This Ugly Product Makes $80k/Month

Fancy doesn’t make money. Boring does.

I’m gonna say something that might sting a little…

The more “exciting” your product idea is…
the more likely it is to fail on Amazon.

Yeah. I said it.

Because while you’re dreaming about the next viral gadget…

Someone else is quietly selling 500 units a day of…
a garlic press. 😅

📖 The day a sponge humbled me

Years ago, I was deep in product research.

I thought I was a genius.

I had this idea for a sleek, modern kitchen tool.
Cool design. Premium feel. Looked like something Apple would sell.

I was sure it would crush.

Then I checked the numbers.

It was… meh.

Low search volume. High competition. Expensive to make.

Then I stumbled on something else.

A basic scrub sponge.

Nothing sexy. No “wow factor.” No one brags about it at parties.

But here’s what I saw:

• 20,000+ monthly searches

• Repeat purchases

• Simple manufacturing

• Low return rate

And the kicker?

One seller was doing $80k/month… selling sponges. 🧽

That’s when it hit me…

I wasn’t building a business.
I was chasing ego.

🔢 The “Boring Product” Strategy (Step-by-Step)

Let me break this down in a way that actually works—especially if you’re juggling life, a job, and trying to build this thing on the side (like most sellers I know, and probably you too ).

1. 🎯 Look for problems, not passion

Forget “what’s cool.”

Ask:

• What do people need every week?

• What breaks, runs out, or wears down?

• What do people buy without thinking?

Examples:

• Dish brushes

• Storage bags

• Pet lint rollers

• Drawer organizers

These are boring.

They also print money.

2. 📦 Favor simple over smart

Complex products = complex problems.

You don’t want:

• Electronics (returns = nightmare)

• Moving parts (break = refund)

• Complicated instructions (bad reviews)

You want:

• Easy to use

• Easy to ship

• Hard to mess up

Simple wins because simple scales.

3. 🔁 Look for repeat buyers

This is where boring products shine.

If someone buys once… great.
If they buy every month… now we’re talking.

Look for:

• Consumables (sponges, bags, filters)

• Wear-and-tear items (brushes, mats)

• Replacements (parts, refills)

One customer can be worth 10+ orders.

4. 💸 Keep costs low and margins clean

Remember—most sellers you’re competing with are budget-conscious, cautious, and hate wasting money .

So your product should be:

• Cheap to source

• Cheap to ship

• Easy to bundle

You don’t need a $30 profit per unit.

You need consistency.

5. ⭐ Win with small improvements

Here’s the secret sauce.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

Just make it… better.

Ask:

• Can I bundle 2 instead of 1?

• Can I improve packaging?

• Can I fix a top complaint in reviews?

That’s it.

That’s the game.

🎯 The Big Takeaway

Boring products win because they solve boring problems…

Every. Single. Day.

And daily problems = daily sales.

The flashy stuff?

• Trends fade

• Competition spikes

• Costs explode

But boring?

• Stable demand

• Predictable sales

• Easier scaling

You don’t need a viral product.

You need a reliable one.

🧠 Final Thought

You don’t need to impress people.

You need to serve them.

And most people don’t need fancy…

They need something that works.

Stay scrappy, stay simple… and maybe go hug a sponge. 🧽😅

Andy Splichal
Founder & Managing Partner of True Online Presence & Author of the Make Each Click Count Book Series

P.S. Want to scale your sales without scaling your stress? I manage PPC for sellers who are serious about growth.
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