"There are two persistent myths for hardware startups. The first is that the end game is selling at big box retailers like Wal-Mart or Best Buy. The second is that once your amazing gizmo is on the shelves it will sell itself. Those two ideas are dangerous."
- Cyril Ebersweiler and Benjamin Joffe
If you make it to this last gate, I know you'll be eager to just start selling as soon as possible. This gate is not just about logisitics and shipping, but about your business strategy. You're not done until you have figured out all the details of getting your product into the hands of distributors and consumers. Everything that happens in the areas of distribution, retail, orders and inventory management, shipping, returns, and support happens here.