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How do I make a product? (lemm.ee)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by TheLoneMinon@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I have an idea for a product that I think it is remarkable it's not already a thing. It would be easy to make and produce, and I imagine manufacturing would be cheap, but could be sold at a decent price.

I know I'll need a designer or engineer to help me with a virtual design. I'll also need a programmer as the product is a "smart" product and would link back to an app. So I'd need an app dev and someone to program the functionality of the device.

So assuming I get all that, then what? How does one get something like this manufactured, assuming it gets that far? I have a potential source from which I could get a business loan, but would at least need a virtual mockup and a plan.

I would love to see this become a reality but it feels daunting and I have no idea how to make it all come together. Any insight from the lemmings is much appreciated.

Edit: I've seen some prototyping and invention help companies, but they feel skeevy and Id have no doubt the terms end up with most of the profit going to them.

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[–] Azzu@lemm.ee 9 points 2 days ago

Ideas are incredibly cheap. It's absolutely unlikely that no one ever had your idea. It's even likely that someone had your idea and it failed, and you don't/can't even know about it because no one bothered to record the failure.

Other people have mentioned all kinds of ambitious/proper ways to do this. I've got a different view: if you truly think this will work, do a basic version yourself.

Learn basic blender, design 3D printed parts yourself and let someone print them. Use some app builder and tutorials, or hire a programmer for a very rudimentary prototype work. Buy generic electronics. Just get it working once. Then show it to people, let them use it, ask if they would buy it, preferably let them sign a slip of paper not to talk about this product or compete with it (there are standard NDA/non-compete contract clauses online available) or talk to people you can trust.

If you do all this and get positive feedback, then you can start doing this properly and get more people on it, like the other commenters mentioned.