Good news! The first bag should be ready for pick up tomorrow!  The tailor is just waiting for another person who can punch the buttons onto the strap for her, that's it!

We've encountered quite a few problems, but the nice thing is we have quite a few people who showed interests and really trying to help out.  Almost the entire conversation is on our Google Group - http://groups.google.com/group/cuusoo-hk/browse_thread/thread/73cd645bf673060f

Have a look.

Thanks for your suggestions Nishiyama-san, I'm still trying to find another way though...

One sample was made and its patents are cut and readied.  I could pick up the patents and go find the piece goods / linings (the materials) and then a tailor or small shops that would accept small orders.

Or, like you said, I could find a tailor that has other materials in stock, and just switch the materials.

However, switching materials may be a bad idea as it may not hold the weight of the bag.  I want my designs to look good. :)

For CUUSOO's system to really help me though, in the long run, I will only want to do the finding materials and small shops part once.  The shop owner should sign on with CUUSOO and then they can carry on producing this particular design at a set price when more orders come in through CUUSOO.com.  Right?  I'm also thinking, perhaps some manufacturers will want to act as the middle-man, sign on with CUUSOO.com, and outsource these smaller orders to other shops.  I'll ask my acquaintances and see what they think.

Hi cloneofsnake-san, Thank you for sharing your issues. It will be too much of a risk if a designer has to buy all the needed materials. Would redesigning the proposal work in this case? I mean start from cloth that Tailer use( readily available) ?
I am not sure if my hypo is valuable but thought it might be worth of giving a thought. I as future customer, would be happy if the bags were made of commonly available black nylon-like cloth. or even with cloth used for coats and suits.

Queenibee has been talking with her manufacturer friends in Hong Kong, although she could get one sample bag made, these manufacturers will not produce small orders for her.  They are used to making 1000's of bags at a time.

So now, she has to find some small tailor shops that would take small orders.  These small shops will only handle sewing.  So Queenibee is going to purchase all the materials, bring the patents and materials to the tailor shops, and pay them in advance.

Also, it isn't easy to find small tailor shops that make handbags, most of them make custom suits and dresses as that's where the market is - more people want custom clothings than custom bags.

I am so pleased to see that there are already five customers expressing their willingness to buy!