Ask HN: Strategies for whitelabel products

[julianpye]

So we have built a HW/SW product (basically a different take on the Amazon Dashbutton). Our system can easily create whitelabel and custom builds. We have vendor relationships in China.

Some companies now want to trial it, but we run into the typical stuff: threats that they will build it themselves, far too early requests for exclusivity, etc...

We want to keep the collaboration signup process as simple as possible and create incentives to stay with us.

What are some experiences/tips/caveats any of you made for such products?

[mc_hammer]

just be strong and deny their requests, and tell them thats a bad way to make partners by pressuring.

to be honest the market for your company a chinese mfr are different anyway. you cant really care if they copy it, you are the innovator, you are the designer, you are the future of the product.

[julianpye → mc_hammer]

Thank you for the tips. You're right, we can't stop anyone from copying it and tell them they are free to try to do so. We are thinking of positioning the product for the initial cooperation as a market research tool rather than a product license. So they get data and insight rather than technology.