Has anyone produced a backpack?

[Gmiliatis]

Sounds like you already have soft validation if you can solve the problems in the bad reviews. Can you do that and still hit the price point people would pay?

Possibly, but I can't answer definitively since I don't know what's involved in going from prototype to retail-ready electronic product.

And 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.

 

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[Woodsman81]

Possibly, but I can't answer definitively since I don't know what's involved in going from prototype to retail-ready electronic product.

And 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.

Start a thread (if you haven't already). There are lots of guys here the help you. When I first started here I was running around posting on other people's threads and didn't get very far until I started my own thread. I was nervous to start my own. Not sure if you are in the same boat.

 

[NMdad]

Start a thread (if you haven't already). There are lots of guys here the help you. When I first started here I was running around posting on other people's threads and didn't get very far until I started my own thread. I was nervous to start my own. Not sure if you are in the same boat.

Kinda, yeah.

 

[NMdad]

Start a thread (if you haven't already). There are lots of guys here the help you. When I first started here I was running around posting on other people's threads and didn't get very far until I started my own thread. I was nervous to start my own. Not sure if you are in the same boat.

Done:
From prototype to ...?

Thanks for the nudge.

Also, a few others have mentioned Stephen Key's book on licensing: One Simple Idea. Got it & read it last weekend, highly recommended. It's got actionable steps to move this kind of thing forward, and emphasizes having a bunch of ideas in your pipeline.

 

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[Greg R]

What progress have you made since we last talked?

Our next phone call may not go so nicely if you haven't put the gas on yet.

Sounds like you already have soft validation if you can solve the problems in the bad reviews. Can you do that and still hit the price point people would pay?

 

[Woodsman81]

What progress have you made since we last talked?

Our next phone call may not go so nicely if you haven't put the gas on yet.

Thanks for the push!
I think I have the protype as close as I can get it. I want to write down in detail the way I want everything to function this weekend. Then next week start contacting manufacturers.
I have been cheating a little. It is easy to get discuraged when your protype is not working perfectly.

 

[Scot]

Thanks for the push!
I think I have the protype as close as I can get it. I want to write down in detail the way I want everything to function this weekend. Then next week start contacting manufacturers.
I have been cheating a little. It is easy to get discuraged when your protype is not working perfectly.

So Monday you won’t stop calling until you have 3 consultation appointments?

 

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[Woodsman81]

So Monday you won’t stop calling until you have 3 consultation appointments?

To be honest my goal was one this week. Trying not to get fired from my sidewalk job.

You are right I should set my goals a little higher! I am very much a one-step-at-a-time type person try not to get ahead of myself

 

[Scot]

To be honest my goal was one this week. Trying not to get fired from my sidewalk job.

You are right I should set my goals a little higher! I am very much a one-step-at-a-time type person try not to get ahead of myself

Setting appointments won’t get you fired. If you spend all that time, wait a week for the appointment, then find out they’re crap, you just wasted 2 weeks. Hedge your bets. Get it done.

 

[Greg R]

Thanks for the push!
I think I have the protype as close as I can get it. I want to write down in detail the way I want everything to function this weekend. Then next week start contacting manufacturers.
I have been cheating a little. It is easy to get discuraged when your protype is not working perfectly.

....

I want you to go to Fiverr or Upwork today. Find someone to sketch your bag design. Nothing too fancy. Tell them exactly what you want, give them inspiration photos to work off of.

Then I want you to contact five bag manufacturers from Maker's Row with your new design sketch to get quotes.

Then I want you to find five bag manufactures over seas and do the same thing.

Two weeks from today, I will be back here and want to see some results.

 

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[ZCP]

@Woodsman81 is at one of those great crossroads in a fastlane journey ...... step out into the deep water and potentially drown ..... or go back to the 'safety' of shore and talk about what could have happened......

Man up and start getting shit done.

 

[GoGetter24]

Hit up the NRA

Dude, that is money. Build a backpack that you can comfortably strap 3 guns to ('tactically' of course), market it to them, and you've just landed in a pile of cash. If they can afford those $1k plus guns, they can afford a backpack for them

 

[GoGetter24]

It is easy to get discuraged when your protype is not working perfectly.

