What are the best ways to sell AS MANY as a new product as you can before people copy it?

peter s: What are the best ways to sell AS MANY as a new product as you can before people copy it?
For example to sell the new product in bulk quanties to suppliers instead of trying to sell to individual people. Any other ideas people?
If i wanted to sell something the most i could b4 the market becomes flooded.?
List as many ideas as you can thanks.
THE PRODUCT IS EXTREMELY EASY TO COPY SO THE PATENT WOULD NOT STOP THE PRODUCT FROM BEEN CHANGED SLIGHTLY AND COPIED. ANY OTHER IDEAS?

Answers and Views:

Answer by chris m
try a patent

Answer by Slippy
Patent your idea. This is the whole reason patent laws exist. Just remember patents do expire, so be prepared to capitalize on your idea soon after the patent is honored.

Answer by 057
Invent something. Patent it.

Answer by web-eagle
Working on just such an item myself. Easy to copy, but if I’m first into the college bookstores, “I WIN!!!”

Depending on your manufacturing capacity, you could pre-sell to potential marketers. Visit each retailer with a sample and a non-disclosure form. Of course, if you’re a new face with no track record almost no one will want to sign before they see.

Next best thing is to stockpile before flooding the market. Run a media blitz with teasers all over the place while you’re building your inventory, then on release date, be everywhere at once. (“Super Whooper Gadgem Thingitz in stores May 1st!”) Downside to this is the initial cost PLUS the risk that your item won’t be as hot as you expected. If you have to eat it, there really is no recovery.

The only way I would sell to individuals is over the Internet, and again only after a HUGE teaser campaign. But you’d better have shipping down to a science, because point and clickers aren’t known for their patience or their attention span.

And ultimately, if your stuff is any good, you WILL be copied. Have the best/most memorable name, grab the most obvious domain, be so entrenched that when the copy cats show up, everyone will recognize that they’re just imitating you. You’re the Real Deal. (Forty years after the fact, Vege-Matic is still king of the cutters. It slices. It dices. It pays royalties!)

PS. Patents are generally a waste of time unless the technology is COMPLETELY new. Someone has only to change a single working part, and then it’s THEIR invention.