getting my product onto the market

joshtp

So a few months ago, frustrated at expensive chain lubes not offering what i wanted i decided to make my own.

it was, really, nothing more than a bit of fun. i wasn’t following it seriously. But i came up with a few clever idea's, none of which really worked, and after a few months i gave up. But, when my sister convinced my to use Coconut oil in my hair to help stop it being dry and fuzzy i realised that wax could be a good base for a lube. The coconut stuff wouldn’t come out of my hair no matter how many times i washed it, it was very slippy, and totally dry, so nothing stuck to it.

so after this i started experimenting with different waxes and different mixes, and finally came upon a good recipe which i have now been using for a few months.
This lube really is good, i think, its not sticky, so it stays really clean, its easy to use, totally waterproof, iv even jet washed the chain and sprayed it with muc off and it stays on, and lasts for ages, as long as 3 weeks between application, and that was riding almost every day in the rain and snow in the middle of winter, with loads of mud. its good because you can wash the bike, and not have to reapply the lube, so long as you are careful not to go to crazy on the chain. And washing it is easy because nothing sticks to it, and anything that does can just be rinsed off with a gentle spray.

So, 2 questions.

First, would you buy it? At say, £2.50 for a small (100ml) bottle? Baring in kind it will last longer than most. Would you at least give it a try?
Second. How the hell would i get it onto the market. Its difficult, because up until now, i make a 250ml, which fills my recycled bottle from some other lube i bought a few times. But to sell it i would have to source bottles and get a sticker thing made for them, with the branding and info. I would have to find a way of either making loads of it myself, or outsourcing the production. And i would need an avenue to sell it. A distributor, etc....

So please can you give me some tips on how to get what i thing is a very saleable product onto the market, even if it was just via a small chain of shops or something. I’m not looking for world domination, but i think that its a product that other bikers would appreciate, and i would like to share.


I should add its totally natural, and biodegradable.

jonnyc2420

i would be willing to give it a go - have you looked at princes trust for small business funding/

Slamdunkin

Contact your local business link...they can give you advice on all aspects of setting up such a business.

El Capitano

I'd also be interested in giving this a go, both on the MTBs and the commuter bike (where longevity of chain lube is more important).

Tried contacting "Business Angels" or whatever they're called these days?

If by any chance you're based in Wales, PM me.

joshtp

im not really after funding, i dont really want to start a buisness. but im wondering if there is an easy way to get 10 bottles into a few LBS's and maybe build from their. or maybe mail order....


iv have just had a pretty cool idea. what about if people sent their old lube bottles, empty, and then i refilled them with my lube, and posted them back with a small sheet about the lube, like the sticker on the back of a bottle when you first buy it.

it would also be totaly Green, with no wasted plastic, and no uneccessary packeging.

and just have a 1 page website with contact details to place an order.

i can get my web develope cousin to build the site too.

would that work?!

any thoughts?!

flowpro

There is a lot of Wax based Lube out there what is your Unique Selling Point?
At £2.50 it might be your price that’s very cheap, decent wax based lubes are £8 for a 250ml bottle.
I would certainly try it for that money.

joshtp

unique selling points? long lasting, cheap. green, and totaly eco friendly. a unique type of lube, you put it on as a liquid, alow it to soak in, but when left for an hour or two it sets, and forms a slipery but very hard wearing film on the chain. its this that gives it its long lasting-ness. no other lube does that so far as i know. it effectively coats the chain in an even, thin layer of hard waxy lubericant. without gunging everything up. and without a sticky goo. just a dry, slick, deeply penetrating coating.

amt27

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

iv have just had a pretty cool idea. what about if people sent their old lube bottles, empty, and then i refilled them with my lube, and posted them back with a small sheet about the lube, like the sticker on the back of a bottle when you first buy it.

it would also be totaly Green, with no wasted plastic, and no uneccessary packeging.

not at all, we had this "return your packaging" argument at uni,
think of the co2 burned up in getting the bottles posted to you, probably less co2 and resources would be used in filling up new plastic bottles, small green changes at the manufacturing level have a far bigger impact,

joshtp

amt27 wrote:

