Pick a color.
Pick a material.
Agree on MOQ.

That’s what most people think going in. Then you actually get into it and it starts looking more like this:

1. Material grades, not just material type (ABS vs ABS V0, fabric GSM, coating, finishes)
2. How parts are joined (seams, welding, adhesives, fasteners, tolerances)
3. Tooling decisions (injection molds, cavities, CNC work, tooling lifespan)
4. Manufacturing constraints (draft angles, wall thickness, shrinkage, stitch density)
5. Compliance and testing (CE, FCC, CPSIA, labeling requirements depending on market)

None of this is obvious upfront but this is where most of the cost, delays, and quality issues come from. Not to mention unexpected but likely hiccups you'll encounter (in my experience):

1. Tooling comes in higher than expected
2. Unit cost changes once details are locked
3. Lower volumes end up costing more than planned
4. Timelines stretch once sampling and revisions start

By the time this shows up, you’re already too far in to back out. Everything’s already in motion, and chances are you’ve got money on the line too, since most manufacturers won’t start tooling or samples without a deposit. This isn’t just a first-time issue either. We still see it with experienced teams. It’s just the part no one really talks about at the start.

If you’re working on something and want to sanity check it before committing, feel free to reach out.

David
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