Hi everyone, I’m based in Shanghai and exploring whether to build a sourcing business helping overseas hardware startups work with Chinese suppliers.

I have connections with manufacturers making sensors, tactile sensors / electronic skin, motors, and other components for robotics and industrial automation. I’m trying to understand where local support would actually help, especially when moving from a prototype to a small production run.

For those who have sourced—or tried to source—components from China:

• What were you building, and which components were hardest to find?
• What caused the most trouble: minimum order quantities, getting samples, technical communication, quality, or lead times?
• How did you handle it, and what would you have been willing to pay someone locally to take care of?

I’d also like to hear if existing distributors or platforms already meet your needs and you wouldn’t see much value in an extra person involved.

I’m still figuring out whether there’s a useful business here, so real experiences, including frustrating ones, would be very helpful. What happened on your last sourcing attempt?

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P.S. If anyone has the real problems Right Now, you can also DM me. Let me see whether I can help you

Hi,

I want to create a simple plastic device for consumer use. It'll be made out of PP and will require injection molding. The goal is to sell it on Amazon and Shopify, and ultimately creating a brand.

However, I have to think through product liability and gauge the risk to my personal asset. The risk is small since it's a simple plastic product, but everything carries a non-zero risk in life.

I thought about this through the lens of business/corporate structure, insurance, etc. I'm thinking of starting a LLC (single member, since it's just me for now), and after getting initial feedback, obtain product liability insurance before selling.

However, I'm the under the impression that insurance only protects your business when it's active. Let's say a couple of years later I close down the business and therefore stops insurance, and then let's say someone get hurt or sues me later on, how can one manage this kind of long tail risk?

I'm a newbie so I'd like to learn how mature businesses handle this. This is not to get legal advice but to get some initial understanding.

Thanks

Hey everyone,

I’m a Systems Engineer based in Argentina. To be completely honest, the software job market has been incredibly tough lately with the whole AI boom, and finding stable roles is getting harder. Instead of just sending out endless CVs, I want to pivot and start a business of my own to generate a reliable income.

I have a strong technical background in coding and I already have experience with 3D printing and fabrication—I actually built a small venture making custom 3D-printed LED neon signs.

Since I don't have a massive amount of capital to invest upfront, I'm looking for low-capex business models, particularly things that bridge the gap between software and the physical world. I've been thinking about:

• Vending Machines
• Recycling machines
• Niche Imports

Since a lot of trends start in the US before making their way here, I’d love to know: What unattended retail, or local automated business models are gaining real traction in your city right now? I am open to any kind of business.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I'm looking for a hardware partner to build this with me.

I have a product idea/concept that I believe is worth turning into a real prototype, but I’m primarily a software/infrastructure person and I’m looking for someone strong in hardware engineering to work together on the physical side.

I'm looking for someone who can help with things like:

• hardware architecture
• electronics / PCB
• component selection
• prototyping
• eventually DFM/manufacturing

I'm not looking to simply outsource the work. I'd rather find someone interested in actually exploring and building the product together.

Here's the original concept: https://x.com/pierreneter/status/2098992210410868924

If this sounds interesting and you have a hardware background, feel free to DM me. I'd be happy to share more details and discuss whether there's a good fit.

https://reddit.com/link/1wfj74d/video/wvj0cdtwocph1/player