FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about our company & commercial process:

What does Global Inventions do?
Global Inventions is a product sales and marketing company specialising in high-volume, low-technology, innovative consumer products, patented inventions and new technologies. We distribute directly and indirectly in 38 countries via department stores, mail order companies and importers. Our clients include Boots (UK), Coles Myers (Australia), Schneider (Germany), Walmart (USA). Typically, our products retail between US$5.00 to US$80.00.

 

What is your company's mission?
Our mission is to inspire and encourage professional designers, inventors and students by combining their imagination with the provision of '3M' (Marketing, Manufacturing and Money). They earn confidence, personal recognition and financial rewards.

 

How long has your company in business?
The company was formed in 1994. Since then, we have successfully developed and marketed over 80 products. These include items created in-house by our development team and ideas / intellectual property owned by other individuals and companies.

 

What successful products have you developed?
Please see Our Products for more information and images.

 

What is your success rate of commercialising inventions?
Our success rate is in excess of 90%. We strongly believe in only marketing inventions that make money and we do not waste time in inventions with limited commercial potential. We believe in making money from successfully marketed inventions and therefore do not charge up-front fees as most other companies that represent inventors do. In certain cases, where we are not sure about the marketibility of the invention, we brainstorm with our top selected buyers before expenses are incurred in making a production tooling etc. By doing it this way, our buyers become a silent board of advisors. We therefore avoid failures and improve our success rate.

 

Are any of your products in departmental stores and mail order catalogues?
Over 90% of our sales are to departmental stores, mail order companies and importers. Most of our 80+ products have been sold to these accounts in 38 countries. The rest are sold to the premium and promotional sector, DRTV, duty free outlets, etc.

 

What makes your company unique from other companies that represent inventions?

We sell directly to major retailers, mail order companies, importers, in over 30 countries. Our services to designers, inventors and students are Marketing (Global), Manufacturing (in China) and Money (all the finances involved in executing orders are from our own funds). We do not charge up-front fees but depend on revenues from commercialising inventions.

 

Are there any up-front fees that your company charges?
Simple answer is NO: unlike other companies that represent inventors and depend on revenues from charging up-front fees, we solely depend on revenues from commercialising inventions.

 

What types of inventions do you generally look for?
High-volume, low-tech consumer products. Something that can retail for between US$5 to US$80. To name a few product categories...'As seen on TV' items, car accessories, clocks / watches, electrical, household, health & fitness, hardware, lighting, premium, toys.

 

Do I need to file a patent application, or have a granted patent before submiting my invention?
We never get involved in this issue. It is the sole responsibility of the designers / inventors / students to manage their intellectual property. We do not help or provide advice to inventors wishing to protect their ideas.

 

Do I need to have a working prototype?
The short answer is yes. However, in some special cases, we will invest time and money to produce a working prototype if we think the invention has adequate potential.

 

How long will it take for a reply after I submit my invention?
At most times, within 2-3 weeks. However, we are often marketing our items at exhibitions so it could be up to 6 weeks. It is beneficial for us to receive email reminders from designers / inventors / students if a reply is not received after 4 weeks.

 

How long will it take before I receive royalties once my invention has been accepted by Global Inventions?
Once the board of advisors has accepted your invention, please note that it takes approximately 3 months to get the tooling prepared. Remember that our buyers are not 'spot' buyers. They generally buy 6-12 months 'in advance'. They have two buying seasons from Dec-Feb and July-August. So, the period before you receive any royalties can easily be 6-12 months or more.

 

Does your company require an exclusive distribution agreement?
It depends. if we are paying for the tooling and development costs then yes for the first two years. After that, if we achieve sales targets then the contract will be reviewed for the next two years. If we do not pay for the tooling and development costs then it is non-exclusive and you are free to sell to other parties.

 

Will you buy my invention outright?
In most cases, the answer is no. We only license inventions on a royalty or profit sharing basis. However, in special cases, we may consider a proposal.

 

What happens if you decide not to pursue my invention, but I still wish to proceed and am prepared to pay for the production tooling?
We can help you to make the tooling. We might also assist with marketing the product on non-exclusive basis.

 

What other services does your company provide?
We introduce new inventions at four exhibitions normally held in the Pacific Rim countries, Europe, USA etc. and advertise in international trade magazines like H.K. Enterprise, etc and these are visited and read by important decision makers.

 

Would you be interested in marketing my invention if it is / will be manufactured in my country?
No. We are only interested in marketing inventions that are manufactured in the Far East. The reasons are that most of our customers have a perceived notion that the goods are at competitive prices if they are buying from the Far East. Each of our customers has an in-house quality control department in the Far East. That means before they receive goods, their in-house quality control inspectors will go the factory and check the goods.