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

iv have just had a pretty cool idea. what about if people sent their old lube bottles, empty, and then i refilled them with my lube, and posted them back with a small sheet about the lube, like the sticker on the back of a bottle when you first buy it.

it would also be totaly Green, with no wasted plastic, and no uneccessary packeging.

not at all, we had this "return your packaging" argument at uni,
think of the co2 burned up in getting the bottles posted to you, probably less co2 and resources would be used in filling up new plastic bottles, small green changes at the manufacturing level have a far bigger impact,

very true, and well tought of. although people buying the product are les likely to think the same way, and would most likely think that sending the old bottles in is a good way to be green.... it would also lessen the problem of sourcing suitible bottles myself.... which is anothing thing.. anyone got any idea where to get empty "blanks"?

flowpro

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

unique selling points? long lasting, cheap. green, and totaly eco friendly. a unique type of lube, you put it on as a liquid, alow it to soak in, but when left for an hour or two it sets, and forms a slipery but very hard wearing film on the chain. its this that gives it its long lasting-ness. no other lube does that so far as i know. it effectively coats the chain in an even, thin layer of hard waxy lubericant. without gunging everything up. and without a sticky goo. just a dry, slick, deeply penetrating coating.

Sounds good so how do we get hold of some of your secret creation. I like to give it a go find how it would hold up to a week’s trail bashing.

Gazlar

how about trying it on ebay first? set up as a seller, see how it goes

joshtp

this is exactly what im trying to work out, and need advice on. unless i literally sell it as a special, "you come to me" order basis, im not sure how to sell it.

for now, im gonna go out and get the stuff i need to make a new batch, and send out a few samples in the next few days. just for a bit of testing, and for people to try before i really think about selling it properly.

i think iv found a suitible bottle at least.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100ml-Plastic-Bot ... 4aa16109d3

Cferg

gazderry wrote:

how about trying it on ebay first? set up as a seller, see how it goes

Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm sure many MTBers from this forum would be more than willing to try it (I definately would) and word spreads easily If it is succesful you could be buying yourself a new shiny bike

joshtp

Cferg wrote:

gazderry wrote:

how about trying it on ebay first? set up as a seller, see how it goes

Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm sure many MTBers from this forum would be more than willing to try it (I definitely would) and word spreads easily If it is succesful you could be buying yourself a new shiny bike

eBay is a good idea. and is definately a good place to start. and the new shiny bike is definately a nice prospect!

Will Snow

Id try on ebay, mebbe give a few bottles to your lbs and if they like it ask if they want to buy a few?? But Id buy it if it was ebay, it sounds good. Does it smell nice?

Finbar Saunders

What does it smell like? I like the smell of coconut based shampoos etc and would definitely prefer a lube that had a nice smell!! That could be a USP in addition to the green credentials.

I'd definitely give it a try for £2.50.

JonnyN

I imagine it would be quite hard to sell seeing as you are using other companies products to make it. You'd really need to be either producing the ingredients yourself or have an agreement with some kind of supplier in order for all the ingredients to be used.

I'm not sure of the in and outs of it all but I am not sure "L'oreal" or whoever, would be happy that you are selling on a product marketed as your own that included their indredients!


....Saying that.......... can I be one of the testers?!? :-) :-)

Cferg

Will Snow wrote:

Id try on ebay, mebbe give a few bottles to your lbs and if they like it ask if they want to buy a few?? But Id buy it if it was ebay, it sounds good. Does it smell nice?

It's got coconut oil in it, tis bound to smell nice

Something like this wouldn't go wrong for a label had wanted to brand it in some sort of way, theres loads of results on google for presonalised labels, however theyre about 50-60p per label? so may not be profitable for you.

