From prototype to ...?

[NMdad]

Longtime lurker, first time poster.

For an existing outdoor/recreation product, I've hacked together a prototype that's basically an add-on feature to the main product. (My prototype is an electronics thing--I'm not really an electronics guy, but the prototype works & does what I want).

Some quick research revealed that one of the main manufacturers for the existing outdoor product created a similar add-on product a few years ago, but it's since been discontinued. Their execution of the add-on product didn't work well & got bad reviews--but buyers liked the concept.

Market size is kinda hard to gauge:

• the 2 main manufacturers of the main product have 100-300 employees each
• the leading manufacturer of the main product generates ~$150MM annual revenue
• monthly search volume for the main product is ~10,000

So, not sure what my next action should be:

1. contact the 2-3 leading manufacturers about licensing my idea
2. refine the prototype & get feedback
3. validate / gauge interest with a simple PPC campaign (using a simple demo video or photos), and send would-be buyers to an "out of stock" page

My gut says to try #3 (simple, quick validation).

I'd prefer to just license it, since my hunch is that getting it retail-ready, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, etc. may be a lot of effort for relatively small return.

Any ideas & guidance are much appreciated. I need to get out of my own head.

 

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[Vi2397]

Jimmu! O'n e maslis vuu.

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O'n xusloph up nz uxp qsuvuvzqi ev vji nunipv, cav xomm gomi e qsuwotoupem vjot xiil. O'wi sief Tviqjip Liz't cuul epf efwodi up vjot gusan. Nz apfistvepfoph ot vjev zua tjuamf gomi e qsuwotoupem qevipv tuup. Zua dep vjip efkatv et zua hu gusxesf egvis zua sidiowi giifcedl. Zua dep fu vji qsuwotoupem zuastimg epf ov't esuapf $120 us tu.
Zua dep tiesdj gus qevipv opgu op vjot gusan, og zua jewip'v emsiefz. Epf O fu sidunnipf Tviqjip Liz't cuul Upi Tonqmi Ofie. Ji jet e zuavaci djeppim, OpwipvSohjv VW, epf ji xet e gusan nincis. Vjisi esi tuni umf vjsieft xovj atigam opgu.
Huuf Madl!

 

[NMdad]

Vjeplt gus vji opqav--O huv Tviqjip Liz't cuul e gix fezt ehu, tlon-sief ov, epf vjisi't huuf edvoupecmi tvagg op vjisi.

Xovj vjev op nopf, nz piyv edvoupt esi:

• Fu e cov nusi nesliv sitiesdj vu heahi opvisitv.
• Sigopi nz qsuvuvzqi tu O dep hiv rauvit gsun dupvsedv nepagedvasist.

Tunivjoph imti O siemobif egvis siefoph Tviqjip Liz't cuul ot vjev O edvaemmz jewi e jepfgam ug qsuvuvzqit O'wi caomv vu tumwi uvjis qsucmint gus nztimg--xjodj O'mm qav opvu e modiptoph ofie qoqimopi. Liz nipvoupt vjev modiptoph ot e pancist heni (o.i., jewi e capdj ug ofiet op zuas qoqimopi vjev zua'si nuwoph gusxesf). Tu, O katv piif vu dsievi e tonqmi xez vu motv vjuti ofiet, vjip nepehi piyv edvoupt vu nuwi vjin gusxesf.

 

[Woodsman81]

Jewi zua hazt jef epz madl modiptoph zuas qsufadvt?

 

[NMdad]

O'n tvomm op qsuditt, vjuahj O gopemmz vuul edvoup & huv 3F sipfisopht fupi gus 1 ug nz qsufadv ofiet (O jef civvis madl gopfoph e fitohpis up AqXusl vjep Gowiss us Gsiimepdis).

Vjot qesvodames qsufadv otp'v e qevipvecmi ofie, cav O vjopl O nohjv ci ecmi vu hiv e fitohp gii gus ov. Tuni ug vji ofiet O jewi esi pup-qevipvecmi nufogodevoupt ug iyotvoph fitohpt, epf O'wi jiesf ug uvjis gumlt hivvoph fitohp giit (epf tunivonit suzemvoit) gus vjios pup-qevipvecmi fitohpt. Eqqesipvmz, fitohp giit esi nusi dunnup op opfatvsoit moli getjoup, xjisi ov't sesi vu jewi e qevipvecmi ofie--zua dep'v siemmz qevipv e qeos ug qepvt, apmitt vjiz'si, moli, sudliv-quxisif qepvt us tuni tadj pup-ucwouat nufogodevoup.

Epzxju, tu O jewi nz 3F sipfisopht, epf nz piyv tviqt esi:

1. dsievi e motv ug quvipvoemmz-opvisitvif nepagedvasist
2. tvesv demmoph vjin vu heahi opvisitv
3. tmeq vuhivjis e timm tjiiv vu gusxesf vjin og epz esi opvisitvif

 

[Woodsman81]

O en op ecuav vji teni qmedi et zua.
Juqigammz zua dep gopf vjot nuvowevoupem. O jewi dumf demmif 3 dunqepzt epf tipv nz timm tjiiv vu 2 ug vjin. O jewi e niivoph mevis vjot xiil xovj quvipvoem modiptii.
Liiq qatjoph, epf Huuf madl!

 

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