Why Most Products Fail (And How to Avoid It)
Launching a new product is exciting—but it’s also risky. For every big success story, there are dozens of products that never make it to market or quietly disappear after launch. The difference usually isn’t the quality of the idea. It’s whether decisions along the way were guided by research or left to gut instinct.
When brands skip research, they risk:
Pouring money into development for an idea the market doesn’t actually want
Weak positioning that wastes ad dollars and confuses customers
Packaging or messaging that fails to connect with the right audience
Pricing that either leaves money on the table or pushes people away
The cost of getting it wrong can be massive. The good news? Most of these pitfalls are preventable.
A Smarter Way Forward
At Lab42, we’ve seen time and again how research changes the outcome. It helps teams ask the right questions at the right time, validate ideas before investing too heavily, and refine products so they actually resonate with buyers.
That’s why we created our Product Development Research Field Guide—a practical framework that walks through four phases of smarter product development:
Opportunity Identification – Validate early so you don’t overinvest in weak ideas
Product Design & Development – Optimize features, pricing, and positioning with data
Message Development – Create communications that actually drive action
Product Introduction – Track performance after launch to set up long-term success
It’s not about overcomplicating the process. It’s about making better decisions at each step so your team can reduce costly mistakes and improve your odds of success.
Get the Guide
We put the entire framework, along with tips and methods you can apply right away, into one resource.
Use it as a playbook to make smarter calls, avoid common pitfalls, and give your next launch the best chance to win in the market.
Download the Product Development Research Field Guide below
