Catching the Newest Trends

Where do you go to find the next big thing? Where do you look for such opportunities? I'm talking about a product, company, technological advances, new sectors of industries, newest services -- anything!

Also, where do you go to analyze data for the macro side of things -- the industries? I know there is the gov't website www.census.gov, but I haven't found much of anything on there. I don't know if I just have trouble understanding the info there or if there's just not much available. Where else can those interested in finding the next growing industry look?

Thanks in advance for any input.

I personally have been looking at children and tweeners as the holiday shopping season is fast approaching. That's where all of the retail dollars are going for people with crumb snatchers.

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Chuck
http://www.projectonemillion.net

Well, if you want to get some indication of what the kiddies are into,
ask your trick-or-treat'ers.
I usually ask them a single question
like "what is your favorite candy?" or their fave toy.

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My New Business Development Thoughts
My Investing Thoughts

Brilliant. I'm running with it.

__________________
Chuck
http://www.projectonemillion.net

Right here.

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Chuck
http://www.projectonemillion.net

I'll admit it -- Oprah. It's worth getting in touch with my feminine side seeing how books, products, services, etc. that gets discussed on the show suddenly become the new thing du jour.

Thanks for the responses.

What industries are known for having high markups? I'm planning on coming up with a list of a few industries I'm interested in. Then, I'll research them and come up with an innovative way of selling goods in that industry, and finally, I'll open up an online retail store. My main goal is to get started on something at this point, if not purely for the experience of it. Eventually, I'd like to come up with more of a system type business than a retailer, but at least this is a start.

Information & digital products. No added costs for increased units equals almost infinite potential returns.

What exactly do you mean by digital and information products? Just things that are stored solely through the internet for instance? Thanks for the response, but I'd appreciate a few specific examples so I can really grasp the topic.

Other high markups include window coverings, spices (grocery store), cars, and almost anything else that people seldom buy. The less often it sells, the higher the markup will be. The trick (I think) is finding bored rich people who will change their [cars, window coverings, mutual funds] very often, and can pay the high prices and not care as long as their fleeting whims are fulfilled.

As long as the environment appears to be in disarray (Global warming, unpredictable storms/fires) coupled with high energy prices, GOING GREEN will be the newest trend that could be exploited.

- Organic food
- Low emission anything
- Alternative energy (sun,wind,tides)
- Zero Carbon lifestyle

My prediction on the ages (in order):

Industrial Age
Tech Age
Energy Age
Space Age

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"Many people die at 25, but are not buried until 75" - Benjamin Franklin

Appreciate all the responses. I'll definitely be looking into them over the next few days.
This is something I've strongly considered. Unfortunately, my idea would require more time than my parents would allow me to spend on a business at the moment given where I'm at in my educational career (their opinion, not mine...SAT/College prep year ). I'll see how my "sales" skills are, though, I guess.

I recommend www.springwise.com, I'm suscribed to the newsletter.

Also, you could set up a google alert to receive by email newly crawled sites containing phrases like "the first in the world", you get the picture...

If you are into web entrepreneurship I would recommend reading www.techcrunch.com

Last but not least, you could use google trends to see what people are looking for in the web.

Things like eBooks are the most obvious, but I would also include screen capture videos (I have produced and sold these) and audio books. Music on mp3 would be another example.

Other things that can be delivered electronically:

software
specialized forms (legal, real estate)

In general, if you want high markups, think of selling information. Create it once and sell it over and over for very low cost.

Most people will immediately think that they don't know anything worthy of selling, but just be aware of all the things that you do in a day that require a skill and many of them would in fact be worthy of a digital product that people would pay for. Even if that information is already in the public domain, just to be able to organize it and put it into an easy to follow package is a valuable process that people will pay for.

Just take a look at the health and fitness category on Clickbank (digital products warehouse) and you'll be amazed at the products and the prices of information!

Jorge, nice information and great idea on the google alert. Speed++

+1

I am more and more frequently hearing talk about geothermal heat pumps. I'm thinking these things are going to be all the rage here soon.

Going green is going to be the hottest new trend in my opinion.

Hey thanks for the speed I though I would never leave no parking :P

Btw you can call me george if "jorge" is difficult to remember for you, its the same