[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.19.12″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”||0px” custom_margin=”||-3px” _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.12″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″]<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n The opinions expressed here represent my own personal views and not those of my company Binkley Toys Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ve received calls for years from clients who have paid for services from invention help-type companies and now they are just trying to find a manufacturer.\u00a0 It frustrates me because the information the inventor is given sounds good, but there are some holes in the logic, and the cost of the invention resource services is very high, in my opinion.\u00a0 Those people are getting ripped off.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”13px|0px|13px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″]<\/p>\n My conversation with them will include the details of what they have in their hands which is a generic report and a patent pending file number.<\/p>\n That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n Expensive<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The cost ranges from $10,000 to $20,000.\u00a0 I have received the reports they were given and they were all the same.\u00a0 The first page was different because it had a bad sketch of their idea.\u00a0 The rest of the report was just poor information and some of it was factually wrong.<\/p>\n Useless Reports<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The reports I received indicated that the toys should comply with the standards set forth by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association).\u00a0 Being in the toy industry, you’d think I would know all about the JPMA.\u00a0 I don\u2019t. I went to the JPMA website, found contact information and called them.\u00a0 I asked if they certify toys.\u00a0 The response was \u201cNo\u201d they do not.<\/p>\n Their website shows that they deal with:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Inventor-help_warning-6.jpg” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ text_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”-1px|-1px|-1px|-1px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″]<\/p>\n ( [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”3.21.1″]<\/p>\n (<\/strong>list is copyright \u00a92010 JPMA)<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”13px|0px|13px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Inventor-help_warning-9.jpg” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″]<\/p>\n In my opinion, stating that the toys should comply with JPMA standards is not only inaccurate but also could cost you a lot of money and time.\u00a0 Not warning a client that the toys must comply with CPSIA safety standards (USA) or EN71 (Europe) or one of the other standards around the world is negligent and unprofessional.\u00a0 To state that claim means they don\u2019t know much about the toy industry, so how can they charge huge fees to be your expert?<\/p>\n The reports had typos, misspellings, and poor grammar.<\/p>\n The reports stated the \u2018markets\u2019 the toy would be suitable for and basically just listed a bunch of sales channels.\u00a0 The sales channels included \u2018Infommercials\u2019 (the average cost of an infomercial is $25,000 \u2013 $250,000 to produce, not including air time) and almost every other sales channel anyone could think of.\u00a0 For a start-up, it would be extremely expensive to start with some of the suggested sales channels.\u00a0 There was no information offered on the benefits or challenges of each sales channel, just that they should use it.\u00a0 Pretty basic information in my opinion and not worth $6,000 \u2013 $18,000.<\/p>\n They listed the \u2018target markets\u2019 which was simply another list of every possible age without any indication of which were better, or how to market to those age groups.\u00a0 For a small business to target \u2018everyone\u2019 means you are not talking to anyone.\u00a0 Unless you have a budget like Pepsi or McDonald’s you want to be very specific about your target market.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″]<\/p>\n Useless Patent Pending<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The Inventor Services push the inventor into getting a \u2018patent\u2019.\u00a0 You cannot patent the look of a toy.\u00a0 I have discussed patents with many lawyers and they must be a very specific and unique mechanical function of a toy, or a specific and unique manufacturing method to make the toy (or part of the toy).\u00a0 For example, a toy patent I\u2019ve come across was concerning a very specific physical method concerning how the stuffing hole on the toy was closed.\u00a0 It was very different and unique, and that one part of the toy (the method in which the stuffing hole was closed) was covered under a patent.<\/p>\n Anyone can get a provisional patent, but within twelve months you need to apply and qualify for a full patent which is very expensive (around $20,000) and you can (and most likely will) be denied a patent.\u00a0 I say ‘most likely’ because the reports I saw show a full toy and you can\u2019t patent the look of a full toy.\u00a0 You would need to patent very specific unique parts of the toy that have never been made before.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not going to spend the 10\u2019s of thousands of dollars for the full patent, and it won\u2019t qualify for one anyway, then why get a provisional patent?<\/p>\n A provisional and full patent is a very good tool for many inventions, but it means nothing for a whole stuffed toy, and the vast majority of my clients would not qualify for a patent, in my opinion.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Questionable Marketing<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n They claim to \u2018market\u2019 your toy idea to potential buyers.\u00a0 For years I received their emails and faxes.\u00a0 I don\u2019t buy people\u2019s ideas.\u00a0 I never have and probably never will.\u00a0 If I\u2019m one of these buyers on their list, it’s definitely not a good one.<\/p>\n The sketches (or virtual prototypes \u2013 which are just computer generated images) I\u2019ve seen on the reports were not very attractive.\u00a0 The proportions were off, and they looked very stiff for toys.\u00a0 I was told that it took many months to complete the virtual prototypes which seemed like a long time.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been working with artists and graphics people for over two decades, and if we ever took over a week to get sketches back to a customer, we\u2019d be out of business by now.<\/p>\n I’ve told you what I would not do.\u00a0 So what would<\/em> I do?<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Inventor-help_warning-7.jpg” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Inventor-help_warning-10.jpg” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″]<\/p>\n What I would pay?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I feel paying for knowledge and expertise is great.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been paying for my yearly business education through marketing groups and toy associations for many years.