Creating a product to ship. Deep Niche. Process Thread

[S&P]

Hey guys,

This is my process thread. Found a need deep within the fitness industry. This is very niche. Have been lurking the forums since reading the Millionaire Fastlane around New Years. Reading and absorbing as much as possible. Learnt a ton and now it's time to learn more through experience and action. We have a great group of guys here and incredible knowledge.

Action taken so far:

-Researched all market competitors.
-Researched everything related to my product creation. Suppliers, Manufacturers, Ingredients etc.
-Researched Marketing, Sales Funnels, Sale outlets.

Goal by end of April:

-Created first batch of my product.
-Set up two sales funnels (Amazon + My Ecommerce Store)
-Work on traffic generation through social media, online forums, VSL. WSL.

For my ecommerce store I was thinking:

1) http://www.squarespace.com/templates/ (can plugin shopify and MailCheat(Chimp) easily)
2) http://virb.com/

Squarespace has mobile site built into it's website templates.
There are also mobile app services available http://www.squarespace.com/apps#intro

Not sure how to get on Amazon. Will start that process soon.

Thanks guys.

 

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[snowbank]

Found a need deep within the fitness industry

what's the product? if you can't say, pm me

 

[TJPB]

Will you be manufacturing your product?

 

[S&P]

what's the product? if you can't say, pm me

I can't divulge that information. This thread's purpose is to exchange ideas and information related to the process of building this business. Stuff in here can be applicable to any business that ships a product through Ecommerce sales funnels. I have a lot to learn and wish to absorb/test input as possible from the members here. I will give back in any way I can.

Will you be manufacturing your product?

Will be outsourcing manufacturing to a local laboratory. Will provide all ingredients.

 

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[TJPB]

Are you going to have a brand? If so, be careful with Amazon.....if your items are for sale there, it tends to dumb-down the branding.

Will you be shipping all your product or using a fulfillment center?

 

[S&P]

Thanks for the advice. Decided to take Amazon out as a sales outlet.

Need capital for the business.

My only asset is a lifetime monthly indemnity from government insurance. Receive payments for 400$ monthly. Any ideas on how to leverage it for 10-20k?

That will help with all startup costs. Can also take on a partner. Any advice and input is as always, appreciated.

 

[S&P]

Goals for the next 24 hours.

1) Research Prices on all necessary ingredients for my blend.

2) Investigate sourcing empty 150ml bottles with a screw top from Alibaba or similar sites. Looking for sample of 100 bottles. Quotes for 200, 500, 1000.

3) Follow up with logo creator. See if he can design label and box.

4) Investigate information to put on box/label for liability and consumer information. Supplement facts/Branding/Claims etc.

5) Start gathering local leads for manufacturing.

 

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[jazb]

Every man and his dog wants to sell something in fitness, what makes your so special ?

 

[FastLaner007]

Are you going to have a brand? If so, be careful with Amazon.....if your items are for sale there, it tends to dumb-down the branding.

Huh?? Why do you think Amazon would be a bad place for branding?

 

[youngtrep]

Are you going to have a brand? If so, be careful with Amazon.....if your items are for sale there, it tends to dumb-down the branding.

Will you be shipping all your product or using a fulfillment center?

I couldn't disagree more about Amazon. I suppose it could be the case for a high end brand like the clothing line you're launching, but for a supplement that is a huge market to not take advantage of. People are buying thousands of bottles a day there, many of whom are likely only searching Amazon or who prefer to buy there instead of heading to GNC or Whole Foods.

 

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[youngtrep]

I can't divulge that information. This thread's purpose is to exchange ideas and information related to the process of building this business. Stuff in here can be applicable to any business that ships a product through Ecommerce sales funnels. I have a lot to learn and wish to absorb/test input as possible from the members here. I will give back in any way I can.


Will be outsourcing manufacturing to a local laboratory. Will provide all ingredients.

