade confidence are the ones we use on real projects.

## Interest is up about a third.

Search interest for the category over two years, as an index where the busiest month is 100. Two peaks a year: January resets and March spring cleaning.

| Month | Index |
| --- | --- |
| Nov 24 | 48 |
| Dec 24 | 50 |
| Jan 25 | 66 |
| Feb 25 | 58 |
| Mar 25 | 72 |
| Apr 25 | 70 |
| May 25 | 60 |
| Jun 25 | 54 |
| Jul 25 | 52 |
| Aug 25 | 55 |
| Sep 25 | 58 |
| Oct 25 | 60 |
| Nov 25 | 62 |
| Dec 25 | 63 |
| Jan 26 | 84 |
| Feb 26 | 74 |
| Mar 26 | 100 |
| Apr 26 | 92 |
| May 26 | 78 |
| Jun 26 | 70 |
| Jul 26 | 68 |
| Aug 26 | 71 |
| Sep 26 | 76 |
| Oct 26 | 79 |

Sample data. On a real project this comes from a public search trend tool, with the exact query set listed.

## The top complaint is the product itself.

What 240 one- and two-star reviews in the category complain about, sorted by theme. A review can raise more than one. (sample data)

- Tablets don't fully dissolve: 46 of 240 reviews
- Spray bottle breaks before the refills run out: 38 of 240 reviews
- Scent is too strong, or there is none: 31 of 240 reviews
- Refills cost more than they save: 29 of 240 reviews
- Ships in more plastic than it saves: 22 of 240 reviews
- Hard to find in stores: 17 of 240 reviews

## Every claim, with its source.

Filter by signal type or confidence. Facts are what a source shows; inferences are what we read into it, and they're marked so you never mistake one for the other.

| Signal | Claim | Evidence | Source type | Confidence | Fact or inference |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Search | Interest in the category is up about a third year over year. | Index of 79 in October 2026 against 60 a year earlier. | Search trend index | High | Fact |
| Search | Demand peaks twice a year: January and March. | Both years peak in January and March; March is the larger one. | Search trend index | High | Fact |
| Search | "Cold water" is the fastest growing search modifier. | Related searches with "cold water" or "dissolve" roughly doubled year over year. | Related searches | Medium | Fact |
| Search | Shoppers search by problem, not by brand. | 8 of the top 10 related searches name a task (dishes, glass, grease); 2 name a brand. | Related searches | Medium | Inference |
| Reviews and forums | Tablets that don't fully dissolve are the top complaint. | 46 of 240 sampled low-star reviews. | Marketplace reviews | High | Fact |
| Reviews and forums | Spray bottles break before the refills run out. | 38 of 240 sampled low-star reviews. | Marketplace reviews | High | Fact |
| Reviews and forums | Refills often cost more than they save. | 29 reviews, plus forum threads working out the cost per wash. | Forums and community threads | Medium | Fact |
| Reviews and forums | Scent splits people: too strong for some, missing for others. | 31 mentions, split about evenly. | Marketplace reviews | Medium | Fact |
| Reviews and forums | Unscented is an unmet ask. | Requested in 6 of 14 sampled threads; few listings offer it. | Forums and community threads | Low | Inference |
| Reviews and forums | Buyers distrust plastic-free claims when refills ship in plastic. | 22 reviews mention packaging; threads call it out by name. | Forums and community threads | Medium | Inference |
| Marketplace | Few listings include a sturdy bottle. | 7 of the top 40 listings bundle a glass or metal bottle. | Marketplace listings | High | Fact |
| Marketplace | Cold-water claims are rare in listing titles. | 3 of the top 40 listings say it in the title. | Marketplace listings | High | Fact |
| Marketplace | Subscriptions exist but are easy to miss. | 15 of 40 offer subscribe and save; most show it below the fold. | Marketplace listings | Medium | Fact |
| Marketplace | Store availability is thin. | 17 reviews say it's hard to find in stores. | Marketplace reviews | Low | Inference |
| Price points | Starter kits cluster at $24 to $32. | Median $28 across the top 40 listings. | Marketplace listings | High | Fact |
| Price points | Refill packs land at $8 to $12. | Median $10 across the top 40 listings. | Marketplace listings | High | Fact |
| Price points | Buyers compare cost per wash, not pack price. | Threads compare per-load cost against a supermarket bottle at about 4 cents. | Forums and community threads | Medium | Inference |
| Price points | There's room above $35 for a premium bottle kit. | The 4 listings above $35 all hold 4.5 stars or better. | Marketplace listings | Low | Inference |

## How to check a row.

Each row links here, to the kind of source behind it. On a real project the link goes to the exact page, saved with the date we read it.

- **Search trend index.** A public search trend tool, US, the last 24 months, for a fixed set of category searches. To check: Rerun the same searches for the same dates. The shape should match even if the exact index moves a little.
- **Related searches.** The rising and top related searches the same tool lists for the category. To check: Look at the related list for the same period. It shifts week to week, so we keep a dated copy.
- **Marketplace reviews.** One- and two-star reviews on the top 40 listings, read and tagged by theme by a person. To check: Open the listings, filter to low ratings and count. We note how many we read and when.
- **Forums and community threads.** Public threads where people discuss the category, read for recurring complaints and asks. To check: Each thread is linked and dated. We only quote short phrases and never name the poster.
- **Marketplace listings.** The top 40 listings for the category's main searches: titles, bundles, prices and ratings. To check: Search the same terms and compare. Rankings move, so we save the list on the day we read it.

### Confidence

- **High.** Several independent sources agree, or one source shows it directly and in volume.
- **Medium.** One good source, or a clear pattern in a small sample.
- **Low.** A signal worth testing, not a decision. We'd want more before acting on it.

## What we'd tell a client

1. **Lead with cold water.** The top complaint and the fastest growing search point at the same fix. If the tablets dissolve in cold water, say so in the product name, and show it on video.
2. **Sell the bottle, not the refill.** Breakage is the second complaint, and only 7 of 40 listings include a sturdy bottle. A glass or metal starter kit at $34 to $38 has room above the pack.
3. **Show the cost per wash.** Buyers do the math anyway. Put the per-load cost next to a supermarket bottle on the product page, and make sure it wins.
4. **Time the launch to February.** March is the biggest month both years. Content and ads go live in February, so they've settled in by the peak.

What we wouldn't decide from this: an unscented line. It's a low-confidence signal, so we'd test it with a small run before committing.

## Want this for your category?

We build these from public signals and the data you already have, with every row sourced and every inference marked. Tell us the category and the decision you're facing. [Tell us about it](https://nr10.com/contact/) · [See our strategy and discovery work](https://nr10.com/what-we-do/strategy-and-discovery/)

Human version: https://nr10.com/labs/demand-map/