GET . IT . DONE

The only time an action ceases to be an action fake is when someone puts money in your account for it. 95% is fine. What you think is imperfect the customer probably doesn't even care about in the first place.

 

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[Woodsman81]

Sorry for the slow or non responses sometimes I only have so much time and energy and am trying to focus on my quest.

...
I want you to go to Fiverr or Upwork today. Find someone to sketch your bag design. Nothing too fancy. Tell them exactly what you want, give them inspiration photos to work off of.

Then I want you to contact five bag manufacturers from Maker's Row with your new design sketch to get quotes.

Then I want you to find five bag manufactures over seas and do the same thing.

Two weeks from today, I will be back here and want to see some results.

I'm doing an artist a favor right now maybe she can help me out. That would probably be better than upwork face-to-face consultations always seem better.

@Woodsman81 is at one of those great crossroads in a fastlane journey ...... step out into the deep water and potentially drown ..... or go back to the 'safety' of shore and talk about what could have happened......

Man up and start getting sh*t done.

You are right! I get really motivated when I am designing and thinking about it, but when it comes to actually picking up the phone in diving in I am slacking. My design keeps getting better. Yet i am hesitant because I am hoping that other people will see the value in it.
As far as the NRA goes maybe a small donation goes to them off every bag sale. May be a good selling point. Especially if it's American-made bag. Yet i would want my money to go to firearm education and i am not sure if that's how it works. It doesn't matter right now getting functioning prototype / samples right now is my only focus.

 

[Woodsman81]

Then I want you to find five bag manufactures over seas and do the same thing.

Is Alibaba the best way to do this?

 

[Greg R]

UPDATES LET'S GO.

 

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[Woodsman81]

I have one protype being made. I have a meeting with someone tommorow and hopefully will have 2 in the works after that. My goal is to have a third next week.
I put my nose in the dirt last weekend and made a couple thousand to help pay for these.
I have not tried to go over seas yet because I am not sure how to explain my design without a face to face demonstration.

 

[Greg R]

I have one protype being made. I have a meeting with someone tommorow and hopefully will have 2 in the works after that. My goal is to have a third next week.
I put my nose in the dirt last weekend and made a couple thousand to help pay for these.
I have not tried to go over seas yet because I am not sure how to explain my design without a face to face demonstration.

Thata boy. Call me next week.

 

[ZCP]

I have not tried to go over seas yet because I am not sure how to explain my design without a face to face demonstration.

Skype

 

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[Woodsman81]

Booked online went to my second place for a prototype nobody there! Had a phone consolation with them today. He said 8 to 10 thousand for a prototype. Comes with material list sketches etc. He said I would need those to go over seas, but I am trying to stay usa.
The first guy is building a prototype for 4 to 6 hundred and can manufacturer in house. He is also willing to do small batch sample runs as small as 10 units. Which seems great to get hard validation before doing a massive manufacturing run . Seems fair!
I think I should keep pursuing multiple manufacturers in the $500 range.
What are your thoughts...?

 

[Greg R]

Booked online went to my second place for a prototype nobody there! Had a phone consolation with them today. He said 8 to 10 thousand for a prototype. Comes with material list sketches etc. He said I would need those to go over seas, but I am trying to stay usa.
The first guy is building a prototype for 4 to 6 hundred and can manufacturer in house. He is also willing to do small batch sample runs as small as 10 units. Which seems great to get hard validation before doing a massive manufacturing run . Seems fair!
I think I should keep pursuing multiple manufacturers in the $500 range.
What are your thoughts...?

No way. Way too much.

 

[Scot]

Booked online went to my second place for a prototype nobody there! Had a phone consolation with them today. He said 8 to 10 thousand for a prototype. Comes with material list sketches etc. He said I would need those to go over seas, but I am trying to stay usa.
The first guy is building a prototype for 4 to 6 hundred and can manufacturer in house. He is also willing to do small batch sample runs as small as 10 units. Which seems great to get hard validation before doing a massive manufacturing run . Seems fair!
I think I should keep pursuing multiple manufacturers in the $500 range.
What are your thoughts...?

