An idea
Author
Discussion

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
This morning I had a bit of an idea, which like most of my ideas is probably a complete none starter, but I thought I’d ask PH what you think. I’m not asking about the logistics of doing this, just wheather there is a market for such an item.

There is no point in asking the question without giving the full details, my idea. Retro metal garage signs seem to be fairly popular here in the UK and even more so in the us. However, there doesn’t seem to be many companies offering fully personalized retro/distressed signage. I’m not thinking of a hand painted sign, but one printed from a digital image.

I know its probably a bit of an impossible question to answers, but would you like a fully personalized retro/distressed style sign on your garage wall?

dundarach

5,717 posts

244 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Yes I would.

Without sounding like a tt, how would you compete with: https://www.britishmetalsigns.co.uk

Scrump

23,488 posts

174 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
They are available very cheaply via AliExpress. I realise not everyone wants to shop via AliExpress or wait weeks for the delivery.

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Scump, sorry to trouble you, I am aware of them being sold through Aliexpress. Have you bought any of the ones available on Aliexpress, can you comment on the quality, can they fully customized?

Scrump

23,488 posts

174 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
I have bought some of the standard ones and the quality is okay.
I only noticed the customised ones whilst browsing, have not bought any of those.

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Dundarach, because of my location, I’m unable to open https://www.britishmetalsigns.co.uk/ I am aware they produce signs from as little as £5.00, but how about fully personalized? By the way all comments are welcome, as I said in my OP it was just an idea, maybe a stupid one, testing the waters.

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
To expand a little, a lot of the stuff for sale online is generic add your name here. I’m thinking of completely customized with regards the image and size, however at this stage shape options would be bit limited. Going off at a bit of tangent, please these are only ideas, but let’s say you own a specific make of car/bike/tractor/plane.

Sign of car/bike including, specifications
Sign of period correct brochure (copy write implications)
Sign of period correct handbook (copy write implications)

As I said in my OP, this was just an idea, any opinions are welcome, I’ve never done anything like this, I have a lot to learn!

mattyprice4004

1,339 posts

190 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Anything like that will have a market - but it's a case of selling to enough of that market at a price they're willing to pay.
It's the kind of thing I'd love in my garage, but I wouldn't pay over the odds.

The cost of setting up for that kind of operation I imagine will be quite high - I'd get some idea of materials cost and time to produce each item then go from there.

twing

5,488 posts

147 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
dundarach said:
Yes I would.

Without sounding like a tt, how would you compete with: https://www.britishmetalsigns.co.uk
Well that's just cost me 32 quid! Thanks for the link smile ...and OP there is clearly a market smile

22s

6,452 posts

232 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Not exactly what you’re talking about but I just came across this on Reddit: https://catahoulasign.co/

A guy in the US has just set it up as a one man band: https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/wyc...

That subreddit is also just generally interesting for people interested in business!

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Sunday 20th November 2022
quotequote all

To round this off, my supplier of customised signs, turned out to be a manufacturer who did not understand the term, customized very well. I've still not given up on this one.

On to another idea, but yet again something I have no knowledge of, babies and toileting. Not wanting bore PH, I thought I would sign up to mumsnet and posted the following, no response, to be fair I’m not very au fait with the inner working of this sight. I also posted on PH in the “expectant dad’s” thread, but again to be fair, the poor buggers are probably too tired to reply!

Let me start by pointing out I no children, or experience of them. When cleaning a baby after toilet, I assume you either lay them on a towel and use wet wipes or bathe them is that correct? Are there any situations in which babies are cleaned whilst on the potty/toilet? Are there any other methods, I’m unaware of?

My apologies if my terminology seems off, I have no experience in these things.

Can any of you answer the above question?

My idea, for wont of a better word, involves leaving baby in situ, and no wet wipes. Like most of my ideas, I have no idea what I’m talking about, but unlike the idea which started this thread, I don’t have a clue/funds of how to bring this one to market.

What are your thoughts of cleaning baby in situ sans wipes, yes or no?

skwdenyer

18,405 posts

256 months

Tuesday 22nd November 2022
quotequote all
daqinggregg said:
To round this off, my supplier of customised signs, turned out to be a manufacturer who did not understand the term, customized very well. I've still not given up on this one.

On to another idea, but yet again something I have no knowledge of, babies and toileting. Not wanting bore PH, I thought I would sign up to mumsnet and posted the following, no response, to be fair I’m not very au fait with the inner working of this sight. I also posted on PH in the “expectant dad’s” thread, but again to be fair, the poor buggers are probably too tired to reply!

Let me start by pointing out I no children, or experience of them. When cleaning a baby after toilet, I assume you either lay them on a towel and use wet wipes or bathe them is that correct? Are there any situations in which babies are cleaned whilst on the potty/toilet? Are there any other methods, I’m unaware of?

