Before you source your first product

Write down the customer hypothesis

Name a specific buyer, the situation in which they need the product and the alternative they use today. Compare competing offers on price, quality, delivery and convenience. A busy category is evidence of activity, but it does not establish a reason for someone to choose your product.

• Who is the first buyer?
• What problem does the product solve?
• What would make the buyer switch?

Make quotations comparable

Ask each supplier to quote against the same material, dimensions, packaging and quantity. Record MOQ, payment timing, production lead time and the point at which responsibility for delivery changes. A lower unit price can still require more cash or leave more work for your team.

Define what an acceptable sample looks like

Create a short inspection record before samples arrive. Include measurements, finish, packaging and the intended use. Photograph the sample and note each difference from the specification. Keep a dated approved reference so later production is checked against an agreed standard rather than memory.

Model a conservative first batch

Use sellable units, not simply the quantity ordered, when estimating landed cost. Include product, freight, handling and the amounts for applicable duties or taxes confirmed by the relevant adviser. Add fulfilment, channel fees and return assumptions to understand contribution. Use the calculators as planning aids, not official rate sources.

Set a pilot decision before launching

Choose the evidence that would justify a reorder: customer feedback, acceptable defects, a workable delivery process and contribution after the costs you can identify. Also decide what would make you stop. A small pilot is useful only if someone records the result and changes the next decision.