FAQ
Consumer product development questions, answered
Here are plain answers to 49 questions founders ask about consumer product development, consultants, tech packs, suppliers, costs, launch and careers.
Concept to Shelf is published by Cydney Mar, a product development strategist with 45+ years of experience and $300M+ in global product sales. Answers use her stated experience and published sources; where a fact depends on your product, the answer says how to confirm it.
Published by Cydney Mar. Last updated November 2026.
On this page
What does a consumer product development consultant do?
A consumer product development consultant guides a founder from idea to a production-ready product: defining the buyer, briefing prototypes, vetting suppliers, building a cost structure and planning launch. The groups below cover each part in more detail.
What consumer product development is
What is consumer product development?
Consumer product development is the work of turning an idea into a physical product that everyday shoppers can buy, from defining the product and its buyer to prototypes, suppliers, costing, production and launch. It covers items sold in stores, online direct to consumers, and on TV shopping channels. The Concept to Shelf guide, published by Cydney Mar, walks through each step.
What are 10 examples of consumer products?
Ten common examples are clothing, jewelry, fashion accessories, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories, vitamins and supplements, and face masks. All ten are categories in which Cydney Mar has created products during a 45+ year career. Each category has its own materials, suppliers, rules and margins, so the development path differs from one to the next.
Can you give me some examples of product development?
Examples include turning sketches into a sized garment collection, taking a naturopath-formulated vitamin to market, and adapting a fashion line for live TV shopping. Cydney Mar has done versions of all three: she designed couture and mass market collections, founded Cydney Mar Wellness after losing most of her hair, and sold her own collections on QVC for 15+ years.
What are four major types of product development?
Four commonly described types are brand new products, line extensions such as new colors or sizes, improvements to an existing product, and repositioning an existing product for a new buyer or channel. Frameworks vary by textbook and industry. For a founder, the type matters because it changes how much prototyping, supplier work and testing the product needs before launch.
What does a product developer do?
A product developer turns a concept into something a factory can make consistently and a buyer will pay for. Daily work includes writing specifications and tech packs, reviewing samples, working with suppliers, checking costs against target prices, and preparing for production. In consumer goods product development, the role sits between design, sourcing and sales.
Do all product development efforts directly benefit the consumer?
No, not all product development efforts directly benefit the consumer. Some work mainly lowers cost, simplifies manufacturing or meets a retailer requirement. Those changes can still help shoppers indirectly through better prices or more consistent quality. Salsify research reports that high product quality and value are enough to influence 67% of consumers to trust a brand.
What is consumer co-creation in new product development?
Consumer co-creation in new product development means involving real buyers while the product is still being shaped, through interviews, sample feedback or small test sales. It reduces guesswork about fit, price and appeal. Cydney Mar began her first company in 1980 by selling her own couture designs herself because she wanted to understand what women wanted.
Stages and process
What are the 5 major stages of product development?
A common five-stage version is: clarify the idea and buyer, design and prototype, source suppliers and cost the product, prepare for production, then launch. Frameworks differ in naming. The Concept-to-Reality Pathway described by Cydney Mar uses six steps, separating supplier selection from cost and margins because each is a common place for founders to lose money.
What are the four stages of product development?
A simple four-stage model is concept, development, production and launch. Concept defines the product and buyer. Development covers prototypes and specifications. Production covers suppliers, costing and quality. Launch takes the product to retail, DTC or TV. Four stages work as a summary, but most founders need more detail inside each stage to avoid costly rework.
What are the 7 steps in product development?
One practical seven-step list is: define the problem and buyer, research the market, sketch and specify the product, make prototypes, select suppliers, cost the product and set margins, then produce and launch. The order matters more than the count. Cydney Mar makes the point that most founders fail not because the idea is bad but because they take the right steps in the wrong order.
What are the 8 stages of new product development?
