I’m in the early stages of building a consumer product called STOW and would really appreciate advice from people who have validated a product before manufacturing.
The idea is a durable stainless steel lunchbox designed for adults, inspired by brands like Yeti and Stanley — essentially “the last lunchbox you’ll ever buy.”
The problem I’m trying to solve:
Most lunchboxes today seem to fail in the same ways:
plastic stains or smells after a while seals stop working hinges break they’re difficult to fully clean
My concept is a dishwasher-safe, leak-resistant stainless steel lunchbox designed to last years instead of months.
Where I am right now:
Initial product concept and design mockups Manufacturing partner identified (they quoted ~$500 for the first prototype) Website live with early access signup Social media accounts launched Currently running a questionnaire to understand lunch habits
My biggest challenge right now is proving traction before investing heavily in manufacturing.
If you were in my position, how would you validate demand?
Some things I’m considering:
Questionnaire responses Early access email signups Pre-orders or waitlist Content around the build journey
For those who have launched physical products:
What traction signals would make you confident enough to move forward with production?
submitted by /u/sleeou
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