1. Amazon Launchpad will ask for a few sample units to test. What they actually mean is that they sell these units. So, don't send Amazon units until you're ready to part with them and put them in your customer's hands.
Here's Vendor Express (their vendor management system) on that topic:
> We'll sometimes request a minimum sample of free units of your product so that we can evaluate the demand from our customers before placing an initial purchase order. After your product sells, we may start issuing purchase orders.
So, if you're a Kickstarter or Indie-go-go project and you want to sell your product on Amazon as well, you'll likely be going through Launchpad. This can get... uncomfortable for you if you send them test units before your Kickstarter backers get theirs.
2. Amazon's ToS for Vendor Express specifically states that they can rescind/change their Purchase Order at any moment before the product physically arrives at their fulfillment center. I've heard stories of startups having their P.O. reduced by half and having to eat that cost. When you're a young startup, capital is everything.
1. Amazon Launchpad will ask for a few sample units to test. What they actually mean is that they sell these units. So, don't send Amazon units until you're ready to part with them and put them in your customer's hands.
Here's Vendor Express (their vendor management system) on that topic:
> We'll sometimes request a minimum sample of free units of your product so that we can evaluate the demand from our customers before placing an initial purchase order. After your product sells, we may start issuing purchase orders.
So, if you're a Kickstarter or Indie-go-go project and you want to sell your product on Amazon as well, you'll likely be going through Launchpad. This can get... uncomfortable for you if you send them test units before your Kickstarter backers get theirs.
2. Amazon's ToS for Vendor Express specifically states that they can rescind/change their Purchase Order at any moment before the product physically arrives at their fulfillment center. I've heard stories of startups having their P.O. reduced by half and having to eat that cost. When you're a young startup, capital is everything.
Other resources for understanding more about manufacturing costs: https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-go-about-budgeting-manufactur... http://www.andrewjdupree.com/blog/2016/8/3/how-long-does-it-...