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Permalink Reply by Brady on November 2, 2008 at 6:09pm

We use the standard dome lid (Dixie?) that can be purchased at Sam's Club or Costco. I like this approach because it is a decent lid, we don't have to pay shipping, we never worry about lead time, extra vendors, etc. Also it is very cost effective, which is nice for something that has so little impact on the overall customer experience.

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Permalink Reply by Claire Robinson on November 2, 2008 at 6:17pm

I appreciate the info.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Swenson on November 2, 2008 at 8:48pm

dixie, solo, dopaco, karat, sweetheart, insulair...

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Permalink Reply by Claire Robinson on November 6, 2008 at 5:01pm

Wow! That's great that you've found a cost efficient source for your lids, I respectfully disagree that the lid has little to do with the enjoyment of your products overall or in part, yet commend you for saving time and cost for yourself.

My products prospectively will be distributed to large wholesale outlets such as the one's you currently use, I hope you can be inspired to try new and evolved products that may enhance your customers experience.

Sincerely,

Claire Robinson

Brady said:

We use the standard dome lid (Dixie?) that can be purchased at Sam's Club or Costco. I like this approach because it is a decent lid, we don't have to pay shipping, we never worry about lead time, extra vendors, etc. Also it is very cost effective, which is nice for something that has so little impact on the overall customer experience.

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Permalink Reply by Brady on November 6, 2008 at 8:05pm

Hi Claire,

First, I don't mean to sound cold, callous, or unreceptive to trying your idea. It sounds like a clever approach to solve a problem. All I meant to express was a philosophy that I think you'll find very common among shop owners - identify the elements that are critical to the experience of your customer and spend your money there. To survive, we all have to save money where we can. If I make a list of things that I think are really going to keep my customer coming back to our shop, I know what is on top of that list and what is not. The stuff at the top needs to be great, the rest just needs to work. I'm happy to try new stuff, but not happy to pay more than absolutely necessary. We need that money for great beans!

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Permalink Reply by Claire Robinson on November 6, 2008 at 8:47pm

Thank you for making me more aware of how a business owner would approach my idea. I feel that one strong selling point for my lid is that it is a simple, practical and aesthetically pleasing improvement that involves only a low cost of changing the dye cut on lids! The multi-purpose lid will improve the overall coffee and tea consumer satisfaction at a low cost!


Brady said:

Hi Claire,

First, I don't mean to sound cold, callous, or unreceptive to trying your idea. It sounds like a clever approach to solve a problem. All I meant to express was a philosophy that I think you'll find very common among shop owners - identify the elements that are critical to the experience of your customer and spend your money there. To survive, we all have to save money where we can. If I make a list of things that I think are really going to keep my customer coming back to our shop, I know what is on top of that list and what is not. The stuff at the top needs to be great, the rest just needs to work. I'm happy to try new stuff, but not happy to pay more than absolutely necessary. We need that money for great beans!

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Permalink Reply by Brady on November 7, 2008 at 3:18pm

You're welcome. I spent several years as a design engineer and project manager for some consumer products manufacturers prior to coming in to coffee. One thing that has always struck me is how little consideration some inventors (or large multinational companies, for that matter) give to how likely the target customer is to actually buy a new product before pouring life savings and years of effort into it. I've seen millions wasted on poorly targeted products. There are too many great ideas that don't make it simply because the customer isn't willing to pay for improvement over the current standard.

Glad to hear that your product at least can be made as an add-on or modification to existing tooling. That should theoretically keep manufacturing costs in the right ballpark. If you can translate that to a cost for your product that is comparable AND can hook up with a good distributor, you may have something.

By the way, though we currently buy from Sams and Costco, we have in the past purchased cups and lids from Dade Paper and Reliable Paper. We also buy lots of stuff from Everything Coffee and Tea. Perhaps generating interest in a distributor might be a good idea... just thinking out loud here.

Again, best of luck.

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Parsons on November 7, 2008 at 8:11pm

Hey Claire, my only hesitation with this product is that most teas really shouldn't steep more that three minutes. Could be a product quality concern.

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Permalink Reply by Claire Robinson on November 9, 2008 at 8:40pm

Thank you for your response, I appreciate all feedback as my product emerges. The great asset to consumers that use the product is that it offers "selection" and allows the consumer to choose exactly the strength of steep in their beverage. This product puts convenience and diversity of flavor into each cup of tea. Some of my greatest experiences have been enjoying tea through several methods and environments such as tea gardens, tea picking, tea frying, folk tea houses, various tea ceremonies and tea tastings in China. All of the above have had a significant influence on my product development. Allowing the consumer to have control over quality is a valued ethic in my proposals. Maintaining a cost efficient agenda without sacrificing quality and in fact evolving is necessary to make a win win association between consumer and business.

Claire Robinson

Brendon Parsons said:

Hey Claire, my only hesitation with this product is that most teas really shouldn't steep more that three minutes. Could be a product quality concern.

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