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new use for existing product
yankeestonk
subscriber Posts: 1
I`ve been using an existing cleaning product for a unique use for about a year. It just dawned on me that there would be a niche market for this product if it were repackaged and sold for this particular use. I`ve searched the net and while I`ve found a lot of people asking if anyone knows of a good way to do what this product can do, no one has mentioned it. It works like a charm, and I`ve tried all of the other suggestions on line and none of them work near as well. I don`t know where to start however. I`ve contacted some of these "invention houses" and have been e-mailed confidentiallity forms, but haven`t done anything. I`m afraid that I`ll either wind up with a lot of expenses for something that is illegal to do in the first place, or they`ll steal my idea. I would have to buy this product, repackage it for this specific use, and sell it under a new name. Does anyone know if this is "legal" to do, and if so who do I talk to first ? ( the manufacturer, an attorney, one of these invention houses? I know this product would sell, as I`ve been searching for something to do this myself for many years. Any help would be appreciated greatly !
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Thanks, I don`t think it`s an obvious use, but it is still using a cleaning product to clean something. ( I`m sorry I`m so vague, don`t want to give it away ! ) Does anyone know of what I would need to do in order to protect my idea if I did want to go to the manufacturer with the idea? This would be a definate niche market, although a pretty large niche. However the manufacturer could just add this to their claims on the package and blow me away since I`d have to purchase from them, pay to repackage etc, when their product is obviously going to cost less, and is already on the shelves.
nhgnikole wrote that she doesn`t believe someone can repackage an existing item and sell it for another purpose. You wrote that you think you can. Do you think she`s incorrect or might you be, or is this area very grey? What I`m trying to do here is not spend a lot of money if there is no way I can legally do this, and/or no way I can stake a claim to this particular use for this product.
Hey, who told you !
No, it`s not something you`d find in one of those books on using vinegar to get out wine stains etc. However that`s probably not a bad example. Could you package vinegar as a wine stain remover for instance?
I see you are a patent attorney, can I talk to you on the record ( on retainer ) about my idea and how to pursue or not to pursue it?
Thanks for clarifying that. I appreciate everyone`s help. If you haven`t figured it out yet I`m a tad clueless at this point. There is a concern that "my use" for this product does involve use "with animals", so there would be safety concerns. I`ve not encountered any in the year I`ve used it, but I certainly would have to make sure of that before I tried to sell it. ( it doesn`t get used ON an animal by the way, and I couldn`t see how it could cause any problem the way I intend it to be used. None whatsoever ) But I would really like the manufacturer to be involved in some way as they probably can help in that area greatly.
One of the most interesting questions I`ve seen here in ages!
Hey All,
Believe it or not I haven`t researched what the active ingredient is, I think that`s not a bad idea.CookieMonster, I don`t think there would be any confusing the one product for the other. It might be that a purchaser might figure it out if they already use the other product, maybe not. I`m sure someone at some point would. I really wish I could just bring the idea to the manufacturer and have them give me thier blessings because I`m buying their product to "make mine", and if I sell more they sell more. If it were only that easy. Does anyone know how to approach a company with this sort of thing? I can`t figure out any way that I can tell them my idea without opening myself to them saying not interested and then using the idea. At this point I`m not looking to get rich off this idea, if I could sell it on E-bay and make a few extra grand a month I`d be thrilled. If the idea caught on maybe I could then approach one of the bigger companies that work in this area and ask if they`d like to work with me. I don`t know, it`s so confusing. What I don`t want to have to do is spend thousands of dollars to find out that it was obvious that I couldn`t do it in the first place. ( don`t want to research if it`s legal to run a stop sign ! )
Thanks all !
Ken
now packaged) is probably not sold at pet stores. I`m just
assuming from what has been revealed so far about this mysterious new
old product. I can`t wait to find out what it is.