My apologies if my terminology seems off, I have no experience in these things.

Can any of you answer the above question?

My idea, for wont of a better word, involves leaving baby in situ, and no wet wipes. Like most of my ideas, I have no idea what I’m talking about, but unlike the idea which started this thread, I don’t have a clue/funds of how to bring this one to market.

What are your thoughts of cleaning baby in situ sans wipes, yes or no?
Baby bidet?

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
quotequote all
Skwdenyer “Baby bidet?” Yes, that’s the word I was looking for; no wonder my search was fruitless.

My idea is, an attachment that allows a baby to be sat on a conventional toilet seat, I’m aware these already exist, however, this has a difference in design, to others I have seen. Like many of ideas it will probably go no where.

This idea posed one problem, I’ve got absolutely no experience in this area, yes I did Google lot’s stuff, but I wanted real world experience, hence posting on many different forums.

Thank you for the reply, stupid as it may sound, it has been a significant help.

Badda

3,278 posts

98 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
quotequote all
It’s unusual to think of ideas for problems you’ve not experienced.

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
quotequote all
Not if you think of an idea, then recognise a different application.

skwdenyer

18,405 posts

256 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
quotequote all
daqinggregg said:
Skwdenyer “Baby bidet?” Yes, that’s the word I was looking for; no wonder my search was fruitless.

My idea is, an attachment that allows a baby to be sat on a conventional toilet seat, I’m aware these already exist, however, this has a difference in design, to others I have seen. Like many of ideas it will probably go no where.

This idea posed one problem, I’ve got absolutely no experience in this area, yes I did Google lot’s stuff, but I wanted real world experience, hence posting on many different forums.

Thank you for the reply, stupid as it may sound, it has been a significant help.
Parents of children are a large addressable market. There's nothing wrong per se with targeting such a market.

The problem is that most "stuff" like this can be produced for pennies in China, and must be sold at scale with tiny margins. If you don't have the expertise to do large-scale sales and marketing, let alone ponying up £100k a pop for injection moulds and so on, then you're playing in the wrong arena.

Worse still, the age group you're talking about is tiny and transient - the potty phase is pretty short for most kids, and most parents aren't willing to invest megabucks getting through it.

Also, pretty much anything to do with self-washing toilet-related devices has been invented by the Japanese!

If you want to sell "kit" like this (that doesn't protect baby from harm - parents will pay big money for that), you need to find a market that needs it for longer than a few months.

Take a look at self-cleaning cat litter trays, for instance. They're all awful, they're all expensive (some are ~£1k). I have 4 cats; I'd love one. I'm an Engineer by background, but haven't the time to get into it myself. So get your thinking gear around that problem and see what you can come up with - if you can solve the problem well, there's a huge market out there smile

sgrimshaw

7,534 posts

266 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2022
quotequote all
daqinggregg said:
To round this off, my supplier of customised signs, turned out to be a manufacturer who did not understand the term, customized very well. I've still not given up on this one.
If you have the necessary skills to create the custom sign image you could just design the "sign" and get it printed by one of the many on-line photo printers who print on metal,

Eg:

https://www.printerpix.co.uk/metal-photo-prints/

https://www.whitewall.com/uk/metal-prints

https://www.photobox.co.uk/shop/wall-decor/alumini...


daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Friday 25th November 2022
quotequote all
Skwdenyer, thank you, for your detailed reply, it gave me a lot to think about. You are certainly right, I would be playing in the wrong arena.

I think the main problem would be identifying something proprietary about the design, even if I could it would be too expensive to register. As you say, there nothing to really to stop others, manufacturing the same product at a fraction of the cost.

In reality the idea is really simple, I’m surprised nobody else has come up with it, and there in lies the clue, they probably have and realized it’s not really realistic proposition.

Who knew, self-cleaning cat litter trays are a thing (I didn’t) I doubt I can re-engineer my idea for cats.

skwdenyer

18,405 posts

256 months

Friday 25th November 2022
quotequote all
daqinggregg the other thing to remember is this: if your proposed innovation will involve people buying lots of proprietary consumables, the consumable manufacturer will/may pay you for your idea. Think flash mops.

If your idea replaces consumables, you have to go it alone;)

The FMCG consumables people have lots of money smile Hence disposable-head toilet brushes, flash mops, electric toothbrushes with proprietary heads, etc.

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

4,799 posts

145 months

Sunday 27th November 2022
quotequote all
Skwdenyer, thank you again, for a very informative post. My idea does not involve people buying lots of proprietary consumables, in fact just the opposite.

I think its time to put the idea to bed, as I neither have the knowledge or means to take it further.

I can’t stress enough, how much I appreciate your input, its given me a lot to think about.