Expert: Kacey Cahill - 12/1/2008

Question
Hi Kacey,I have patented a new product.It is a worldwide patent but I need a company in America who can sell the patent there or a company who can get me in contact with wal-mart.Can you help.

Answer
Dear Poul, Congrats on patenting your product!  I am not sure from you question if you are also manufacturing the product or you are looking for a licensing arrangement.  Since you are looking to Walmart, I am assuming that you are manufacturing.  If you go to Walmartstores.com, suppliers, become a supplier, they set out the process through which you must go to deal with them.  I do not know anyone at Walmart, but if you have a good product, I am sure you will see a response.
Generally speaking, please be careful with anyone that you discuss your invention with.  Take care to protect anything that is not covered directly by that patent with confidentiality agreements.  

There are also companies like ideabuyer.com and the like that allow you to market your invention to businesses, entrepeneurs, etc., but I have no experience with them and again BE CAREFUL!  PROTECT YOUR STUFF with agreements -- even if it says this stuff I am going to discuss is mine and not yours and you agree to that (provided that you cannot prove you already invented or knew about it prior to talking to me) and that you agree that I can get an injuction to stop you from exploiting it if you try to steal it.  Also, don't sign anything until you have a lawyer that practices intellectual property law first look at it.

Also, go to a relevant trade convention.  Bring presentation material about the product.  Have information like cost and projected sales and targeted market in that presentation.  Try to connect with the people that you want to carry your product.

Without knowing the type of product, I cannot be more specific.  I hope this helps get you started at least.

Kind Regards,

Kacey Cahill