Hey Torrey,
I have made my own (and continue to do so to this day) The pros and cons are as follows:
PROS:
1. You control the supply and thus to a degree the demand. Make a product that's a hit and you can make some serious money.
2. Your own product will always lead to what I refer to as "secondary sales". That is, sales that are as a result of you having proven you can make a winning product and thus people are willing to buy affiliate deals from you also.
3. You can actually sell "resale rights". Just beware..this can really become a nightmare. All it takes it one person who decides to alter the product or give it away instead of selling it, or even worse yet who sells it and does not deliver, and your name is on it. Guess who the unhappy customer will call.
4. If the product you make is something you love, then it's less like work and actually makes selling them fun. (I know a guy who makes and sells golf clubs. He sells ooodles of them. He makes them custom. And he makes about 40% on each one. Since he too loves golf each club is literally a labor of love.
CONS:
1. Can be difficult to come up with a winning product. Base it on something you know and love and you will at least be on the right track.
2. At times, albeit "good times", you may find that your orders fall behind because you get more of them than you can make. This can lead to some real hassles especially if the sales were from Ebay. (might lead to neg feedback) Placing ads on Ebay for things you have not made yet with the plan of making them as they are sold might seem like a good idea but...it can really lead to hassles.
3. People, if your product is a hit, WILL steal it. So long as you go into the deal knowing this and expecting it, you won't be disappointed when some other seller is advertising your product with a different name. And DON'T expect Ebay to end up stepping up and protecting your rights.
Overall, the pros outweight the cons in my book. I love making my own Cds and selling them. And they sell well. But just go into it knowing that it's not all roses and trips to the bank.
Great post once again Torrey!
Jim Wilson