The first guy sounds similar to what my copacker has set up. They're great for small through medium demand.

Keep in mind, they may not be the most cost efficient once you reach larger scale though. Good job so far! Actual progress! Rep ++

 

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[Woodsman81]

If it were easy it wouldn't be worth it. Ugh !
So the one person I have found so far to actually make me a prototype at a reasonable price sent me an e-mail on Friday saying that his head sewing guy quit and would not be able to produce the Prototype anymore. I am disappointed with this he really took the time to understand what I was trying to accomplish I was in his office for close to two hours me explaining with him taking notes. Think I will call him Monday and see if there is any way we can keep moving with this it's possible that he quoted me too low, or he doesn't want to waste his time because I told him that I was getting other quotes from other companies.
In the meantime I have put my project on makers row and Alibaba. I plan on contacting more company's off of Maker's row this week. I was trying to stay in state to try to explain my product in person but looks like I'm going to have to Skype.
Thank you @Greg R and @Scot for the rep++ I'm not sure how imaginary money is motivational but it sure is!

 

[Woodsman81]

I was having no a hard time finding someone to make me a sample or a prototype. I decided to get a provisional patient. To protect my idea . This allowes me to go to existing backpack company's.
I have approached one so far he liked the idea and said to give him some numbers on roylities.
I think I would prefer per sale royalties vs lump sum. I feel like I need two different numbers exclusive and non exclusive.
Does anyone have experience with this or have any suggestions on what I should ask for?

 

[sparechange]

Following this thread as Im doing something similar, pet supplies mind you.... wish you luck and success!

Its a **** sourcing but get it done bud, rooting for you.

Why is someone asking for royalties? Hell no stay away from that.

 

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[sparechange]

Personally I've tried Alibaba to find manufacturers to make a product with me at 0 success, cant really recommend it for what you need (I may be wrong though)

 

[Woodsman81]

Why is someone asking for royalties? Hell no stay away from that.[/QUOTE/]

Give me royalties for the use of my idea and patient.
I guess the way I wrote that could be confusing because he could be helping me get this to market and I could be giving him royalties.

Personally I've tried Alibaba to find manufacturers to make a product with me at 0 success, cant really recommend it for what you need (I may be wrong though)

I posted it on Alibaba with no luck. I just ended up getting a lot of emails on stuff to drop ship. Maybe I did it wrong. I really wanted to work in the USA.
Pet supplies is accually were I was trying to solve my first problem, but could never get my protype to work properly. I think it is a great industry to be in people will do anything for their pets!
@sparechange thank you for the rep!

 

[Woodsman81]

I am not sure why the last post showed up all in quote. Let's try again.
Give me royalties for the use of my idea and patient.
I guess the way I wrote that could be confusing because he could be helping me get this to Market and I could be giving him royalties.
I posted an Alibaba just ended up getting a bunch of emails on stuff to drop ship. Maybe I did it wrong. I really wanted to work in the USA. So didn't push to hard there.
Pet supplies is actually where I was trying to solve my first problem, but I could not get my prototype to function correctly. I think it is a great industry to be in people will do anything for their pets!
@sparechange thank you for the rep!

 

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[sparechange]

Dont give anyone royalties that sounds crazy.

Can you learn how to stitch? Make a sample yourself maybe, could be a fun project...get a bunch of cheap backpacks / rip them apart and make your idea into reality

 

[Xeon]

No way. Way too much.

Just curious, if you were OP, what would be a reasonable amount that you would deem ok? As most of us are starting out, it's hard to gauge if the offered price by the supplier is too high as there's nothing to benchmark against. In the far future, I've plans to do backpacks too, but not the hunting or serious kind.

Secondly, about MakersRow. Do you cancel the subscription once you found the manufacturer you're looking for? The basic fee is $35/mth and it doesn't make sense to let the subscription continue to run if you're only using it like 2 months out of 12.

EDIT: To clarify, it's "prototypes" and not so much "sample" (e.g: they make a one-off prototype for you from scratch)