The Results Of My Year-Long Physical Product Experiment (opens in new tab)

(needwant.com)

58 pointsj0ncc12y ago23 comments

23 comments

jere12y ago

>After a lot of back and forth with a few different factories, I managed to find one that could do what I wanted.

This is glossed over, yet I have no idea how I would even start contacting factories.

thruflo12y ago

Makersrow.com custommade.com fabhub.com

jere12y ago

Interesting links. The first is for American factories only, which is neat, but I'd be surprised if this case was made in America. I'm familiar with the second link, but I don't believe it's related to factories/mass production. The third link is being squatted on.

1 more reply

createmyaccount12y ago

Or how to even find them. I think this would typically be easier in the US than in Europe.

hengheng12y ago

> We’re almost at the stage now where we will never have to even see another iPhone case.

"We successfully made the transition from being an ad agency with attached warehouse and fulfillment center to being solely an ad agency."

So you never had anything to do with the physical product anyway, no development or manufacturing or anything. Naturally you had to streamline your business process to reflect this, but it's not what I'd call a "Physical Product Experiment".

pclark12y ago

I own a Peel case. It's really great, in fact it's the only case I have ever been satisfied with using.

tedmiston12y ago

Any you chance you have the "white" model? I'm having a hard time telling from the pictures how translucent it is.

HeyLaughingBoy12y ago

Awesome read. BTW, both UPS and USPS (don't know about FedEx, etc) will pickup packages on demand. Of course, if you live in an apartment, this does mean you have to be home at the time.

rbritton12y ago

Last time I did that with FedEx there was a charge for it ($10 I believe). I don't believe that's changed.

HeyLaughingBoy12y ago

UPS also charges, but IIRC it's less if you have an account with them. Pickup is free with USPS.

1 more reply

marban12y ago

Any insights where the factories are located and how they found the manufacturing partner?

pdog12y ago

Your best bet is to find a "Gold" supplier on Alibaba.com.

Pxtl12y ago

That "exit intent popup" had better not be a big modal thing or else I hate you.

tedmiston12y ago

It's better than alert()

pdog12y ago

Exit offers for Shopify are powered by Sticky[1].

[1]: http://www.addsticky.com/

createmyaccount12y ago

Any idea about their rates? Honestly, this seems pretty easy to set up yourself.

pdog12y ago

$10.00 / month

wehadfun12y ago

So this is the same guy that bought the Las Vegas apartment and rents it on Airbnb?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6655492

colinbartlett12y ago

I'd love to buy several of these. Would you consider accepting Bitcoin? I'm always looking for ways to spend it and I see you're on Shopify which should make it very, very easy.

nedwin12y ago

Have you considered outsourcing your shipping to a third party logistics company? Slightly added cost but takes away a bunch of the pain as well.

createmyaccount12y ago

Great post. Mind sharing the company that did the packaging and shipping for you? (Or any alternatives)

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

23 comments

jere12y ago

>After a lot of back and forth with a few different factories, I managed to find one that could do what I wanted.

This is glossed over, yet I have no idea how I would even start contacting factories.

thruflo12y ago

Makersrow.com custommade.com fabhub.com

jere12y ago

1 more reply

createmyaccount12y ago

Or how to even find them. I think this would typically be easier in the US than in Europe.

hengheng12y ago

> We’re almost at the stage now where we will never have to even see another iPhone case.

"We successfully made the transition from being an ad agency with attached warehouse and fulfillment center to being solely an ad agency."

pclark12y ago

I own a Peel case. It's really great, in fact it's the only case I have ever been satisfied with using.

tedmiston12y ago

Any you chance you have the "white" model? I'm having a hard time telling from the pictures how translucent it is.

HeyLaughingBoy12y ago

Awesome read. BTW, both UPS and USPS (don't know about FedEx, etc) will pickup packages on demand. Of course, if you live in an apartment, this does mean you have to be home at the time.

rbritton12y ago

Last time I did that with FedEx there was a charge for it ($10 I believe). I don't believe that's changed.

HeyLaughingBoy12y ago

UPS also charges, but IIRC it's less if you have an account with them. Pickup is free with USPS.

1 more reply

marban12y ago

Any insights where the factories are located and how they found the manufacturing partner?

pdog12y ago

Your best bet is to find a "Gold" supplier on Alibaba.com.

Pxtl12y ago

That "exit intent popup" had better not be a big modal thing or else I hate you.

tedmiston12y ago

It's better than alert()

pdog12y ago

Exit offers for Shopify are powered by Sticky[1].

[1]: http://www.addsticky.com/

createmyaccount12y ago

Any idea about their rates? Honestly, this seems pretty easy to set up yourself.

pdog12y ago

$10.00 / month

wehadfun12y ago

So this is the same guy that bought the Las Vegas apartment and rents it on Airbnb?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6655492

colinbartlett12y ago

I'd love to buy several of these. Would you consider accepting Bitcoin? I'm always looking for ways to spend it and I see you're on Shopify which should make it very, very easy.

nedwin12y ago

Have you considered outsourcing your shipping to a third party logistics company? Slightly added cost but takes away a bunch of the pain as well.

createmyaccount12y ago

Great post. Mind sharing the company that did the packaging and shipping for you? (Or any alternatives)

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse