Okiela Week 1: What I learned from a quiet Product Hunt launch
Hi Product Hunt community,
A week ago, Okiela launched here and finished #29 with 4 upvotes.
Not the fairy tale launch story. But here's what I learned:
What went wrong:
1. Didn't build pre-launch momentum (classic mistake)
2. Messaging wasn't clear enough ("profit in 30 seconds" = too vague?)
3. As an introverted, non-native English founder, I underestimated community engagement
What happened next:
- Reached out to 20 Shopify sellers directly
- Got 5 sign-ups, 3 gave detailed feedback
- Learned the REAL pain point: not profit calculation speed, but knowing WHICH costs to include
Pivot:
Added a "Cost Checklist" feature based on feedback. Now users see:
✅ COGS included
✅ Shipping included
✅ Platform fees included
⚠️ Ad spend missing → [Add here]
The lesson:
Product Hunt ranking doesn't define your product. User conversations do.
If you're a Shopify seller and want to try the updated version, DM me. Happy to onboard personally.
— Dai
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