Choosing a product for your private label is the first obstacle you have to face.

The raw act of hashing out and finally choosing your item will set the course of your business.

For many starting out and wanting to throw their hat into the ring imports and ecommerce, this is a very BIG QUESTION.

Some say the hardest part is selecting your product.

Especially as you’re starting out, you feel in your mind, whether it’s true or not, that there’s less flexibility.

Your mind is telling you that you have to choose exactly right. To an extent that’s true.

In the last post, I encouraged to spend a very serious amount of time on choosing the initial product.

But at the same time, don’t over think it.

Because, unless you’re trying to shoot a very precise arrow from your quiver, the possibilities are that over time, you build a brand and build product lines.

Each choice doesn’t have to be do or die.

In choosing a product, decide if you’re going specific or broad

When I say specific, I mean if you’re only going to focus on 1 item and trying to make the best of that item.

For example if you’re making a line of wrist watches, aside from the packaging, your focus should be more precise.

In going broad, I’m talking about building a product line based more so off of themes or material.

For example, different references of glassware.

Or holiday items.

But if your desire is a broader net, from the beginning, you’ll still need to operate with a bit of precision.

You may have resource or time limitations.

The end goal may be a holiday line of 20 items.

But if you start out with 3 or 4 references, you want to start out with the best 3 or 4 possible in order to have a good start and build momentum.

Consider your own likes, dislikes and know-how when it comes to choosing a product

If you know nothing about footwear and have zero interest in footwear, you may want to stay way from shoes.

But, if you have a background in carpentry and love woodwork…there you go. You may want to consider that route.

Lean towards what you know and where your experience or strengths lie.

But keep in mind when choosing…

You got to keep in mind, as you’re growing a brand, that it’s not all about you.

Certainly consider yourself, likes and abilities.

But also consider that you’re putting something out for a MARKET.

For a slice of the public.

This slice of the public and you may have many similarities but you won’t be 100% sympatico in all areas.

Not everything I sell, I personally like.

But everything I sell, I believe has value to its market and fits the theme of the brand and product line.

Some items we ended up choosing I didn’t like at all.

But when I saw them selling, I started to like them.

Go figure… I saw it wasn’t necessarily about me but what fits the overall picture.

Have help when selecting your product.

Get with someone who knows items.

Ask people you know who are shoppers in that area.

Check with folks who have taste and better yet, better taste than you do.

Getting their feedback helps on perspectives and glimpses of public thought.

This is #2 of a slew of posts I’m putting out on this product choosing process.

Stay tuned…