How to Bring New Product to Market?
- SlartyBartFast
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:30 am
- Location: Montreal, Quebec
How to Bring New Product to Market?
Well, I have an idea. Of course I'm not going to share it as I am only in the testing phase. All I'll say is that it's a upgrade part for tracks that it seems no one has thought of yet.
But how can I best market my product? I'll announce it here on Derby Talk of course. I may try to interest track makers to carry the product or add it to their base offering.
What I'm really unsure of is how to bring the product to market without having someone simply copying it and selling it themselves.
Of course the idea is something that I think is so staggeringly simple and obvious. So that makes it really difficult to go public to improve my design or have it tested by others.
Then there's a part of me that feels bad not simply sharing with the community and doubting that my return will cover more than the postage required to send the product out...
But how can I best market my product? I'll announce it here on Derby Talk of course. I may try to interest track makers to carry the product or add it to their base offering.
What I'm really unsure of is how to bring the product to market without having someone simply copying it and selling it themselves.
Of course the idea is something that I think is so staggeringly simple and obvious. So that makes it really difficult to go public to improve my design or have it tested by others.
Then there's a part of me that feels bad not simply sharing with the community and doubting that my return will cover more than the postage required to send the product out...
- Darin McGrew
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 1825
- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:23 pm
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Contact:
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
If it's truly new (no matter how "staggeringly simple and obvious" after the fact), then you can patent it. Of course, then you're left defending your patent when others copy your idea.
But IANAL...
But IANAL...
- gpraceman
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4926
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
- Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
- Contact:
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
Well, you can always apply for a patent. However, it can take thousands of dollars to see the process all the way through and to keep up with the periodic patent maintenance costs. So, basically you need to be confident that you will make enough of a profit to cover those costs and then some. Since you are in Canada, I'm not sure if you would need to patent it Canada and the U.S.. The U.S. is, of course, the biggest market for such a product.SlartyBartFast wrote:What I'm really unsure of is how to bring the product to market without having someone simply copying it and selling it themselves.
Otherwise, you just have to move forward and market it the best you can even with the possibility that someone may copy it.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8
Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Romans 5:8
Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
- SlartyBartFast
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:30 am
- Location: Montreal, Quebec
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
Putting up the money for a patent is somewhat onerous I'll admit. Probably wouldn't profit enough to pay back the costs.gpraceman wrote:Otherwise, you just have to move forward and market it the best you can even with the possibility that someone may copy it.
In all honesty I wouldn't mind having people copy it on their own for use on their track. But I would hate to see it copied by a manufacturer.
BTW, my understanding is that patents are international in nature. Of course I may be completely wrong.
- gpraceman
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4926
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
- Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
- Contact:
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
I'm not sure on that either. I just know that the rules for applying for a patent are different in the U.S. than other countries. The U.S. gives you a one year grace period before you have to file for a patent on a product. Other countries do not recognize that grace period.SlartyBartFast wrote:BTW, my understanding is that patents are international in nature. Of course I may be completely wrong.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8
Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Romans 5:8
Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
- GravityRacer
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 477
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:39 pm
- Location: Simi Valley, CA
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
Just to put a finer point on it...the patent must be applied for within one year of first public disclosure. You could work on a project internally in a company for more than a year (been there and done that), and you'd lose that capability during the development phase if the year was up. BTW, I didn't get the patent, but it was because the company only made two devices with the process. Pretty specialized, to say the least. It's proprietary, so don't ask.
- SlartyBartFast
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:30 am
- Location: Montreal, Quebec
Re: How to Bring New Product to Market?
If a product is in development and not public, you can take as long as you want...
Never heard otherwise.
Never heard otherwise.