Direct-to-consumer brands, or DTC brands, are those that sell directly to the end customer rather than relying on middlemen like retailers and wholesalers. With the development of online marketing, more and more people start their value propositioned brands with various creative new items instead of just buying current products in the market.
BHD has rich experience in growing with brand owners to source, improve and create new Creative products, more background information about OEM/ODM/Private Label please check this article.
Phrase 1: Product Discovery
In this phase, the topics below will be discussed:
- Getting Product Ready for Development Review
- Material received from the Client
- Basic Research and Feedback to the Client if the Idea, Features, Technology, Parts, and Supply Chain are feasible (incl. getting & comparing samples or building MVP-Minimum viable product)
- Draft the Architecture of your Product Select the Main Components
- Prototyping and Mass Production
- Create Detailed PRD (Product Requirements Document)
- Detailed Estimation of Time and Cost for Product Design, Development & Prototyping
- Rough Estimation of BOM Cost for Mass Production Additional Communication & Project Management
In this case, the customer designs new products based on our existing MagSafe wireless chargers, but there are some extra requests:
We set up a team (including sales + manager + engineers) for buyers' better communication in email and video to review all the new requests:
- New Design of Surface with Logo
- Better Magnetic Function - To Make Sure the phones will not be dropped off during all the bumping road
- Fast Charging Speed While Driving
- Requests No.4, 5, 6, etc
Phrase 2: Product Design, Development & Prototyping
ID Designer & MD Designer define items based on the customer's request:
Phrase 3: NPI New Product Introduction
- Final DFM confirmed (Design for Manufacturing document, including material, assembling process, testing, etc)
- Preparing Tooling, Jigs & Fixtures ( All for mass production to produce the cases and other accessories parts)
- Buiding Samples
- Certificate Testing CE ROHS FCC
- Production Validation Test (PVT) = Pilot Production
- Final Acceptance Test (FAT)
The above Pictures show the 3D prototype.
Phrase 4: Mass Production
- Logo Printing
- Package Design
- Quality Test
- Shipping from China to the Appointed warehouse by air/sea
Conclusion:
3 Important Tips to shorten the OEM/ODM/Private Label products development time:
- 1) In Phrase 1 manufacturer needs to fully understand the aim and function the buyer hopes to realize so that we can think of different options for customers to pick up the right solution
- 2) In Phrase 2, an experienced engineer designing the right assembling structure for the assembling process is the key to make sure quality and saving timing of a lot of useless trying of molding later on.
- 3) In Phrase 3, necessary tests of Certificates already need to be carried out, or the mass production might come out as an unqualified item.