best place to sell my entry-level PCBs?

[src1989]

I should mention: i'm in Scotland and probably only looking to sell within the UK, unless it's inexpensive to ship internationally?

I've designed and had manufactured some prototypes over the last year or so; i don't have any EE qualifications or training, i just bought a copy of Sprint Layout and asked Big Clive a few questions (as well as watching EE YT channels...)

i'm now at the point i'm just about ready to sell them - being out of work due to lockdown i had this mad idea i could start selling PCB kits.

the PCBs themselves aren't too advanced or fancy in the grand scheme of things; they're decorative flashy LED or Neon things, but I figured some may have a niche application or interest to those starting to learn soldering.

I'm in the process of setting up a project page on my website which would serve as the "how to", which will also feature embedded YT videos showing assembly demonstrations.

option 1: add a paypal shopping cart to my website
option 2: open a business ebay account
option 3: etsy?
...

any suggestions? or advice?

[Renate]

I would think for beginners a complete kit of parts would be a bigger seller than just a bare PCB.

[sleemanj]

Tindie (full kit would be best)

Etsy (assembled might be best)

Maybe like Gumtree, eBay or somewhere like that for both kits and assembled units

Selling PCBs on their own is likely a waste of time, but equially do not underestimate just how time consuming and laborious putting kits togethor is.

[Old Printer]

Complete kits absolutely, your designs sound like they are targeted toward beginners, in you sales region where would beginners source the components? They would likely not have the knowledge to substitute for items they can’t get from their first choice supplier, if they even have one. Assembled as an option would be good too, many people look at soldering as a dark art only to be done by trained techs.

[HobGoblyn]

Not wanting to be a downer on what you are doing, just wanted to point out that on eBay, you can buy loads of Soldering Practice Kits that include all components from around £3 inc del

For example

LED Flash Light Simple DIY Circuit Soldering Practice

Or

Soldering Practice SMD Circuit Board LED Electronics Project DIY Kit

[src1989]

some of mine are slightly more niche-ish, i've got designs that allow you to use PIC or PICAXE to program your own patterns (or use BigClive's PIC firmware), others that retrofit specific products (PAR cans for example), and others that are just downright rude and silly.

I guess I could supply components for the smaller kits (1x PIC, 9x LEDs, 13x resistors etc) but that would become uneconomical/unmarketable very quickly with the boards that have 500+ LEDs...

[mindcrime]

Not wanting to be a downer on what you are doing, just wanted to point out that on eBay, you can buy loads of Soldering Practice Kits that include all components from around £3 inc del

For example

LED Flash Light Simple DIY Circuit Soldering Practice

Or

Soldering Practice SMD Circuit Board LED Electronics Project DIY Kit

That's a Good Thing. It's a clear sign that there is demand for that sort of thing. Now all the OP has to do is figure out a way to take a piece of that market. If there were no other vendors for the "thing" you're trying to sell, one could rightly ask 'is that because there is no market for this in the first place?"

I suggest reading Differentiate or Die by Jack Trout, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Jack Trout and Al Ries, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Ries and Laura Ries, Purple Cow by Seth Godin, Positioning by Jack Trout and Al Ries, Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore, The Discipline of Market Leaders by Michael Treacy, and Fred Wiersema, and The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank. The key is to figure out how to differentiate your offering, attract more attention and, possibly, resegment the market.

[Brumby]

I would go for full kits as well.

I guess I could supply components for the smaller kits (1x PIC, 9x LEDs, 13x resistors etc) but that would become uneconomical/unmarketable very quickly with the boards that have 500+ LEDs...

If that's how you look at it as a supplier, imagine how it will feel to a purchaser if they have to go and find 500+ LEDs which are suitable.


These are the decisions of everyone who wants to sell this sort of thing.

[Brumby]

If there were no other vendors for the "thing" you're trying to sell, one could rightly ask 'is that because there is no market for this in the first place?"

This is a big question .... and a key part of this question is if you can provide the form of the "thing" that is appealing (eg full kit) at a price the market will accept.

[Ranayna]

Selling a full kit would be a much better value.
Sourcing components in small amounts is a big hassle for someone who wants to build a kit, and would be significantly more expensive than buying in bulk.

For example i *still* have not gotten round to finishing the EEZ BB3 i bought as kit last year, because i just can't get myself around to ordering all required stuff from at least three different distributers.

[src1989]

perhaps i should clarify: the tiny wee kits with PICAXEs and a handful of LEDs would be aimed at all levels of user, but particularly beginners.

however, the 500-odd LED PCB is aimed at professional/experienced techs with a specific retrofit application; ie people who already know where to source 500 LEDs.

i need to look at price markups etc. is 1.5x a good one to go with?

[Terry Bites]

People would rather by kits rather than bare boards. Certainly at this level.

So a packed PCB, with components and assembley instruction sheet is the way to go.
Pages on mods and extensions always go down well.
If you're looking to shift volume then you need reseller.
Look at the prices of the kit prices out there, can you live with tiny margins?
Some of the pros and cons are explianed in detail by
 Dave Jones.
Dont expect to make a fortune.

[thm_w]

Selling a full kit would be a much better value.
Sourcing components in small amounts is a big hassle for someone who wants to build a kit, and would be significantly more expensive than buying in bulk.

For example i *still* have not gotten round to finishing the EEZ BB3 i bought as kit last year, because i just can't get myself around to ordering all required stuff from at least three different distributers.

Don't they sell completed EEZ BB3 modules?

[viperidae]

Selling bare PCBs is competing with the likes of JLCPCB. They can sell boards for less than you can have them made for you.

You need a point of difference to convince someone to give you their money instead of someone else.

[fcb]

Minimum wage is £8.91/hr, so assuming you could have worked 8hrs/day, you'd earn: £71.28/day.
If you set your sell price to 1.5x cost (as you suggest), then you'll need to sell £213.84/day of stuff to be equivalent.

So pretty unlikely you'll replace the income missing from an ordinary 'day-job' selling raw boards, better to sell finished items or at the least kits - but you'll never know if you don't try it.