So I've had a few ideas I liked, my last one was a guitar encyclopedia app but I think it's a good project for later. The last couple weeks I've been working on a more realistic idea. It's pretty simple but I think it can really work. It's basically a cup holder/coaster with a suction cup on the bottom. For one it's a portable cup holder but it prevents your drink from spilling and being knocked over. I'm learning copy right now as well, working on the Gary Heart challenge so I'm expecting my marketing to be better before I launch the product.
As a musician I also found a good use for both touring and recording musicians. Musical gear both live and in the studio can cost up to 10's of thousands for smaller bands and well over a million for large acts and nothing protects them from a drink simply being knocked over. A single mixing desk can cost $250,000 and one beer or can of soda can completely fry it. Most musicians I've met don't have cup holders in their jam room, studio, or even living room so it's just a disaster waiting to happen.
It can also be used on boats, planes, living room table, or really anywhere with a flat smooth surface (but can still stand on it's own without the suction cup). So there can definitely be a market for it. I feel it meets all five commandments but outside views are always helpful. This is going to be for just smaller diameter drinks like soda and beer cans, beer bottles, and energy drinks. Soda bottles are quite larger in diameter so it would be difficult to make a 1 size fits all product. Same goes for most household glasses (those were my original audience but too much variation between sizes). Soda bottles also have a cap so it's not as needed.
So far I've done a few different drafts and came up with what I believe is the final draft. I've posted a request on alibaba and got 2 responses and 5 suggested from alibaba. Replied to both with a good set of questions and pics with measurements of the final draft.
Now what I'm not sure of is simple things like: How many prototypes should I order? 1, 5, 10? From both suppliers? And when testing the market by selling prototypes in what way would you try to sell them? Like I wouldn't want to pay for a website and marketing before I know the product sells, so should I just put them on craigslist and ebay?
From there I was wondering about things like the website. I was looking at other sites of products that exploded and noticed many of them were just a single long page with a "buy it" button. I'm sure it saves a good chunk of money but to me it seemed to look less professional for some reason. Not like they're a bad company or anything, it just comes off as a small business whereas a larger site makes me feel like it's a more established, successful business. I don't know if anyone else ever gets that feeling but I see cost and ease for customer to be advantages, but what do you think is better?
Thanks for any help guys
As a musician I also found a good use for both touring and recording musicians. Musical gear both live and in the studio can cost up to 10's of thousands for smaller bands and well over a million for large acts and nothing protects them from a drink simply being knocked over. A single mixing desk can cost $250,000 and one beer or can of soda can completely fry it. Most musicians I've met don't have cup holders in their jam room, studio, or even living room so it's just a disaster waiting to happen.
It can also be used on boats, planes, living room table, or really anywhere with a flat smooth surface (but can still stand on it's own without the suction cup). So there can definitely be a market for it. I feel it meets all five commandments but outside views are always helpful. This is going to be for just smaller diameter drinks like soda and beer cans, beer bottles, and energy drinks. Soda bottles are quite larger in diameter so it would be difficult to make a 1 size fits all product. Same goes for most household glasses (those were my original audience but too much variation between sizes). Soda bottles also have a cap so it's not as needed.
So far I've done a few different drafts and came up with what I believe is the final draft. I've posted a request on alibaba and got 2 responses and 5 suggested from alibaba. Replied to both with a good set of questions and pics with measurements of the final draft.
Now what I'm not sure of is simple things like: How many prototypes should I order? 1, 5, 10? From both suppliers? And when testing the market by selling prototypes in what way would you try to sell them? Like I wouldn't want to pay for a website and marketing before I know the product sells, so should I just put them on craigslist and ebay?
From there I was wondering about things like the website. I was looking at other sites of products that exploded and noticed many of them were just a single long page with a "buy it" button. I'm sure it saves a good chunk of money but to me it seemed to look less professional for some reason. Not like they're a bad company or anything, it just comes off as a small business whereas a larger site makes me feel like it's a more established, successful business. I don't know if anyone else ever gets that feeling but I see cost and ease for customer to be advantages, but what do you think is better?
Thanks for any help guys
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum:
Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
, so it can be found easier by suppliers I want. Within about 3 hours I got 10 requests (all 5+ year gold members), responded to each one as they came in, and even had one factory call me from Shenzhen just to ask a question. lol One factory was even nice enough to make a 3D model of what I'm looking for, just to clarify for themselves. Pretty big price difference between them, some as low as $.50 ea to as much as $2.30 ea, with MQO from 500 to 2000, tooling costs from $300 to 800, and one had free samples (not sure if it's a sample of my product, or just of the material I want). Some of them were definitely a no while others met every need I have as well as future needs (drop shipping and other possible materials). 
