My New Invention - Please let me know what you think

[Martin Cash]

I disagree.
The forumites who post here are not your market.
None of us will use it and no-one here will embrace it.
But - there are likely tens of thousands of would be woodworkers who will.
Bring it out in time for father's day and it will be cheap enough for every kid to be able to afford.
You'll sell heaps of these if you market them well.
Cheers
MC

 

[ByronBlack]

I disagree.
The forumites who post here are not your market.
None of us will use it and no-one here will embrace it.
But - there are likely tens of thousands of would be woodworkers who will.
Bring it out in time for father's day and it will be cheap enough for every kid to be able to afford.
You'll sell heaps of these if you market them well.
Cheers
MC

That is all blind guesswork.

To the OP - have you done any market research before embarking on this project? If so - what did the market tell you?

 

[wizer]

I agree with Martin that this is a DIY tool. Something that my Dad probably would have bout 20yrs ago. He's got loads of gadgets like this. My point in my original post is that they will sell reasonably well, but won't be well thought of. i.e they won't be something people rave about.

 

[bugbear]

You have clearly invested a great deal of time, money and effort in this but it is a workaround for learning to do the job properly.

And as such, may indeed find customers...

BugBear

 

[big soft moose]

I disagree.
The forumites who post here are not your market.
None of us will use it and no-one here will embrace it.
But - there are likely tens of thousands of would be woodworkers who will.
Bring it out in time for father's day and it will be cheap enough for every kid to be able to afford.
You'll sell heaps of these if you market them well.
Cheers
MC

That is all blind guesswork.

To the OP - have you done any market research before embarking on this project? If so - what did the market tell you?

exactly - ten quid plus post and packing isnt going to be "cheap enough for every kid" plus they are presumably only going to be on sale online and most kids dont have credit cards

also IMO the emphasis is on the wrong part - "protecting the fingers" i mean really how many people actually worry about that when using a handsaw anyway - If I were marketing this i'd focus on the angle setting and repeatablity - but even then its basically as mathew said a solution to a problem that doesnt exist.

Also who needs to cut mitres other tha 45 and 90 (which can more easily and cheaply be achieved witrh a B&Q mitre box), DIY woodworkers dont routinely - joiners and cabinet makers do but they are the occupants of this forum and as we have established not the likely market

 

[Russell]

Chesterman marketing had a similar divice I never sold one dont know if they still do it. In true Dragons den style -Im out

 

[wizer]

I'd love to know how much the big companies use the data from this forum to make buying decisions. The views here must be representative of at least the hobby woodworker market. You still have the DIYer, those that have no intention of making fine furniture or doing it as a proper hobby. I'm guessing those people would buy this tool. How you get in touch with them, I don't know. You'd have to do some market research with B&Q or Homebase.

 

[jimi43]

I can see this on one of those teleshopping channels...you would need volume sales up front...make back your investment rapidly...it will not sell on reputation after the first disclosure I think.

America might be a great market but then you have all the patent, distribution and advertising costs all over again.

The downside is that teleshopping will cost you and arm and a leg...you need to have approached the big players: Argos, B&Q etc...the ones they mention on the shopping channels for availability...

I too think your market research may have let you down.

Jim

 

[RobertMP]

searching google I found this same post copy and pasted in a couple of other places one of which later deleted it as spam. maybe cynical but just wondering if the OP really wants feedback or just want cheap advertising exposure.

 

[simonjoy35]

Guys, trust me this is not cheap advertising. I have to decide whether i spend the last of my savings, and take my credit cards to the max by going to the next step and getting 10,000 of these made.
I am learning so much from this site. Don't get me wrong, everything you are telling me i am learning from, and yes you are not my market, It is the home DIYer that will be, so i am not trying to sell you anything. But you have got your thinking caps on you are all the professionals and there are so many wise words coming from you all.
So please do not stop, i am not here to make a million.....i can here the laughter ......... i just wanted to give this a try, to make a little and get my money back! We have to try everything once. I could go all round the DIY stores asking questions, but where am i going to get the most common sense? Here!
SO THANK YOU ALL and don't stop. There is no criticism, everyone has a point of view i just have to listen and then do a little more thinking.

 

[Mike H]

I remember vaguely buying something like this 30 odd years ago. It did not get much use and was discarded.

However, your market is not this forum of us fanatics about wood, I think Practical Woodworking might give you an airing on their mag.

I also saw two young lads on a roof 2 days ago and it made me cringe to watch them work, or what they thought was work, and hack away at what was a simple job! For sure they would jump at such a gadget.

Sorry to be so negative, but you did ask!


Mike


8)

 

[jasonB]

By the time the average DIYer has bought this and a handsaw they will be looking at £20 expenditure. With screwfix and B&Q doing electric compound mitre saws for under £30 and lidl/aldi likely less Your Joe public will rather go out and by an electric saw that they know will give better results for less effort.

Jason

 

[jimi43]

With the greatest respect, the market research and business plan should come before any material outlay or manufacturing. Maybe you need a prototype and non-disclosure agreement signed by anyone you show it to but even patents should only be applied for once the MR and BP are done and you get funding.

If a venture capitalist or bank looks at your business plan and is willing to fund you it is a sure sign that you are on to a winner.

From what you have said...I have the feeling the cart is well before the horse and may very well be heading on its own down the wrong track.

Jim

 

[Ikisumu]

Well, sometimes when these kind of inventions (or re-inventions) will not sell on their own, they will get often added up in those market chain DIY Starter Kits, along with other such things made of mostly plastics. From thereon, they may even find some other surprising use, other than the one it was originally aimed for.

Samu

 

[TheTiddles]

With the greatest respect, the market research and business plan should come before any material outlay or manufacturing. Maybe you need a prototype and non-disclosure agreement signed by anyone you show it to but even patents should only be applied for once the MR and BP are done and you get funding.

If a venture capitalist or bank looks at your business plan and is willing to fund you it is a sure sign that you are on to a winner.

From what you have said...I have the feeling the cart is well before the horse and may very well be heading on its own down the wrong track.

Jim

Far too late for confidentiality, it's just been on the internet!

I think if you could get this packaged in with a cheap saw and on a promotion offer with Spear and Jackson or similar then you might just stand a chance of making your money back. If you've ordered 10,000 of these then I'm guessing there's a minimum of 8k in tooling and a part cost of £1-2 each, brave move, because of the number of people with "really great ideas" most companies that sell these type of things won't go near them till you've got a product ready to market, not just a sample, so it somewhat forces you to put your neck on the block. That said, if you've borrowed money on credit cards to pay for this and your investors find that out, they're unlikely to touch it. If you default on those loans then the collectors will come after anything you've got that can be sold, including licenses.

Aidan

Aidan

 

[simonjoy35]

Well Thank You all for your thoughts,
And you have been right. The research i have done has suggested that it is the home DIY er who will purchase this, and they do seem to like its concept and ease of use. Dont get me wrong, again you are right, like DIYers they will use it once, store it somewhere and forget it.
I am now going to approach some of the saw manufacturers to see if they would be interested in selling this with there saws, it would make a good partner in a promotion. And yes you are all right again, it is pointless producing 30'000 of these and bankrupting myself, i think for a first order 5000 shall be enough and keep my feet and wallet firmly in control. I can then market these through the internet across the world, and i should have a good chance of selling 5000 with the right adverts in the right places. Only time will tell. Fingers crossed, but as you have all said, dont run before you can walk!
Thank You All

 

[jimi43]

I wish you all the luck in the world....

Jim

 

[laird]

I wish you luck, but I worry for your family.