Experience Commercialising DIY inventions anyone?

[yomoto]

Hi all,

I am wondering does anybody have any experience commercialising DIY inventions.

My background is Mechanical Engineering and Product design. I have an idea which I have checked out the Patent for it (Haven't filed yet, not ready to start that 12 month thing), Designed it, prototyped it etc. And it works.

It is really geared at the hobbyist sector and people that work alot in workshops.

I would be very interested to talk to anyone that has commercialised or nearly commercialised a previous invention.

I do not know much about the DIY / Hobbyist market sector. I have carried out a lot of secondary research mainly through acquiring industry reports and it seems a good time to enter this market.

Thanks

Steve

[meow2222]

posted to relevant group

[reykjavik]

Steve,

if you have an idea that you have designed, prototyped and proved it worked, why would you not be ready to patent it? also, you dont have to file a provisional patent, its not a necessary step. If you're all ready to go you might as well patent it because if you start commercializing and selling it without any intent for research purposes, then you'll only have 12 months to patent anyways.

Evan

[figjam62]

Steve, get out there and do some actual market research. See notes below as to why something might not commercialise.

With a small budget, we have patented 2 products (in Australia) in the past couple of years, selling well here, and they are finally being picked up now by overseas distributors.

Very important to get in early investigating how you will get this out there in front of people. Existing agents / distributors, on your own, internet sales, etc etc. Also as many inventors choose, maybe licensing is an option. Check out who might be interested in taking on your idea under their own product line, and sell through existing channels.

Good luck with it.

The item might not be desirable / needed. Pricing point might be too high. (Costs too high, too many lines of distibution / middle men, greed) Manufactuing might be impracticle in all but small numbers.

ie, no end market research has been done as yet.

Also, Patenting is expensive, there might be barriers in that area for the inventor to overcome. Multiple countries = even higher costs. Plus more market research needed wherever if it's going outside the inventors country.

[Rodney Long]

Because he is smarter than that, Filing for a patent before you know for absolutely positive that you can make money from the invention, is a total waste of money, and an act of someone who is setting themselves up to fail. 98% of all patents make the inventors nothing, all of these patents were filed before the inventor knew he even had anything worth patenting. Most of these people can't afford to patent another invention, so after the first one fails,, they are out of the inventing business

In that 12 months you can find out if your invention is worth a patent,, few people have 10 or more thousand dollars to throw to the wind, and even if they do, they can't keep doing it, so they are out of inventing quick.

Filing for a patent prematurely is one of the biggest mistakes new inventors make, and one few recover from.

[yomoto]

Thanks figjam62 and Rodney Long,

I think you have hit the nail right on the head. I don't want to start commercialising before I have done some primary market research. I am based in Ireland and am currently carrying out cost analysis on manufacturing, and trying to get some user feedback under non-disclosure agreements. Am also looking at the whole Branding picture to try secure a brand that will work for the product.

Thankyou for your input.

Steve

[mr_reznat]

Note that the United States is unusual in allowing a one-year grace period to file a patent application after public disclosure or sale of the invention. In most countries once the invention is publicly disclosed or sold, it is too late to successfully apply for a patent.

Rich

[Blarg]

Hi Steve,

I've looked at a few patents in the course of my research. Some patents (in my mind) were a complete waste of money. In other cases, I don't know why the product isn't commercialized, but my best guess is that the "market" didn't want it or it was not cost effective to mass produce, etc.

Bottom line - I'd do as much research as possible and try to spend as little $$$ as possible in order to reach a GO / NO GO decision. There's books and also knowledgeable folks that may be able to offer guidance (you may pay a little, but it sure beats wasting thousands!)

Beware of the many, many scammers out there, and don't get involved with anything you see on TV as far as "help for inventors".

Hope this helps. Good luck --Ed

[figjam62]

Same here in Australia, but if you commercialise, and someone else starts making your product before you file, you can't enforce a patent against them.

Some sort of grace period. Never have liked the idea, but I suppose it covers you if you talk to a few people before recognising the need to patent if desired.