How to Use Google Trends to Validate Reselling Products

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Most resellers validate products by checking sold listings on eBay or checking the Buy Box price on Amazon.

Those tools are essential, but they only show what has already happened.

Google Trends lets you see what is happening right now and what might happen next.

By tracking search interest before demand peaks, you can source smarter, avoid dead inventory, and spot trends before most sellers even notice them.

This guide walks you through how Google Trends works, how to interpret the data, and how to use it to make better sourcing decisions for your reselling business.

Why Google Trends Is a Powerful Tool for Resellers

Google Trends shows how often people search for a keyword over time.

This matters for resellers because:

  • Rising trends often predict higher sell through rates
  • Seasonal spikes reveal when to buy and when to list
  • Falling trends warn you to avoid certain items
  • Sudden popularity jumps signal opportunities
  • Category shifts reveal changes in buyer behavior

Google Trends gives you a real time view into what people care about.

Once buyer interest increases, marketplace sales usually follow.

How Google Trends Scores Work

Google Trends does not show total search volume.

Instead, it shows relative popularity on a scale from 0 to 100.

100

Peak interest for the chosen time period

50

Half as much interest as the peak

0 to 10

Very low interest

This is useful because you can quickly see:

  • If interest is rising or falling
  • If this product is seasonal
  • If people are losing interest
  • If the trend has life left in it

The score is less important than the direction of the trend.

The Three Time Frames You Must Review

When validating products, always check these three periods:

  1. Past 12 months Shows seasonality and medium term trends
  2. Past 5 years Shows long term health of the niche
  3. Past 30 days Shows short term spikes or declines

A product may look strong in one period but weak in another.

Example

  • Five year trend: slowly rising
  • One year trend: seasonal spike every November
  • Thirty day trend: trending upward sharply

This is a strong sourcing signal.

What Rising Trends Look Like

A rising trend has the following characteristics:

  • Higher highs each season
  • Higher lows between seasons
  • Strong upward slope
  • Interest increasing across multiple regions

This usually indicates:

  • Strong sell through rate
  • Higher demand than supply
  • Product line growth
  • Good long term resale viability

Look for this pattern when sourcing new inventory, especially collectibles, toys, and seasonal products.

What Declining Trends Look Like

A declining trend shows:

  • Lower highs each season
  • Lower lows across years
  • Flattening interest
  • Strong downward slope

Declines often mean:

  • Market saturation
  • Buyer fatigue
  • Decreasing search volume
  • Lower sell through rate
  • Price drops

Avoid products in long term decline unless ROI is guaranteed.

How to Compare Two Products Side by Side

Google Trends allows you to compare keywords.

This is useful for:

  • Choosing between similar items
  • Seeing which version of a product is more popular
  • Identifying which franchise is rising faster
  • Validating which variation has higher long term interest

Example

Compare:

  • “LEGO Star Wars”
  • “LEGO Harry Potter”

If Star Wars shows stronger and more consistent demand, it may be the safer long term buy.

How to Validate a Product Step by Step

Here is the exact workflow to validate a reselling product with Google Trends.

Step 1: Search the exact product name

Example: “Spider Man action figure”

Step 2: Review the past 12 months

Look for:

  • Recent spikes
  • Clear seasonality
  • Growing interest

Step 3: Review the past 5 years

Look for:

  • Long term growth
  • Declining demand
  • Stable interest

Step 4: Check related queries

This shows:

  • Trending versions
  • New releases
  • Variations gaining interest

Step 5: Compare against competitor keywords

If you want to see if a product niche is strong, compare it to a similar one.

Step 6: Confirm with marketplace sold data

Google Trends gives direction.

Sold listings confirm real sales.

Use both for the most accurate sourcing decision.

Using Google Trends to Predict Seasonal Demand

Many niches are seasonal:

  • Toys spike in November and December
  • Fitness spikes in January
  • Outdoor gear spikes in May and June
  • Back to school spikes in August

Google Trends helps you:

  • Buy inventory before peak demand
  • List items at the right time
  • Avoid out-of-season buying mistakes
  • Know when to expect slow periods

Seasonality is one of the strongest reselling insights on Google Trends.

Case Study Example: Validating a Toy Franchise

Let’s say you want to source Marvel and Pokémon toys.

Marvel Trend Line

  • Strong demand during movie releases
  • Steady interest long term
  • Spikes around holidays

Pokémon Trend Line

  • Massive spikes every few months
  • Strong long term upward slope
  • Very low drop off after seasonal peaks

Pokémon shows stronger and more consistent interest.

This indicates better sell through rate and safer investment.

Google Trends helps you choose the more profitable niche before buying.

What Google Trends Cannot Do

Google Trends does not:

  • Show exact sales volume
  • Replace marketplace sold data
  • Tell you the price you should charge
  • Guarantee that a trend will stay strong

It is a directional tool.

Use it alongside marketplace data, not instead of it.

FAQs

Q: Should I rely only on Google Trends for sourcing decisions?

No, combine it with sold data, ROI, and buy cost.

Q: What if a trend spikes suddenly?

Short term spikes are useful but sometimes temporary. Look at the five year chart too.

Q: Does Google Trends work for niche products?

Yes, but some very niche terms may have low search volume.

Q: How often should I check trends?

Weekly for active categories and monthly for broader sourcing decisions.

Actionable Takeaways

✅ Always check the 12 month, 5 year, and 30 day charts

✅ Look for rising trends with consistent upward movement

✅ Avoid products with declining long term interest

✅ Compare similar products or franchises side by side

✅ Use related queries to spot emerging opportunities

✅ Combine Google Trends with sold listings before sourcing

Google Trends gives you early warning signals for slow sellers and early insight into rising opportunities.

Use it consistently and your sourcing decisions will become smarter, faster, and more profitable.