posted on April 16, 2001 07:18:25 AM new
I often have, slightly wacky, ideas for a product but never follow thru beyond the talking stage.
Had another one last week but this time I'm going to give it a try.
I'll hold off on a full explanation until I'm a little further along but I did want to ask for general advice and suggestions.
If it works, great. If not I'll get a cram course on a lot of useful topics.
It will be a simple clothing line (T-shirts etc.) with a unique phrase and a tie in to some currant events.
Looks like I have to design the product, put it into production, prepare and launch auctions, set-up a supporting web page and safeguard the idea and the URL.
I did some T-shirts years ago so I have an idea how that works.
Will be visiting local shirt printing companies today to see what they suggest.
Have not done a web site before but I have a very capable person to help me with that effort. Our plans are to use BigStep and to make it both an information site with links to the sites that discuss this topic and a display site for the variations of this product along with an order process.
Where I'm in the dark or at least murky deep gray is
1) Protecting the unique phase thru a trademark without involving an expensive lawyer at this time.
2) Getting the phase as a URL at the lowest cost and whether I need to protect a wide range of variations (.com, .org, .whatever).
3) Choosing a display and order form process to use at BigStep.
4) If there is a graphic design program that I should consider using. It would be a help if I could put up an image of a T-shirt, change it's color and overlay some words and graphics to test ideas.
This has a tie-in to the medical field, I will be contributing a small portion of proceeds to research organizations but my twist on this is mostly a humorous approach to a common problem.
Don't know what I don't know or haven't thought of so any suggestions will be welcomed.
Even if it turns out to be no more than a learning experience it will be better than mucking around in the cold and damp weather forecast for our area this week.
I'm saying A to Z in a week otherwise it risks being put aside and thought about until the leaves are changing in the Fall and beyond.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Please use snail mail for non-constructive criticism and negative comments.
Edited to add : Your local custom might be to spell the first word in my title - Product.
posted on April 16, 2001 08:21:24 AM new
i'm thinking something to do with Viagra???
sorry, couldn't help it.
sounds cool, ray, good luck. if there's a donation angle play it up big time. there's a woman in my niche who normally sells ok items, but this week she's selling those same 'just ok' items with the notation that she is donating half this week's proceeds to a battered women's shelter and her sales have gone through the roof!
posted on April 17, 2001 10:55:15 AM new
Bump- Now looking for very specific info.
Plan to use BigStep - Any negative reasons I should not use their site?
Web address registration - price war seems to exist within this service. BigStep is partnered with Network Solutions and offeres two year registration for $70. Others are offering one yr. reg. for less than $20. with a one time $15. dollar transfer fee. Any reason not to use the lowest priced registration available? What is the lowest one year reg. being offered?
Still a little confused between a Trademark and a Servicemark. Plan to send myself a certified letter, which I will not open, containing a brief outline of my idea to establish a date of inception. At this time I'm mostly concerned with having some status so that I can claim VERO protection on eBay.
If the idea produces ongoing income I don't have the money to do a court fight with a large company that chooses to use the idea. The best I could hope for is to protect the eBay market.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
This is fun, challanging and a little fear provoking. Feels like I'm walking thru the next door. Not comfortable but worthwhile.
posted on April 17, 2001 11:06:48 AM new
I can help with registering the domain name. I have used godaddy.com several times and I have never been disappointed with their service. And it's only $8.95!
Edited to add:
The only relationship that I have with GoDaddy is that of a very satisfied repeat customer.
[ edited by dubyasdaman on Apr 17, 2001 11:08 AM ]
I use Dotster (www.dotster.com) for domain name registration. They're an ICANN-accredited registrar and they charge $15/year for .com, .net, and .org names. They also register .tv, .cc, and .ws names.
When I register a domain I plan to use, I register the .com and the .net. IMO, too many domain extensions will be cropping up soon to worry about registering all of them. If you establish your product name as a trademark (either by use or by registration, according to the site mentioned above), you may be able to prove later on that you have the right to its exclusive use. I'm sure that's easier for large companies, though. No one will get away with registering FederalExpress.org and using it if it's not FedEx itself who's doing it.
PaintShop Pro by Jasc Software is a good graphics program and runs about $99.
posted on April 17, 2001 11:41:20 AM new
MY understanding is that a trademark is for a product, a service mark is for a service that is not tied to a specific, tangible product such as Tide, Twinkies, etc.
The last I looked, a national servicemark, that covers you in all 50 States was $400, but I'm sure that's gone up.
When you compare it to trying to get the mark in each state individually, it's a HUGE savings.
posted on April 17, 2001 01:10:36 PM new
Went to godaddy.com and registered for $8.95/1 year.
I am Now - StemCellFarm.com
Don't seems to need a trademark registration immediatly as long as I actually use the name on a product in the near future. The name does not come up thru Trademark Office search.
