Retail Support at Concept Stage

[tshort]

As a business start-up who is still at concept stage I need to understand if it would be okay to approach retailers about the potential to sell my products at their stores, despite not having anything physical to demonstrate.

The product I’m looking to design is for the domestic garden and would be suited in retail stores such as B&Q and Homebase etc.*

If I approached these Organisations with my concept would they simply tell me it is too early to make any decision on the potential to sell the product?

I’m finding when I talk to investors that they are only interested in raising capital in the instance I’ve got backing to sell my products using the above stores as a viable business model.* This in-turn presents a ‘chicken and egg’ challenge of getting past the concept / proof of concept stage and into having something physical to demonstrate the product.

 

[Naive citizen]

From what I can tell from viewing the likes of Dragons Den and The Apprentice ... you must develop the concept by yourself and preferably also prove that you can sell it... by going to a market stall or starting a website which shifts a few units.

That part is going to be VERY difficult. But if your product is good and you are a worthwhile individual and not just a con-artist then you could get through that concept stage and make it to the stage where you are ready to invite bigger players into the deal.

If you have nothing but an idea to offer then you won't get very far at all / nowhere.

1. Make the prototype
2. Sell a few units
3. Approach the big-players.

 

[Moneyman]

luckily there is a business angel on this site who finances product development.....(me).
currently doing development on intelligent manholes and an ashtray (dont ask) so i might be your man. cb at........(see below)