Okay. I can't help it, and the educator in me is screaming to come out. (Maybe I actually *do* missing teaching???)

So, aside from the obvious (PLAGIARISM?!) here is a little thread on where B*Simone went wrong and where you don't have to when you're launching a product:

1. Market research. The most important step and it's clear sis didn't do any. Research tells you what kind of content is successful with your audience, what kind of pricing you should aim for. It will also show the kind of quality your customer expects at a certain price.

No one is selling a self-help hardcover text for $35 right now, much less a paperback workbook. Chani Nicolas's incredible book retails for about $25 and is 288 pages of content.

I know this from being a book consumer, but also from a quick search on Barnes and Noble.

2. Product development. This is in two parts for a book - content and product materials.

As for content, (LOL GIRL WHAT) what *ORIGINAL* content can you create that will be new(ish) and compelling for your reader? What's your unique take? Is it too similar to existing content?

And as for materials, consider the experience of the book. What is the cover made of? Matte or glossy? What stock are the interior pages? Are they substantial enough? Do they feel good to turn, to write on? How will your customers experience the book, live with it?

When I was producing greeting cards, I spent a lot of time honing in on the right paper stock and envelope quality. I had to charge a premium price an indie producer, so the materials needed to give my customers a good experience and make them feel like the purchase was worth it.

3. Prototyping. LOLOLOLOL sis did not do this or do it properly. You need to get a for-real for-real sample of your product so you can experience it and make sure it's doing what you want it to do. Give a few to friends and family who will provide brutally honest feedback.

In apparel, we do wear tests to make sure the clothes are comfy to move around in, care tests to make sure things wash without shrinking or bleeding color. When I do POD, I order items for myself first before making them public. It's a BAD idea to send a out product sight unseen.

4. Inventory and shipping. THESE ARE HARD TO MANAGE. Companies have entire departments dedicated to these. When I did cards, I had to find a magical number for inventory so I wouldn't be overwhelmed with shipments, but also not be on the hook for tons of product that didn't move.

Shipping needs a process that's streamlined and quick as possible. People want their products almost as soon as they order them. Because I was one-woman operation, I had a disclaimer on my shop saying "Please allow X days/weeks for shipping." You need to test this process too.

5. The ordering process. I didn't see anything about this with the story in question, but you have to test your selling platform to make sure it's seamless as possible for your customer. I do my own dummy transactions, or I'll ask hubby to do one and tell me how the process went.

This is just *brief* summary of things that need to be considered when doing a product offering and launch. This is not a quick process. It's not a bad thing that products take time to come to market. Things need to be tested, kinks need to be worked out.

I've gotten a not-small number of surface design or packaging commission requests from people who want to launch their product "within two weeks." This is a HUGE red flag for me as a commercial artist. Proper product development definitely takes longer than two weeks.

Anyway, launching a good product is not impossible, not necessarily even difficult. But you DO need to invest time and research to create something compelling and that won't have people hounding you for refunds. Take your time. A sustainable business is better than a quick one.

I forgot a thing! ASK THE ADVICE OF SOMEONE WHO DID THE THING BEFORE!

99% of ventures will not be groundbreaking and that's FINE. That's actually amazing, it means there's someone who's done it before and you can learn from. Ask directly or search for interviews or blogs.