How do I start manufacturing my own toy or game ideas with a factory in China? That’s the million-dollar question everyone wants the answer to.

Finding the right factory doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. But there are very specific steps you should follow on this journey. It’s a journey that you should document in as much detail as you can in an Excel file.  

Let’s start with Alibaba.com. It’s the most commonly used marketplace and it can be a resource to find a factory. Oftentimes people think it’s just a website to find wholesale, open-market goods from overseas but it’s much more than that.

Yes, toy people, at first glance, Alibaba.com can be overwhelming. It’s the unguarded google of factories so there’s the good, the bad, and the ugly. But it’s possible to walk step by step through this online portal into the China market. You’ll have to navigate the pricing, quality, and legitimacy of factories. You can do that by setting up filters within Alibaba.com. You will also have to learn the best way to protect your ideas overseas. Hint: it’s not an NDA. You’ll need an NNN instead, which is the Chinese equivalent of the non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The NNN agreement will help protect your confidentiality when working with manufacturers directly in China. NNN agreements include non-disclosure, non-circumvention, and non-use clauses.

Using a mock plush electronic product as an example, here are just a few things you need to keep in mind:

• Identify and track the first steps in the factory search

• Utilize Alibaba’s messaging system to safely contact factories

• Use full turnaround drawings complete with measurements and details of the character

• Share specs for electronic components and a BOM (bill of materials) with factories

• Look at the MLQ of the factory (minimum order quantity)

• Evaluate factory costs and retail costs 

• Pitch yourself as a business opportunity to the factory

• Request catalogs from factories

• Request open-market samples from factories

Yep, that’s why you need to track your detailed findings in an Excel file. 

Do you want to learn more about finding a factory TO DEVELOP YOUR TOY IDEA?

Check out these episodes from the Making It in the Toy Industry podcast featuring step-by-step, actionable advice.