Gazlar

for stickers and brand concept theres a few ways about it

1, simple and cheap, get sticky address labels and print them yourself, playing very muc on the eco friendly small business angle

2, get them done online, places like diginate or vistaprint have a good service, but it might put your costs up a bit

have you got a snappy name and branding ideas for it yet?

bigboned

ill give some a go bud ( could i use it in my hair too?) pm me when you are in a position to do so mate

joshtp

branding and name are yet to be come up with.

as for using other peoples products thats not an issue.

it only has 3 ingreediants, and each is a pure ingrediante, and totaly generic. i tell you the 3 ingrediants, but im afraid id have to kill you.

unfortunately, despite having coconut oil as its main ingrediant, it doesnt smell great, it doesnt really smell at all. pure coconut oil doesnt actually smell "of coconut" it sort of smells weird.

it also has some pure alcohol in it, which helps with aplication, and then evaporates after aplication, so that gives it its main smell, its kinda alcoholy. although this disapears after 5 mins from when you aply it.

the 3rd and final ingrediant is essential, and top secret! :twisted:

joshtp

bigboned wrote:

ill give some a go bud ( could i use it in my hair too?) pm me when you are in a position to do so mate

you could use it in your hair, but it would smell minging after a while, and would probaly not be very good for it.

armymankin

let me know when they are on sell, dont mind give it a try.
i can design the logo for you

bike-a-swan

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

the 3rd and final ingrediant is essential, and top secret! :twisted:

chain oil?

joshtp

armymankin wrote:

let me know when they are on sell, dont mind give it a try.
i can design the logo for you

if you come up with a good logo, ill give you a free bottle....




i was thinking something with palm tree's to go with the coconut theme.

joshtp

bike-a-swan wrote:

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

the 3rd and final ingrediant is essential, and top secret! :twisted:

chain oil?

lol. no

bomberesque

Find a supply of the right sized bottles (yellow pages)
Print some stickers (you can do this at home or talk to a printer)
make 50 bottles of stuff up, fill and label

then the hard work starts;

set up an ebay seller thing
walk round all your local LBS and ask if they will take some. Maybe they will be willing to take some on consignment (ie they pay you when they sell the stuff, unsold it gets returned to you)
whore yourself on the classifieds here and Bike radar etc

see how you get on. if the first 50 sell, work out your final profit and repeat with 100 bottles, adjusting the price if needs be

couple of questions;

what is the shelf life? coconuts go off
how green is it really? Coconuts come from far away, international transport isn't very green.
2.50 for 250ml sounds light, I'd look at what competitive products sell for and price yourself 20-30% or so under that, I bet that will be more than 2.50. I also bet there's costs you haven't considered, you can try and predict them, but some will come up unforeseen. for example, if successful you will have to start paying VAT at some point

sounds like a good idea, just be sure you're clear about what what you're selling, what its strengths are and where danger may lie (ie shelf life, toxicity etc)

Gazlar

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

armymankin wrote:

let me know when they are on sell, dont mind give it a try.
i can design the logo for you

if you come up with a good logo, ill give you a free bottle....




i was thinking something with palm tree's to go with the coconut theme.

Oooh ooh, hand up in air, can I have a go sir!!!

Cferg

gazderry wrote:

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

armymankin wrote:

let me know when they are on sell, dont mind give it a try.
i can design the logo for you

if you come up with a good logo, ill give you a free bottle....




i was thinking something with palm tree's to go with the coconut theme.

Oooh ooh, hand up in air, can I have a go sir!!!

I third that ! I feel a competition coming on

mcflyss

JonnyN wrote:

I'm not sure of the in and outs of it all but I am not sure "L'oreal" or whoever, would be happy that you are selling on a product marketed as your own that included their indredients!


....Saying that.......... can I be one of the testers?!? :-) :-)

i would agree, that was my firsts thoughts... cna you leggaly sell some thing as yours when all you have done is taken other products and mixed together? Might be worth talking to trading standards and see if they can point in right direction....

But I wud also be interested in trying some mate.

joshtp

thanks for the tips man.

well shelf life shouldnt be an issue, iv been using my current batch for nearly 4 months now... and its only coconut OIL, not actuall coconut. as for the green thing, well i would have to ask the people who import the oil where it comes from, but the green thing comes more of the back of it being natural ingreediants, and being non harmfull to things like fish (well i havent carried out research, but it shouldnt be) and from the lack of artificial components and chemicals. (although it does contain a small amount of isopropyl Alcohol, but from what i understand thats a natual based prouduct?! if not i might just have to drop the Green-ness seling point, and market it as "just" a very good lube)
toxity isnt really a problem, iv been using it for ages and havent grown another head, and so long as you dont drink it, or use it as skin lotion than i wouldnt think it would cause an issue.