You don't have to name the lab, but you found someone who will let you drop off the ingredients and then produce the supplements for you? Are they GMP certified? I don't think I came across anyone during my manufacturer search who would have allowed that. Are you sourcing your ingredients from someone like Purebulk, or an ingredient distributor?

 

[1step]

Are you going to have a brand? If so, be careful with Amazon.....if your items are for sale there, it tends to dumb-down the branding.

I have no idea what this means.... Care to explain?

Goals for the next 24 hours.

1) Research Prices on all necessary ingredients for my blend.

2) Investigate sourcing empty 150ml bottles with a screw top from Alibaba or similar sites. Looking for sample of 100 bottles. Quotes for 200, 500, 1000.

3) Follow up with logo creator. See if he can design label and box.

Oh jesus what are you getting yourself into?

 

[S&P]

Thanks for the advice. Decided to take Amazon out as a sales outlet.

Need capital for the business.

My only asset is a lifetime monthly indemnity from government insurance. Receive payments for 400$ monthly. Any ideas on how to leverage it for 10-20k?

That will help with all startup costs. Can also take on a partner. Any advice and input is as always, appreciated.

Any ideas guys?

Every man and his dog wants to sell something in fitness, what makes your so special ?

I know some deep secrets of the fitness cult. There is a deep niche need that fulfils all of the fastlane commandments.

You don't have to name the lab, but you found someone who will let you drop off the ingredients and then produce the supplements for you? Are they GMP certified? I don't think I came across anyone during my manufacturer search who would have allowed that. Are you sourcing your ingredients from someone like Purebulk, or an ingredient distributor?

Thank you for your posts. Currently following up with 7-8 local manufacturer leads. Have some personal visits to make this week. Sourcing from several ingredient distributors. Thank you for the purebulk lead. That's a great site and will probably end up ordering something from them. Some labs are GMP certified. What sort of standards should I implement into my product? Located in Canada here. In the states I know the FDA regulates everything and most of OTC fitness products have liability statements such as "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease"

*Made in a cGMP and NSF certified facility" will be included on label

I couldn't disagree more about Amazon. I suppose it could be the case for a high end brand like the clothing line you're launching, but for a supplement that is a huge market to not take advantage of. People are buying thousands of bottles a day there, many of whom are likely only searching Amazon or who prefer to buy there instead of heading to GNC or Whole Foods.

As of right now, Product will be sold exclusively through my ecommerce store once up and running. Will make a decision on other sales outlets later.

Oh jesus what are you getting yourself into?

Not quite sure yet

Goals for the next 24 hours.

1) Research Prices on all necessary ingredients for my blend.

2) Investigate sourcing empty 150ml bottles with a screw top from Alibaba or similar sites. Looking for sample of 100 bottles. Quotes for 200, 500, 1000.

3) Follow up with logo creator. See if he can design label and box.

4) Investigate information to put on box/label for liability and consumer information. Supplement facts/Branding/Claims etc.

5) Start gathering local leads for manufacturing.

1) Ongoing

2) Check

3) Check

4) No idea what to do here. Will tackle this task all week.

5) Found some good leads, emails sent, follow up phone calls and visits this week. EXCITED!

 

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[jon.a]

Thanks for the advice. Decided to take Amazon out as a sales outlet.

Need capital for the business.

My only asset is a lifetime monthly indemnity from government insurance. Receive payments for 400$ monthly. Any ideas on how to leverage it for 10-20k?

That will help with all startup costs. Can also take on a partner. Any advice and input is as always, appreciated.

Why 10-20k? Are you going to manufacture this yourself?

 

[jon.a]

Thanks for the advice. Decided to take Amazon out as a sales outlet.

Need capital for the business.

My only asset is a lifetime monthly indemnity from government insurance. Receive payments for 400$ monthly. Any ideas on how to leverage it for 10-20k?

That will help with all startup costs. Can also take on a partner. Any advice and input is as always, appreciated.

