2 Simple Steps to Find a Manufacturer for Your Product Online

How to find a manufacturerOne of the best things about the web is the way it lowers the barriers to entry for starting your own business.

One of the best things about the web is the way it lowers the barriers to entry for starting your own business.

The online world offers entrepreneurs an inexpensive way to do research, set up a store, build a following, find staff, and best of all, is a great channel for information products such as ebooks, courses, videos, and more which cost next-to-nothing but time to produce.

In fact, with online drop-shipping resources and affiliate programs galore, you may never actually hold any of the products you sell online in the real world.

But what if your new business idea revolves around a “real-world product”, one that needs to be produced?

But what if your new business idea, the things that fires you up every morning, revolves around a “real-world product”, one that needs to be produced, shipped and sold through different channels including brick-and-mortar retailers?

What does the web offer an entrepreneur who knows she can sell the finished product online, but needs to figure out how to have the product produced before that can happen?

As it turns out, plenty.

First step – research and learn

There are tons of helpful resources to be found online.

The first step you can take online is to conduct research. There are tons of helpful resources to be found just by searching, “find a manufacturer” on Google.

However, to kick-start this task, here are some of the more useful spots I found:

Second step – start your search

Now you’re ready to start your search!

Now that you’ve read up on how to find a manufacturer and prepared for your search, below are some good spots to start looking for the right manufacturer:

If you’re into doing your own research, then take a look at, “Locating Manufacturers” which lays out a handy way to find manufacturers.

Don’t panic!

Choosing a manufacturer is a business management task like no other.

Choosing a manufacturer is a business management task like no other. Unlike accounting and marketing, it’s very likely that you are doing this for your first time. Add to that the fact that you are putting your baby in other folk’s hands and it’s no wonder many new entrepreneurs get overwhelmed!

The good thing is that you are not reinventing the wheel here; people create and get products manufactured everyday. Read the article listed above and arm yourself as well as you can with knowledge and know-how.

Don’t go it alone. Use, or create new, relationships.

Also, don’t go it alone. The key point of advice I read over and over online is to find manufacturers through your relationships and, if you have no relationships connected to manufacturing, make some! Sounds like a good approach to me.

What about you?

And speaking of relationships: why don’t you take a moment to comment on this article below.

  1. Did you find it useful or did it leave you with more questions than ever? If you have questions, ask them below and we’ll try and get them answered for you.
  2. Have you gone through this process yourself? What was it like? What things (even just one or two) can you share with us below to help the folks trying to figure out the whole manufacturing thing?

I look forward to reading your comment, questions and answers!

Comments

  1. Hi Matt, wonderful article indeed. The base of finding the right manufacturer for your products is doing a research. Thanks for sharing an useful writeup.

    • Thanks Sathish! Glad you enjoyed the post!

      I think that research, even a little, is ALWAYS a good first step. When dealing with a decision as important as selecting a manufacturer, it’s vital.

  2. Thanks for the article. I did find it useful given that I am new to product production and needed a little help in where to start. The hyperlinks to the subsequent articles were gold!

  3. Hello, thx for your wonderful article. it was very helpful. I have my biz ideas, designs, and portfolio already. But am scared because i don’t know the next person i should talk to, but i know i definitely need a manufacturer for my product and if i find one, then what? . Pls Help, am tired of sitting on my dreams, and talents.

  4. Matt-
    I have always been a person who has many ideas at once about many different areas. I am building a business around my knowledge of pets and animals, the products that can help support owners. I have printed your page and hopefully it will lead me to the information I need to get some of those products from thought into reality.

  5. Patricia Mcfarlin says

    Awesome information. I am totally new to products manufacturing. Great starting point.

  6. Thank you for this article. I’ve been searching the internet for some help and this has been the most help I feel I’ve found thus far so thanks for that!! I have come up with a new line of gift cards and items that I would love to see available in stores but have no idea where to start and I cannot produce the gift items myself so I need someone to do it for me. I’ll be using the information that you have provided.

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    What does the web offer an entrepreneur who knows she can sell the finished product online, but needs to figure out how to have the product produced before that can happen? As it turns out, plenty….

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