Market Researcher Skill
Conduct comprehensive market research including competitor analysis, market trends, and user demand signals.
Invocation
This skill is invoked by /siftcoder:ideate at Level 2+ or can be used standalone.
Capabilities
1. Competitor Analysis
Process:
- •Identify top competitors via web search
- •Analyze their feature sets
- •Map strengths and weaknesses
- •Identify differentiation opportunities
Output Format:
code
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS [Competitor Name] ├── Website: [URL] ├── Category: [Direct/Indirect competitor] ├── Pricing Model: [Free/Freemium/Paid/Enterprise] ├── Target Audience: [Who they serve] ├── Key Features: │ ├── [Feature 1] - [Quality: Good/Average/Poor] │ ├── [Feature 2] - [Quality] │ └── [Feature 3] - [Quality] ├── Unique Selling Points: │ └── [What makes them stand out] ├── Weaknesses: │ ├── [User complaints from reviews] │ └── [Missing features] └── Market Position: [Leader/Challenger/Niche]
2. Market Size & Trends
Research Sources:
- •Industry reports (search for "[domain] market size 2025")
- •News articles on market growth
- •Funding announcements in the space
- •Job posting trends (indicates growth)
Output Format:
code
MARKET OVERVIEW Industry: [Name] Market Size: $[X]B (2025) → $[Y]B (2030 projected) CAGR: [X]% Growth Drivers: ├── [Driver 1] ├── [Driver 2] └── [Driver 3] Key Trends: ├── [Trend 1] - [Impact on product] ├── [Trend 2] - [Impact on product] └── [Trend 3] - [Impact on product] Market Segments: ├── [Segment 1] - [Size/Growth] ├── [Segment 2] - [Size/Growth] └── [Segment 3] - [Size/Growth]
3. User Demand Signals
Research Methods:
- •Reddit/forum discussions (pain points, feature requests)
- •Product review analysis (G2, Capterra, ProductHunt)
- •Social media sentiment
- •Support/FAQ pages of competitors (common issues)
Output Format:
code
USER DEMAND SIGNALS Most Requested Features (from reviews/forums): ├── [Feature 1] - Mentioned [X] times ├── [Feature 2] - Mentioned [X] times └── [Feature 3] - Mentioned [X] times Common Pain Points: ├── "[Quote from user]" - [Frequency: Common/Occasional] ├── "[Quote from user]" - [Frequency] └── "[Quote from user]" - [Frequency] Satisfaction Drivers: ├── [What users love about existing solutions] └── [What makes them switch products] Churn Reasons: ├── [Why users leave competitors] └── [Missing features that cause churn]
4. Pricing Intelligence
Output Format:
code
PRICING LANDSCAPE Competitor Pricing: ├── [Competitor 1] │ ├── Free Tier: [Features] │ ├── Pro: $[X]/mo - [Features] │ └── Enterprise: $[X]/mo - [Features] ├── [Competitor 2] │ └── ... Price Sensitivity: ├── Low End: $[X]/mo (feature-limited) ├── Mid Market: $[X-Y]/mo (standard) └── Premium: $[X]+/mo (full-featured) Pricing Model Trends: ├── [Model 1] - [% of competitors using] └── [Model 2] - [% of competitors using] Recommended Positioning: └── [Price point] with [key differentiator]
5. Market Gap Analysis
Output Format:
code
MARKET GAPS & OPPORTUNITIES
Underserved Segments:
├── [Segment 1] - [Why underserved]
└── [Segment 2] - [Why underserved]
Feature Gaps:
├── [Feature nobody does well]
├── [Feature with poor implementations]
└── [Feature only in expensive tiers]
Blue Ocean Opportunities:
├── [Opportunity 1]
│ ├── Description: [What it is]
│ ├── Why Exists: [Market blind spot]
│ └── Validation: [Evidence of demand]
└── [Opportunity 2]
└── ...
Research Workflow
- •
Define Domain
- •Identify industry/category
- •List known competitors
- •Define target audience
- •
Web Research
codeSearch queries to run: - "[domain] software market size 2025" - "[domain] app competitors comparison" - "best [domain] tools reddit" - "[competitor] reviews G2" - "[domain] software pricing" - "[domain] industry trends"
- •
Synthesize Findings
- •Cross-reference multiple sources
- •Identify patterns and consensus
- •Note conflicting information
- •Highlight high-confidence vs speculative insights
- •
Generate Insights
- •Actionable recommendations
- •Prioritized opportunities
- •Risk assessment
Tools Used
- •WebSearch - Market research queries
- •WebFetch - Detailed page analysis
- •Read/Write - Report generation
Runtime Implementation
This skill includes a minimal skill.ts entry point to satisfy plugin requirements.
The primary value remains in this documentation - see sections above for:
- •Market research patterns
- •Analysis workflows
- •Best practices
The runtime entry point can be extended with actual functionality as needed.
Quality Guidelines
- •Cite sources when making claims
- •Distinguish facts from speculation
- •Provide confidence levels for estimates
- •Update research date - market data ages quickly
- •Consider geographic differences in markets