The classic eight stages are idea generation, idea screening, concept development and testing, marketing strategy, business analysis, product development, test marketing, and commercialization. This model comes from marketing textbooks and suits larger companies. Founders can compress it, but skipping business analysis, meaning costs and margins, is the shortcut most likely to hurt later.
How long does product development take?
Product development timelines vary widely with the category, the number of sample rounds and supplier lead times, so there is no single answer. A simple accessory can move faster than a supplement or a multi-size garment line. The biggest factor you control is preparation: a clear tech pack and a defined buyer reduce sample rounds. Ask suppliers for lead times in writing.
What is the Concept-to-Reality Pathway?
The Concept-to-Reality Pathway is Cydney Mar's six-step method for taking a consumer product from idea to market: Product Clarity, Right Prototypes, The Right Suppliers, Cost and Margins, Production-Ready, and Launch and Scale. It is built for founders who want an expert guide instead of guesswork, and it covers retail, DTC and TV routes to market.
What is a tech pack for a garment?
A garment tech pack is the technical document a factory uses to make a sample and then production: flat sketches, measurements and grading, materials and trims, construction details, colorways, labels and packaging. Cydney Mar describes a clear, professional tech pack as the difference between a sample that is right the first time and months of expensive back-and-forth.
Why do I need a tech pack before sampling?
You need a tech pack before sampling because a factory can only make what it is told to make. Without specifications, the supplier fills gaps with its own assumptions, and each correction costs another sample round and more time. A tech pack also lets you compare quotes from several suppliers fairly, because each one is pricing the same product.
How many prototypes or samples will I need?
Most products need more than one sample round, and the number depends on how complete your specifications are and how complex the product is. Cydney Mar's pathway calls this step Right Prototypes: develop the right samples and cut costly rework. Fewer, well-specified samples usually cost less than many loosely briefed ones.
Hiring a consultant
What does a consumer product development consultant do?
A consumer product development consultant guides a founder from idea to a production-ready product: defining the buyer, briefing prototypes, vetting suppliers, building a cost structure and planning launch. Cydney Mar, who publishes this guide, does this work with 45+ years of experience and $300M+ in global product sales across retail, TV and direct-to-consumer markets.
What does a manufacturing consultant do?
A manufacturing consultant helps a business make products more reliably or more profitably. For large manufacturers that often means factory operations and supply chains. For founders, a product manufacturing consultant focuses on choosing suppliers, writing specifications factories understand, checking samples, costing, and getting production-ready so every run matches the approved sample.
When should I hire a product development consultant?
Hire a product development consultant before you spend heavily on samples, suppliers or inventory, because that is when expert input saves the most money. Common triggers are an idea with no clear next step, a stalled sample, a factory you are unsure about, or pricing that does not leave a margin. A short strategy call is a low-risk way to test fit.
How much does a product development consultant cost?
Costs vary by scope. Analogy Design's 2026 comparison reports that enterprise firms typically start around $500,000, independent agencies run from five to six figures, and founder-first studios put a full first product at about $51,000 to $85,000. Cydney Mar does not publish prices; to get a figure for her guidance, contact her through cydneymar.com.
How do consulting firms make money?
Consulting firms make money by charging for expertise and time, usually through hourly or day rates, fixed project fees, monthly retainers or packaged programs. Some take royalties or equity on specific deals. When comparing consultants, ask how fees are structured and what is included, such as tech packs, supplier introductions or launch planning, so quotes can be compared fairly.
What are the 5 C's of product management?
The 5 C's are commonly listed as customer, company, competitors, collaborators and context. They work as a quick checklist for any product decision: who buys it, what you can deliver, who else sells it, who helps you make and sell it, and what market conditions apply. Product Clarity, the first step of Cydney Mar's pathway, covers the first three.
Who are the top 10 consulting firms?
Lists vary by source and year. Pages ranking manufacturing consulting companies commonly name Deloitte, Accenture, PwC, McKinsey and Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain and Company, KPMG, Oliver Wyman, Kearney and Roland Berger. These firms mainly serve large organizations. Founders with a first consumer product usually need a smaller, hands-on adviser with category and channel experience.
