It is possible to develop a product on a shoestring budget, maximizing the use of your time and efforts. However, eventually there will be unavoidable costs. At a minimum you can expect moulding, sample and freight fees, and before you know it you’re a few hundred dollars into the process. It is important to budget your product development project properly to ensure that costs don’t spiral and to help you to keep a realistic grasp...

Product development can be tricky. As we’ve mentioned previously, you need to be very clear on your product requirements before you start dealing with a factory. Ideally you should have a well defined specifications guideline document (spec doc) in place. The 8 points below will give you an outline of what you can expect to be asked for so you can plan in advance. This is by no means a list you should stick to verbatim – every...

Developing a new product or extending your existing product range can be an exciting and creative process. However, there are pitfalls that need to be avoided if you want it to go smoothly. Be prepared for technical and practical challenges that need to be overcome which in many cases aren’t helped by a language barrier or unsuitable manufacturing partner. Here are our top 5 tips for developing a product – be it an entirely new class of...