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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: ThatCometGuy on Thu, 11 February 2021, 21:17:24

Title: What makes you trust an IC or GB?
Post by: ThatCometGuy on Thu, 11 February 2021, 21:17:24
Question plain and simple, what are some of the things you actively search in a post before entering a Group Buy?

I've also seen that people don't like newcomers projects that much. Is it because they may come here just for the profit and not for the hobby?
I've seen some pretty good ideas from newcomers that never see the light and also wanted to know why that may be the case.

Also have nice day  :cool:
Title: Re: What makes you trust an IC or GB?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 11 February 2021, 22:41:00
IC's have no risk so there is no reason to trust anything, it's just to see if there is enough interest. Small volume manufacturing is EXPENSIVE.

Every try bringing a product to market?
It takes a lot of time, money and effort. Group buys are often done on a shoestring budget and MANY people underestimate the cost to actually produce what they want. Even if they make it to a group buy, many organizers end up losing money trying to fulfill it. Just because Joe can bring an aluminum keyboard to market for $300 doesn't mean Danny can. There's a ton of little things that will quickly ramp up the price on something and if you don't know the tricks to avoid those pitfalls your "I hope to offer these for $300" quickly becomes "I finally got a quote on the case and it was $500".

I.C.s are just an idea, most have absolutely zero idea what it will actually cost and even when you have experience it doesn't always work out how you expect. One of my last big projects we got quotes from suppliers but when we went to order a quarter of the suppliers said the order was too small, another quarter said it was too large. We had to go and source out half of our suppliers all over again and almost always at a higher cost.

As for new people.
I don't even understand why this is asked so often by newcomers. Tell me why I should send you $500 for keyboard. I don't know you, you likely have no design, business or logistics experience and then expect me to wait months for you to deliver. Does ANY of that sound reasonable? For all I know a week after getting the money you could be sitting on a beach in the Bahamas enjoying retirement.
Title: Re: What makes you trust an IC or GB?
Post by: iri on Fri, 12 February 2021, 04:54:51
a week after getting the money you could be sitting on a beach in the Bahamas enjoying retirement.
Wrong!! I'll be sitting in the Canaries!! Mwahahahaha!