To sell it or keep it?
Discussion
I have been developing a product for a few years now in quiter moments. Shortly it is due for field trials. It is basicialy a diagnostic tool which can be embedded in software and sold on a 'use-once' basis on the net or on a lap top.
I have a number of options once it is complete:
Sell it myself. I would need some high end IT to enable people to download it and purchase it, which is not my area of experience. Potentially sales in the tens of thousands over a number of years. Don't realy want the risk or hassel.
Licence it to a publisher I already do work with. Let them do the selling and take a 15% share of gross sales.
Sell it to the publisher, or a number of publishers and run away with the cash.
A mix of all 3, keeping the right to sell it myself to certain customers who would want a bulk deal, sell via the publisher for bespoke use and then sell it compl;etely when the product is well known and has put on some value.
Anybody any experience in either 3 options?
I have a number of options once it is complete:
Sell it myself. I would need some high end IT to enable people to download it and purchase it, which is not my area of experience. Potentially sales in the tens of thousands over a number of years. Don't realy want the risk or hassel.
Licence it to a publisher I already do work with. Let them do the selling and take a 15% share of gross sales.
Sell it to the publisher, or a number of publishers and run away with the cash.
A mix of all 3, keeping the right to sell it myself to certain customers who would want a bulk deal, sell via the publisher for bespoke use and then sell it compl;etely when the product is well known and has put on some value.
Anybody any experience in either 3 options?
leftie said:
Sell it myself. I would need some high end IT to enable people to download it and purchase it, which is not my area of experience. Potentially sales in the tens of thousands over a number of years. Don't realy want the risk or hassel.
That seems the best route to me, are we talking a massive download? Does it connect to any server side databases? Does it need to be supported?
You could sell the "rights to market the product" to a publisher, agree a minimum sales level, or retainer, and then take royalties on whatever is sold. Agree that some of the royalties will be invested into the next generation of product. This way you:
1. Get a lump sum up front.
2. You never lose ownership of the IPR.
3. The publisher is committed to sales & marketing - otherwise they'll make a loss.
1. Get a lump sum up front.
2. You never lose ownership of the IPR.
3. The publisher is committed to sales & marketing - otherwise they'll make a loss.
Whatever you do retain the IPR.
If you already have a relationship with a publisher they are the ideal people with whom to explore a deal.
We have both sold our own (domestic!) software on the net (via download) and also done a (non-exclusive) deal with a publisher. Gearing up to sell downloadable software is very straightforward - if you are capable of writing a product worth selling I can guarantee you that you are more than capable to setting up the "shop", website etc. The problem is *marketing* you downloadable product.
The publisher should (will) be good at marketing. But you only get a percentage. Personally I've taken the view that 15% of a very big pie is a hell of a lot better than 100% of nothing at all...
If you already have a relationship with a publisher they are the ideal people with whom to explore a deal.
We have both sold our own (domestic!) software on the net (via download) and also done a (non-exclusive) deal with a publisher. Gearing up to sell downloadable software is very straightforward - if you are capable of writing a product worth selling I can guarantee you that you are more than capable to setting up the "shop", website etc. The problem is *marketing* you downloadable product.
The publisher should (will) be good at marketing. But you only get a percentage. Personally I've taken the view that 15% of a very big pie is a hell of a lot better than 100% of nothing at all...
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