J.G. Wentworth.
But, you'd better have a winner here.
Some would call that commitment.

 

[S&P]

Why 10-20k? Are you going to manufacture this yourself?

Yes, will be manufacturing myself.

J.G. Wentworth.
But, you'd better have a winner here.
Some would call that commitment.

Too early to tell. Goal is to sell 1 bottle. Then 10.

Don't really know if J.G. Wentworth deals with Canadians. However, thanks for the tip.

 

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[jon.a]

Yes, will be manufacturing myself.

Earlier you said that you would be out sourcing the manufacturing?

 

[S&P]

Earlier you said that you would be out sourcing the manufacturing?

Meant that I'm paying for the manufacturing from a local lab. That's why I need the 10-20k. Providing ingredients and getting everything manufactured up to standards.

 

[Lt.Dangle]

There is a supplement super thread on the INSIDERS Forum that would likely be useful to you.

 

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[S&P]

Product Creation Goals (End of April)

- Source all Necessary Ingredients
- Source Bottles that are up to spec with regulations.
- Finish Label, Box, Logos
- Complete first run with local manufacturer for 100-500 bottles.

(will break this into daily steps later)

Things to start researching/implementing/testing

-Ecommerce Store Front
-Sales Funnel.
-Company registration.
-Legality, liability, disclaimer, company policy, refund policy, privacy policy etc.
-Logistics, fulfilment system and shipping options.
-Trademark
-Email Capture, landing page, written and video sales scripts.
-Marketing (Posting strategy for forums related to my product, Social Media, etc.)

 

[TJPB]

There is a supplement super thread on the INSIDERS Forum that would likely be useful to you.

This.

 

[S&P]

Thanks, INSIDERS membership purchased. There is a wealth of information in that thread.

 

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[S&P]

Hey guys, I'm having a real issue with local manufacturing.

So far I contacted about 10 manufacturers and these are the issues I have been coming across. Ready to source my ingredients and have the blend/ratio formula finalized.

My main concern is finding a reputable business that will do low quantities (sub 1k bottles), at a competitive price, produce a quality product, all being GMP certified.


Here are the the recurring issues I have faced with the 10 manufacturer's I auditioned.

- 500 unit sample ask: - not interested because "it is a very low volume"
- Free to source own materials (must pass their quality control tests)
- 200 unit sample ask:.Can do 1 or max 2 samples. The quantities per item also are too small. Their runs are 10,000 with part shipments of 5,000.
- Free to source own materials
- They do not produce any formulation development activity (In other words, we would require your final formula prior to scale-up/commercialization)- Minimum order is 1000 liters

 

[Mike Kavanagh]

I can't divulge that information.

I understand that, but if you want an awesome mentor for eCommerce, snowbank is your man. Go look at his website or even ping a few messages to him. Even though I haven't talked to him personally, I am a subscriber of his website. Good info on eCommerce on there.

It's hard to trust someone over the internet but people, like snowbank, have proven their selves time and time again. They have their own projects to run. They're to busy to steal your idea, but can speed up your process immensely.

 

[S&P]

Will look into it. Thanks for the advice.

In the interim, very focused on this manufacturing snag. Hoping to solve this in the next 48H. Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

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[DeletedUser2]

My main concern is finding a reputable business that will do low quantities (sub 1k bottles), at a competitive price, produce a quality product, all being GMP certified.

while your at it. ask them of some unicorn hair.

cause a company that will do this, is about as rare as a unicorn.

stop trying to make the market conform to you.
do what the market requires.
Z

 

[Prince Silk]

Have you sourced your bottles? Probably cheaper in the short term to buy in Canada or States than China. I purchase 1.2 and 5lt containers for one of my products and it's just not worth the hassle of importing for sub 1000 quantities. How are you getting on with your manufacturing issues?

 

[ddall]

Maybe start with private label and go from there. Learn the process before you go balls deep

 

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