A field guide to small obsessions
Early Trends is an independent project by Björn Sjeldrup about spotting the fun, harmless products the internet is about to fall in love with — in every aisle.
Why this exists
Every so often a little thing — a plush monster, a snack flavor, a quirky desk gadget — goes from unknown to everywhere. By the time most people hear about it, it’s sold out or wildly overpriced. This blog tries to notice those things a bit earlier, explain what’s driving them, and point you to legitimate places to find them.
What we cover
Twelve shopping categories that roughly follow the big online-store departments, so trends can be spotted in any aisle — not just toys. Case studies is a separate shelf for retrospectives:
- 🧸 Toys & Collectibles
- 👟 Fashion & Apparel
- 💄 Beauty & Makeup
- 🍜 Food & Drink
- 📚 Books & Media
- 🔌 Tech & Gadgets
- 🪴 Home & Decor
- ⛰️ Sports & Outdoors
- 🍼 Baby & Kids
- 🧘 Health & Wellness
- 🐾 Pet Supplies
- 🍳 Kitchen & Dining
- 🔎 Case studies
What we don’t
No adult content, no drugs, vapes or alcohol, nothing unsafe for kids, and no “get rich flipping” schemes. We’d rather miss a trend than promote something harmful.
How we work
We look at public signals — creator mentions, short-video momentum, search interest and resale activity — and write up what we find. You can read the full approach in How we spot trends. We’re honest about uncertainty: many early signals don’t pan out.
How the site is funded
The site is free to read. In the future it may earn money through affiliate links (for example, Amazon or official brand stores) and display ads. Those never decide what we write about, and we’ll always say when a link is an affiliate link. Details are in our affiliate disclosure.
Say hello
Spotted something charming before everyone else? Trend tips are welcome. A contact address will be added here soon.