Anyone ever bring a novelty item to market?

lendaddy · 03:34 PM

I have an interesting product that I want to bring to market and am looking for some generic device.

What the item is isn't terribly important but it's something that would be marketed and sold similarly to logo items (hats, mugs, t-shirts, flags, etc)

I assume the best route would be to hookup with a national distributor and let my end be manufacturing. But the question is...who are the big name distributors? Are they accessible or difficult to crack into? Any generic advice on this such as percentages and/or pitfalls? Would a smaller dedicated rep be a better idea?

Since logos would be involved I'm thinking that hooking up with an established firm is the best bet as I know what a crazy $ game rights is..

This would be a $15-$20 retail item.

pwd72s · 01-24-2008, 04:43 PM

Infomercial!

lendaddy · 01-24-2008, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Infomercial!

Billy May

pwd72s · 01-24-2008, 06:55 PM

seriously...if you have a good idea, contact the guy. These days, he sells a LOT of stuff.

9dreizig · 01-24-2008, 07:01 PM

There are a few national shows for just such things.. I'd suggest you go to a few retailers , find out who they get their "stuff" from and contact them. They can put put you in touch with some suppliers of such things. Or do a google and find out the time/location of the trade shows and attend one or two..

lendaddy · 01-24-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

seriously...if you have a good idea, contact the guy. These days, he sells a LOT of stuff.

I guy I know deals in infomercials and HSN and the money to talent is insane. I would need an army of investors to go the infomercial route.

lendaddy · 01-24-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

There are a few national shows for just such things.. I'd suggest you go to a few retailers , find out who they get their "stuff" from and contact them. They can put put you in touch with some suppliers of such things. Or do a google and find out the time/location of the trade shows and attend one or two..

This jibes with the feelings I have about hooking up with an established rep. I am not well heeled enough to go alone and the learning curve isn't worth it. I would gladly pay a premium for the experience.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Seriously, I had a design for a new vibrator.My test subject loved it...

lendaddy · 01-25-2008, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

Seriously, I had a design for a new vibrator.My test subject loved it...

Direct one on one marketing is your best bet here.

KFC911 · 01-25-2008, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Billy May

I think I'm going to contact Billy and see if he will pitch my "Billy May's Commercial Eliminator". With him on board, I'm going to be filthy rich I tell ya! Here's my "Buy 2, get 1 free" promo package:

Sapporo Guy · 01-25-2008, 05:17 AM

Actually, have had a few ideas too.

I'd just prefer to sell off the rights, though ...

However, one idea just keeps sticking and been pondering if it was possible to move on it.

How about home shopping networks? There's a bunch here in Japan and probalby work better than the infomercials.

lendaddy · 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapporo Guy

Actually, have had a few ideas too.

I'd just prefer to sell off the rights, though ...

However, one idea just keeps sticking and been pondering if it was possible to move on it.

How about home shopping networks? There's a bunch here in Japan and probalby work better than the infomercials.

This is not the kind of item that would sell that way. It would be a kiosk item or something that would sell at a fan/university store. Adding it to a reps toolbox is probably the logical approach.

Besides that, the HSNs require huge volume to even look at you. It's a very small margins/crazy high volume model. Not exactly the way to launch a new idea.

Sapporo Guy · 01-25-2008, 05:34 AM

hmmm, an acquaitance is selling baseball caps over here.

He tagged up with a larger company that already had the rights. He then just had that company produce the product for him and he sells it on his own. Doesn't make the same profit but he got to market.

Could that work?

lendaddy · 01-25-2008, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapporo Guy

hmmm, an acquaitance is selling baseball caps over here.

He tagged up with a larger company that already had the rights. He then just had that company produce the product for him and he sells it on his own. Doesn't make the same profit but he got to market.

Could that work?

Yep, very likely the way it would go as buying the rights is crazy expensive.

jhynesrockmtn · 01-25-2008, 05:50 AM

A guy I used to work with invented this thing. It took him about 2 years to get it to market. Now sold through a bunch of different outlets. He spent a lot of that time doing research on whether to sell the rights, get it made himself, distribution, etc. Just takes a lot of work to find what will work for you.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000FBVQB6/ref=pd_sl_aw_alx-jeb-9-1_pet_18699138_1

Sapporo Guy · 01-25-2008, 05:57 AM

I wonder if anybody ever tagged their doggy with it though ...

That is an interesting idea, though !

stomachmonkey · 01-25-2008, 06:00 AM

Len,

You have a few routes.

If you want to do an infomercial call me and I will run the numbers with you and help you understand the metrics.

I have done a few of these. My partner in one of my side ventures is the #1 guy out there.

A link to some of his work.

If it's more of a retail item then I suggest that you 1st determine manufacturing times, logistics and COG's.

Look up the schedule for the national Gift Shows. Think Javits in NYC was this month bu tthere are others.

Get samples, rent a booth and see how many orders you can write BEFORE you manufacture the stuff.

The people that attend those shows know what sells. They are a pretty good barometer of whether or not you have a viable product.

If you want to talk PM me.

lendaddy · 01-25-2008, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

If it's more of a retail item then I suggest that you 1st determine manufacturing times, logistics and COG's.

Look up the schedule for the national Gift Shows. Think Javits in NYC was this month bu tthere are others.

Get samples, rent a booth and see how many orders you can write BEFORE you manufacture the stuff.

The people that attend those shows know what sells. They are a pretty good barometer of whether or not you have a viable product.

If you want to talk PM me.

I like what you say here, thanks.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-25-2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Len,

You have a few routes.

If you want to do an infomercial call me and I will run the numbers with you and help you understand the metrics.

I have done a few of these. My partner in one of my side ventures is the #1 guy out there.

A link to some of his work.

If it's more of a retail item then I suggest that you 1st determine manufacturing times, logistics and COG's.

Look up the schedule for the national Gift Shows. Think Javits in NYC was this month bu tthere are others.

Get samples, rent a booth and see how many orders you can write BEFORE you manufacture the stuff.

The people that attend those shows know what sells. They are a pretty good barometer of whether or not you have a viable product.

If you want to talk PM me.

Great advice. Things may have changed, but when I looked into the NY Gift Show several years ago, it was sold out 2 years ahead and new spaces were limited. I *think* a 5x5 booth was $6K or so.

is it a button?

Sapporo Guy · 01-25-2008, 06:11 AM

It's probably that button-ama-jig on top of baseball caps.
The kind that when you get whacked on hurts like heck!

hmmmm, the shoe guy Cole, put up a rig outside of a show! Got lot's of attention

genius!!