Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I am in the process of communicating with multiple manufacturers that produce a product similar to the one I am creating. I want some adjustments made to the dimensions and use my own colors and designs.

Should I send a non-disclosure agreement before I give them my dimensions and designs?

Also they are in china, how do I send a non-disclosure and get it signed? Can this be done through email?

Thank you so much for your help!

I think it would be pointless.  That is part of doing business in china.  But, nobody is gonna bother to copy you until you are successful.  So, be the best, the first and establish your great brand with your customers.  Then let competition come in and help grow your market and product awareness.  It can be a good thing. 

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Travis Tschepen
Hibachi Bros. LLC

--My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.--

Travis is so right... it won`t help you a bit with China.  Is this something that is patentable? Are the differences enough for you to file for one?

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Leslie
Founder and President
Charmed Life Products LLC
Grill Charms™… The MUST HAVE grilling accessory that is revolutionizing the American Cook-out AND The perfect gift for any occasion!
Grill Charms
                                                                                                    

No the differences are not great enough for a patent, just changing the sizes of the product to the dimensions we would see as more functional for Americans.

Ok sounds good. I will just send them the demensions and designs.

Thanks for all your help. It is fun and overwhealming starting this company.

You hit the nail on the head!  It`s the Fun that makes the overwhelming bearable   Very best of luck and keep us posted!!

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Leslie
Founder and President
Charmed Life Products LLC
Grill Charms™… The MUST HAVE grilling accessory that is revolutionizing the American Cook-out AND The perfect gift for any occasion!
Grill Charms
                                                                                                    

There`s a fabulous story from history that never fails to raise my spirits. It comes from the days when Spain was the world super-power. The British were fed up and wanted to start their own empire.

At one point, Spain sent almost her entire fleet to the British Isles to demolish the young upstarts. It was the Spanish Armada, back in 1585.

These were hugely powerful ships, and Spain was a very powerful nation. The English came back at them, with help from allies. But what really grabs me, every time, is the story of how the low-end guerrilla fighters used very small boats to do incredible damage to the gigantic warships.

It was the speed and maneuverability, along with the independent, non-centralized decision process. Each little boat could literally run rings around a galleon, long before the big ship could even start to turn. Not to mention space to turn.

The lesson, handed down through history, is that a very small entity (like a business startup) is often WAY faster in anything than a large, established, habit-infested corporation. One person makes decisions, then acts on those decisions immediately.

The net result is that startups can often compete with major companies, not only on a peer level, but in speed. Then there`s customer service, product customization, personalized services, and geographically specific modifications.

If you get an order, you send a note back to your 1 customer. Do you think The Country of China is going to send a note to anyone? :-D

Hi,

Don`t know if you are aware of Fisher-Price recent recall of 1M toys that were made in China http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/01/toy.recall.ap/index.html?ir ef=newssearch

Please make sure that you do due diligence (sorry, not sure if this is the correct sentence format) on the companies that you`re looking to source through.

 

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Wishing you all continued blessings and successes!
~Roshelle (aka SparkleGirl), SparklingCards.com
We provide customized cards that make your gifts shine! Also, our Wedding Day Survival Kit has been featured in America`s Bride Magazine.

Also, please check out my new venture, welcome2college.com - a FREE resource site for prospective and newly enrolled university and college students.

liloo, are you certain that you are not infringing on the rights of the original foreign inventor and their patent?  I am no patent attorney, and maybe you already addressed this in another post.  Maybe it`s already expired.  Most countries today are members of the paris convention for protecting IP.

Assuming then that you are not infringing, in addition to changing the size, are there any features that you can add (to americanize it) that may allow you to obtain a US patent?  Maybe you could pull together a focus group with a group of friends and family.

drvag, I am not wanting to get a pantent if I do not have to because the shape could change after first run, we may always be making adjustments.

Sparklegirl, I am looking into many options including Mexico and California. But I don`t know if which country it is produced in has the impact as much as the individual company. I will defninetly do my homework.

liloo, my questions were, are you sure you are not infringing on somebody else`s foreign patent?  Like the US, I believe they have one year to file in other countries.  I`m not a patent attorney...

And have you considered a focus group of close friends and family to come up with some "Americanized features" that you can add to the foreign product and get a US patent?

If you are going to put this much time, energy and DOLLARS into launching a product, why not patent it if you can?