Answer all seven questions
Pick the answer closest to your situation. There are no wrong answers — the quiz only matches your situation to the path that usually fits it. It takes about two minutes.
Your launch path
Your fit score: / 20 —
Stock formula — start with an existing formula
A stock formula already exists. You choose from formulas a manufacturer already makes and put your branding on them, so there is no development work before production. That is why this is usually the fastest and lowest-cost way to launch, in general industry patterns.
General cost band (estimate, not a quote): a stock-formula first run commonly lands between roughly $1,500 and $10,000, depending on units and packaging. Minimums can be as low as the tens of units per product. These are the general patterns published in our cost guide — every manufacturer prices differently.
The trade-off is control: the formula is not built to your specification, and the same base formula may be available to other brands. If a distinctive formula is the whole idea, compare this path with semi-custom and custom in our private label vs. custom formulation guide.
Semi-custom — adjust an existing formula
Semi-custom starts from an existing formula and changes it — for example, adjusting scent, texture, or a small number of details — rather than building a formula from scratch. You get more say over the finished product than a stock formula gives, without the full development work of a custom formula.
General cost band (estimate, not a quote): there is no separate published semi-custom band in our cost guide. As a general pattern, semi-custom sits between the two published first-run bands — roughly $1,500 to $10,000 for stock-formula launches and $5,000 to $25,000+ for custom-formulation launches. Minimums commonly start in the hundreds or thousands of units per product. Treat any figure as a starting point for real quotes, not a price from any manufacturer.
Testing and sampling still apply: a basic testing package for one formula commonly runs from $500 to $3,000 as a general industry pattern, and you should budget for sample rounds before approving production. Get the test list in writing and ask what is included in the quote and what is billed separately.
Custom formulation — built to your specification
Custom formulation means formulas developed to your specification: a chemist’s time, trial batches, and revision rounds before a single unit is filled. You get the most control over the finished product — and the most cost and time before production.
General cost band (estimate, not a quote): a custom-formulation first run commonly starts around $5,000 to $25,000+, and development fees commonly run from $2,000 to $15,000+ per formula, billed separately from the production run. Minimums commonly start in the hundreds or thousands of units per product. These are the general patterns published in our cost guide.
Budget for at least two sample rounds: the first round almost never ships unchanged. A basic testing package for one formula commonly runs from $500 to $3,000 as a general industry pattern. Get the test list and any development fee in writing, and ask whether the fee is credited to the first order.
Your plan
Robert replies, usually within one business day, with current minimums and timing in writing.
Not a quote. Every figure above is a general industry pattern from our cost guide, not a price from any manufacturer. Use the result to judge real quotes, then get itemized quotes on the same basis before committing to a launch size.
How the quiz scores your answers
Each answer adds points to one or more paths: low budgets, short timelines, small runs, and standard packaging point toward stock; adjusting an existing formula points toward semi-custom; building to specification, larger runs, and distinctive packaging point toward custom. The path with the most points wins. Where two paths tie, the quiz leans to the simpler path — you can always move to a more custom path later. Your answers stay in your browser: nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to send your score with an inquiry, and nothing is stored. The fit score is the winning path’s points out of 20 — 14 or more means your answers point clearly to one path, 11 to 13 means a clear lean with open questions, and 9 or 10 means your answers are spread across the paths.
Frequently asked questions
Is the quiz result a quote?
No. The result is a starting point based on the general industry patterns published in our cost guide. Every manufacturer prices differently, so get itemized quotes on the same basis — same products, same units, same packaging — before committing to a launch size.
What is the difference between stock, semi-custom, and custom?
A stock formula already exists and you add your branding. Semi-custom starts from an existing formula and adjusts it. Custom formulation builds a formula to your specification, with development, sampling, and testing added before production.
Can I start with one path and move to another later?
Yes. Nothing in the quiz locks you in. Starting with a stock formula does not stop you from developing a custom formula later, and a custom formula does not stop you from adding a stock product to round out a range.
What does the fit score mean?
The fit score is the winning path’s points out of 20 — how decisively your answers point to one launch path. A score of 14 or more means a clear fit, 11 to 13 means a clear lean with one or two open questions, and 9 or 10 means your answers are spread across the paths. It is a starting point, not a verdict: retake the quiz once your budget and timeline are settled, or send the inquiry and let Robert help you narrow it.
What should I send a manufacturer after taking the quiz?
Send the product type and format, the number of units per product, your packaging preferences, your target retail price, and your timeline. A manufacturer cannot quote accurately from an idea alone — units and packaging drive most of the price.
Turn your result into a real quote
Read the full cost bands in the cost guide, then start a qualification conversation — the funnel asks for your business details and volume, so the manufacturer sees real numbers first.