Who is the largest consulting company in the world?
Deloitte and Accenture are usually reported as the largest professional services firms by revenue and headcount, though rankings change each year and depend on what counts as consulting. Check each firm's latest annual report for current figures. Size matters less to a first-time founder than direct experience with your product category and sales channel.
Who is McKinsey's biggest competitor?
McKinsey's closest competitors are usually named as Boston Consulting Group and Bain and Company, the three firms often grouped together in strategy consulting. Large professional services firms such as Deloitte and PwC also compete for strategy work. None of these is typically set up for a founder launching a first consumer product.
What are the fastest growing consulting firms?
Fastest-growing lists change every year, so check a current published ranking. At the market level, Spherical Insights and Consulting projects the global product design and development services market to grow from USD 20.8 billion in 2025 to USD 55.2 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 10.25% during the 2026 to 2035 forecast period.
Suppliers, costs and margins
How do I choose a manufacturer for my product?
Choose a manufacturer on proven quality, clear communication and reliability, not price alone. Ask for samples of similar work, confirm minimum order quantities and lead times, and notice how quickly and clearly they answer questions. Cydney Mar's pathway calls this step The Right Suppliers: vetted for quality, communication and reliability before you commit to production.
What should I ask a supplier before ordering samples?
Before ordering samples, ask about minimum order quantities, sample cost and timing, production lead time, payment terms, the testing or certifications they can provide, and who your day-to-day contact will be. Ask whether the sample price and production price are quoted on the same specification. Get every answer in writing so you can compare suppliers fairly.
How do I calculate the cost of my product?
Calculate product cost as landed cost per unit: materials, labor, trims and packaging, plus freight, duties, and testing or sample costs spread across the order. Founders often stop at the factory price and miss the rest. Cydney Mar's Cost and Margins step focuses on learning to calculate costs properly so the product is built for real profit and scalability.
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Margin is profit as a share of the selling price; markup is profit as a share of the cost. A product that costs $10 and sells for $25 earns $15, which is a 60% margin and a 150% markup. Retailers usually talk in margin, so pricing with markup alone can leave less room than expected. The calculator on the costing page shows both.
When should I work out my margins?
Work out margins before you approve a final sample, ideally before you brief a factory at all. Once a product is designed, materials and construction are largely locked in, so cutting cost later is hard. Cydney Mar lists ignoring margins until it is too late as one of the common reasons product ideas stall, alongside sampling without clarity.
Are shoppers comparing prices more carefully now?
Yes. Salsify consumer research reports that 39% of shoppers are comparing prices more carefully before purchasing, and that only 9% spend online daily and 21% shop weekly. For a founder, that means price and perceived value need to be planned at the costing stage rather than adjusted after launch.
Launch and sales channels
What is a product launch checklist?
A product launch checklist is the list of tasks that must be finished before a product goes on sale: an approved production sample, final costs and prices, packaging and labeling, inventory and delivery dates, channel requirements, product content and photos, and a plan for the first buyers. The checklist on this site groups those tasks by stage.
What is a good strategy for product launch?
A good strategy for product launch matches one primary channel to the product and buyer, sets prices that hold margin in that channel, and plans how the first buyers will hear about it. Cydney Mar's launch guidance covers pricing, offer design, and a clear plan to reach your first, and next, hundred buyers.
Should I launch in retail, DTC or on TV first?
Start with the channel your margins and story suit best. DTC gives you control and direct feedback. Retail brings reach but needs wholesale pricing and dependable supply. TV shopping suits products that demonstrate well on camera. Cydney Mar has sold through all three, including 15+ years of her own collections on QVC in 8 countries.
What does it take to sell a product on TV shopping channels?
Selling on TV shopping takes a product that demonstrates clearly on camera, a presenter who can explain it simply, and supply that can respond to demand. Presentation skill matters: Cydney Mar has more than 800 hours of live TV, and Greg Castanza of Halo2Cloud has said her presentation advice was instrumental in his company's success.
