An area
Make your product
From a sample you'd put your name on to a factory that will actually make it.
Developing your product 6
From idea to a sample you'd put your name on.
How do I actually go from a rough idea to a working prototype?
4 →
What should I actually put in a product brief or spec sheet before I approach a manufacturer?
3 →
How many rounds of samples should I expect before something's actually production-ready?
3 →
Should I hire a product designer, or can I figure this out myself?
3 →
How do I know people actually want this before I spend on tooling or bulk development?
3 →
All 6 questions in Developing your product →
Finding manufacturers in India 7
Find the factory that will actually make your product.
How do I actually find a manufacturer to make my product in India?
5 →
Should I go private label or contract (custom) manufacturing?
4 →
The MOQ is way too high for me. How do I lower it or start with a small batch?
4 →
How do I vet a factory before I trust them with a real order?
4 →
How do I avoid getting scammed by a supplier?
3 →
All 7 questions in Finding manufacturers in India →
Importing & global sourcing 6
Source from China & abroad without getting burned.
How do I actually import a product from China as a small D2C brand with no existing supply chain?
2 →
What's actually different between working direct with a factory, buying off Alibaba, and hiring a sourcing agent?
2 →
What do I legally need in India to import goods, IEC, GST, anything else?
3 →
How do I estimate my true landed cost before I commit to an order?
4 →
What are the classic ways first-time importers get scammed or burned?
3 →
All 6 questions in Importing & global sourcing →
Private label vs white label vs own mfg 6
Pick the make-model that fits your margins.
What's actually the difference between private label, white label and full contract manufacturing?
3 →
I'm just testing an idea, should I start with white label or private label?
3 →
When does it actually make sense to move to contract manufacturing with my own formula?
3 →
If I go private label, do I actually own my formulation, or does the factory?
3 →
Where do I find private label manufacturers in India for cosmetics, food or supplements?
3 →
All 6 questions in Private label vs white label vs own mfg →
MOQs, samples & quality control 6
Small first orders, samples that match, QC that holds.
The MOQ is way too high for me, how do I actually get it lowered?
4 →
What's a 'golden sample' and why does it matter so much?
3 →
How many sample rounds should I go through before approving a design for production?
3 →
What is AQL and how do I actually use it to inspect a batch before it ships?
3 →
Should I hire a third-party quality inspector, or can I trust the factory's own QC?
3 →
All 6 questions in MOQs, samples & quality control →
Packaging design & development 6
Packaging that survives shipping and sells the product.
What's the difference between primary and secondary packaging, and do I need to nail both from day one?
3 →
How do I design packaging that survives shipping without blowing up my cost per unit?
3 →
How do I create an unboxing experience without blowing my packaging budget?
4 →
Where do I get custom packaging made in India, boxes, mailers, pouches, at a low MOQ?
3 →
What labelling is legally mandatory on my packaging in India?
2 →
All 6 questions in Packaging design & development →
Product costing & COGS 6
Know your landed cost to the last rupee.
What's the actual difference between COGS and landed cost, and why does mixing them up wreck my margins?
3 →
How do I calculate my true landed cost per unit, including duty, freight and GST?
3 →
What import duty and GST will I actually pay bringing goods into India?
3 →
How do I set my price once I actually know my costs, what margin should I be targeting?
3 →
What free tools or calculators can I use to model landed cost before I place an order?
3 →
All 6 questions in Product costing & COGS →
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