9 Things to keep in mind when Manufacturing for a Kickstarter

Manufacturing for a new Kickstarter project is a daunting task.

You may already have a working prototype … or you may only have a detailed drawing.

You may have lots of flexibility on how the final product can turn out … or you may have strict requirements and instructions on how exactly it must be made.

How do you find a manufacturer?

Should you go direct to a factory or go through an agent? Should you find someone locally who might be more expensive or try someone off-shore which might have language or cultural barriers?

Do you need to communicate directly with someone at the factory or do you want to communicate through an impartial intermediary who can negotiate fairly on your behalf?

Do you need to be in the factory watching everything or are you fine monitoring everything over email?

Do you need a responsible factory that is still present 12 months after a product has shipped or are you willing to forgo that in exchange for a better price?

Are you afraid the factory will steal your designs?

Should you pay the factory before or after the goods are made?

How can they ship the goods to you and what are the laws governing this?

Who is liable if the product is defective or harms the consumer?