Lesson Category: Product Creation & Manufacturing

• No matter where you’re shipping to/from, be aware of:
  • Import tariffs, duties, and other taxes
  • Manufacturing & delivery estimates
  • Planning for the worst while hoping for the best
• Strongly recommended: Research & secure a good freight forwarder
  • REGINA — this is for placement as a non-bullet-point at the bottom of the previous slide, not its own slide

Questions to ask yourself when making your final decision…

• What was the MOQ?
• Who was most prompt and transparent?
• What do their reviews from past clients look like?
• What are my buyer protections (if any)?
• What was the quality of the samples I received?
• Who do I trust the most based on our limited interactions?

Once you’ve found your top 3…

• Order samples of past, similar products
• If financially possible, order samples of YOUR product
• Always be cautious of “the Golden Sample”
  • Order multiple units & insist on the highest quality before proceeding

• How do you find a manufacturer?
  • I’m sure there are other ways, but I turn to Alibaba.com
  • Look for people who have manufactured similar items & materials in the past
  • Look at their ratings & your buyer protections through Alibaba
• How do you find a manufacturer? (cont’d)
  • IP considerations when manufacturing in China
  • Be careful of anyone who’s coming in dramatically cheaper than others
  • Ultimately: Open a dialogue with your top 7-10 and trust your instincts

Why is practically everyone manufacturing in China?

• The quality myth
• The price differences in mold creation
• The per-unit price differences
  • Mainly due to significantly lower-cost labor & overhead expenses

Entering another dimension…

• Your engineer/contractor MAY have the ability to do this
• Tons of 3D printing services (Shapeways.com)
• Start with cheaper materials & progress to finer prototypes as you get closer to completion
  • We started with SLA & finished with nylon plastic

• Notes about hiring a CAD designer
  • Probably want someone with an engineering background
  • Easiest way is probably using UpWork
    • Post ONLY enough detail to give an idea of the work/skills required
• Notes about hiring a CAD designer (cont’d)
  • This will be your first expensive milestone
    • Cheaping out here will cost you in the long run, so don’t
  • The clearer your instructions + prototyping, the less you’ll ultimately pay

Things I wish someone had told me early on…

• Injection molding for plastic products
• My experience with non-plastic products
• Food-safe vs non-food-safe
• Thought process for optimizing a design for injection molding
• Example models & manufacturer feedback

Before you enlist professional help, you should…

• Draw sketches yourself, at a bare minimum (no matter how rough they are)
• Write a detailed description of its key functions & features
• If you have the ability, create a rough prototype
• Let’s look at some examples…