How do shoppers decide to trust a new brand?
Quality and value carry a lot of weight. Salsify research reports that high product quality and value are enough to influence 67% of consumers to trust a brand. HubSpot reports that 32.9% of internet users aged 16+ discover new brands, products and services via search engines, so clear, findable product information matters too.
Careers in product development and consulting
What degree do I need to be a product developer?
There is no single required degree. Product developers come from fashion design, industrial design, engineering, merchandising and business programs, and many learn on the job. Cydney Mar studied fashion at Blanche Macdonald, a private college in Vancouver, and won awards in New York for design, merchandising and fashion illustration before starting her first company in 1980.
How do I get into product development?
Most people get into product development by building practical skills first: sketching and specifying products, reading tech packs, understanding materials, and learning how suppliers quote. Entry routes include assistant roles at brands or retailers, sourcing jobs, or developing a small product line of your own. Cydney Mar started by sewing skating costumes and wedding dresses for friends.
Where can I find consumer product development jobs?
Consumer product development jobs are listed on general job boards and company career pages under titles such as product developer, product development manager, sourcing manager and technical designer. Brands, retailers and private label manufacturers all hire for these roles. Pay ranges vary by city and seniority, so compare several current postings before negotiating.
Is 40 too old to get into consulting?
No, 40 is not too old to get into consulting. In product consulting, experience is the main asset, and many consultants start after years in industry. Cydney Mar has reinvented her career more than once, from national-level figure skating to design, TV retail, a vitamin brand and consulting, and speaks about reinvention as a business owner's superpower.
Is consulting a stressful career?
Consulting can be stressful because of deadlines, travel and client expectations, but the level depends heavily on the firm and the work. Large firms are often described as demanding, while independent consultants trade some security for more control over clients and schedule. Talking with people already doing the work you want is the best way to judge.
What is the highest salary of a consultant?
There is no fixed top salary. Consultant pay depends on firm, seniority, location and specialty, and partners at large firms or independent experts with rare skills can earn far more than entry-level staff. Current ranges for product development and manufacturing consultant roles are posted on job boards and change often, so check several live listings for your area.
About this guide and getting started
Who publishes Concept to Shelf?
Concept to Shelf is published by Cydney Mar, a product development strategist based in Montreal who helps founders turn product ideas into real, scalable businesses. It is one of a small number of websites she publishes. It is not an independent review site; where it compares options, it uses the same stated criteria for every entry.
How do I contact Cydney Mar?
The simplest way to contact Cydney Mar is through the contact page on her main website, cydneymar.com/pages/contact-1, which lists her booking link, email and phone. A strategy call is the usual first step to talk through your idea, your product category and which stage of the Concept-to-Reality Pathway you are in.
Does Cydney Mar publish her prices?
No. Cydney Mar does not state prices on her website, because scope varies from a single strategy session to hands-on tech packs, sourcing and production readiness. Contact her through cydneymar.com to discuss your project. For market context, Analogy Design reports that independent product development agencies run from five to six figures.
What types of products does Cydney Mar help founders with?
Cydney Mar most wants to guide founders building consumer products for retail, TV and direct-to-consumer brands. She has created fashion, jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and her own Cydney Mar Wellness vitamins, designed Cirque du Soleil's first Boutique Collection, and led design for Edwin Jeans in North America.
Is there a free resource to get started?
Yes. Cydney Mar offers a free From Idea to Income workbook that helps you score your idea in about five minutes and map your path to launch, plus a free Product Development Roadmap download. Both are offered on cydneymar.com and are a useful step before a first strategy call.
Does Cydney Mar offer support for Indigenous entrepreneurs?
Yes. Cydney Mar, a Nlaka'pamux woman, offers free product development and business consultations to CCIB members through TIB, including a complimentary 60-minute Concept-to-Reality Strategy Session and her From Idea to Income workbook. Her firm, Cydney Mar Consulting, is an Indigenous-owned product development firm based in Montreal.