\u00a0 It advances me ahead of where I was in the past.\u00a0 If I was going to pay to get help with a toy invention, I would expect to pay for the following:<\/p>\n Artwork \u2013<\/strong> sketches, revisions, color sketch, and then color sketch revisions.\u00a0 $400 \u2013 $800 depending on the complexity of the idea.\u00a0 The examples I saw from the inventor resource-type companies were in the $100 or less range.<\/p>\n Provisional Patent \u2013<\/strong> I wouldn\u2019t get one because I wouldn\u2019t qualify for one nor could I afford a full patent.\u00a0 If your product did qualify for a patent, search fees are $120 and about $650 for a full patent.\u00a0 And $125 to $250 for a provisional patent. Lawyer fees to help with the search and details would be above and beyond these fees.\u00a0 You can see all the fees for the US here.<\/a><\/p>\n Copyright \u2013<\/strong> Copyright is immediate and free if witnessed by another person.\u00a0 You can also register a copyright with the US Government for $35 here.\u00a0 In Canada, it’s between $50 \u2013 $65 and can be done online here<\/a>\u00a0for the US and in Canada here<\/a>.\u00a0 For your country just Google “government copyright office ___country___” for details in your country.<\/p>\n Marketing Help \u2013<\/strong> if someone was truly going to present my idea to serious buyers, the fee would need to be huge.\u00a0 I am fairly certain that if someone had those types of contacts, they wouldn\u2019t be offering those services for less than $100,000 (made through a percentage of the product sales) or more.\u00a0 If it was a service that required a flat fee upfront, I just wouldn\u2019t believe I could afford it, if it truly worked.\u00a0 Furthermore, nobody would believe in my product more than me, so the cheapest way for me to market the toy is to do that work myself.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t afford to pay someone else to market it properly.<\/p>\n So for all these services that often cost people $6,000 to $18,000, I myself would gladly pay up to $1,500 for a representation (color sketch) of the toy, a copyright filing in the US and Canada and a provisional patent in the USA (if needed).<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″]<\/p>\n What you can do about this?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I am sure that there are invention help or invention resource companies out there that provide good value.<\/p>\n 1)<\/strong> Please be sure to Google the name of the company you\u2019re looking to work with and type the word \u201cscam\u201d.<\/em>\u00a0 So Google \u201dcompany name scam\u201d or \u201d company name problems\u201d and see what comes up.\u00a0 There are bound to be some complaints you find but that is the same for any company.\u00a0 You just don\u2019t want to find an overwhelming amount.<\/p>\n 2)<\/strong> Check their BBB rating.<\/em>\u00a0 Search the BBB website and look at their rating and how many complaints they have against them.\u00a0 A company should have an A+ or at least an A rating.\u00a0 You can also see why the complaints were filed.\u00a0 Again, it\u2019s not odd for a company to have one or two complaints (they go away after 36 months normally) but having 14 complaints is very serious, in my opinion.<\/p>\n 3)<\/strong> Ask for references.<\/em>\u00a0 You want to speak to a few past clients and hear their story.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure how you could tell if they were fake names, or people paid to tell you positive things, but I\u2019m guessing your gut will be able to tell in my opinion.<\/p>\n I hope this page is helpful and prevents more people from getting ripped off.<\/p>\n Thanks.<\/p>\n Rob Bishop<\/p>\n \n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Inventor-help_warning-8.jpg” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0|false|false” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ module_alignment=”center” global_module=”2767″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_cta title=”Get A Quote” button_url=”\/get-a-quote\/” button_text=”Get A Quote” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ header_font=”|700|||||||” body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” custom_button=”on” button_border_width=”6px” button_border_radius=”12px” button_font=”|600|||||||” box_shadow_style_button=”preset2″ box_shadow_color_button=”#ffffff” link_option_url=”\/get-a-quote\/”]<\/p>\n \u00a0 [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/aa_spacer-half2.png” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_cta title=”Get Started” button_url=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/inventor-services-2\/” button_text=”Get Started” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ header_font=”|700|||||||” body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” background_color=”#e09900″ custom_button=”on” button_border_width=”5px” button_border_radius=”9px” button_font=”|700|||||||” box_shadow_style_button=”preset2″ box_shadow_color_button=”#ffffff” link_option_url=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/inventor-services-2\/”]<\/p>\n Whenever you’re ready [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Main Footer” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ background_color=”rgba(12,113,195,0.88)” background_image=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/a_retail_footer.jpg” background_blend=”multiply” custom_padding=”5.4%||5%||false|false” global_module=”2569″ saved_tabs=”all”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”on” custom_padding=”13px|0px|13px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/custom_plush_Toys_Logo8.png” url=”https:\/\/www.customplushtoys.com\/” _builder_version=”3.21.1″ max_width=”67%”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″ text_font=”||||||||” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#ffffff” link_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||”]<\/p>\n Warning – Inventor Help Companies<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Non-Disclosure Agreement<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Fulfillment – Ship On Demand<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Children’s Books and Packaging<\/span><\/p>\n Guarantee<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″ text_font=”||||||||” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#ffffff” link_font_size=”16px” header_font=”||||||||”]<\/p>\n Case Study 1<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Case Study 2<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Case Study 3<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Case Study 4<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.21.1″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.1″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”||||||||”]<\/p>\n Contact Us<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Free Inventor Pricing Guide<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Free Corporate Giveaway Guide<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Terms and Privacy Policy<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n
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<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nImportant Inventor Links<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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