The User’s Guide to Online Inventing: Navigating Quirky, Edison Nation, and Invention Websites

by Eric J Gibbons, Matthew Murrie, Stacey Ritchie

Our society values good inventions by buying them or investing in the people and companies that make them. If you are reading this book it is likely that you have had a few ideas brewing and are wondering what the next step might be. We hope to share with you one option, inventing online.The main benefit to online inventing is the savings. Because these companies do all the work for you, they will keep the largest share, but your earnings will be significant, from 30% to 50%. Getting a patent, trademark, and copyright can be expensive, involve lawyers, time, and is essentially a full time job. Most people simply do not have that kind of time or collateral to invest in their idea properly. There are provisional patents that are inexpensive, but offer little long term protection and expire in one year. Then consider the production of an original working prototype. Even if all goes well, only about 3% of patents make it to market according to the US patent office.The authors of this book have experience inventing and using the online sites discussed here. Though our focus is on examining Quirky.com and Edison Nation, much of what is contained will apply to any reputable online invention submission site. We hope to help you navigate this complex world with tools to become a success.Authored by Eric Gibbons, Carla Leming, Matthew Murrie, Stacey Ritchie, Pete Wolf

100 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2012