Months ago, we found a way to have an inventory light approach to create our SercaCases for more phone models. We bought material for 300 phones, but took delivery of less than 150. The rest gave us a credit to use that same material, but for different phone models (not iPhone 13 or 14s). This idea worked brilliantly until suddenly, the manufacturer stopped responding to my texts. This was after we had invested months of work and thousands of dollars on prototypes and molds getting the design just right and getting the infrastructure necessary to produce cases at scale.
After panicking for a week or so when it became apparent I was getting ghosted, I decided to try a different approach. The manufacturer has become frustrated with me, but he may be willing to work with whom he considered to be a fresh face. I got on my moms phone and sent a text. With the new number, I listened to his concerns (“we are wholesale, and you ask us for 2 cases at a time like we are retail”). I then negotiated a compromise that he approved. I looked for the most demanded models, and ordered a few dozens cases of each. I then added an extra $2 surcharge per case to entice the manufacturer, who was not earning additional money since we had prepaid for all the cases. He agreed, and we’re back in business!
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