FAQ’s (frequently asked questions)

What are my chances of having someone buy or develop my idea?
Approximately 2% of all patented ideas produce a profit for the creator. So, your odds are not very good. But then, what are the odds of winning a lottery? It would seem to make better sense to bet on yourself! If your idea is not patented, you‘ve only invested $9.95 to list it with ideas2sell.com, rather than approximately $5,000 for attorney fees and expenses inherent in the patenting process. For the nominal amount of $9.95, you can find out whether there is any interest in your idea.

I was told that I’d lose the right to patent my idea if I used ideas2sell.com. Is that true?
You can list any idea without a patent or patent-pending. If your idea is an invention that could possibly receive a patent, and you list it for sale on ideas2sell.com, you have exactly one year to apply for a patent, or you may lose your right to do so. You may want to consult with a Patent Attorney. A provisional patent (patent-pending) is considerably less expensive than applying for a patent, and gives you one year to decide whether to get a patent. You may want to determine whether or not there is interest in your invention, since a patent is no guarantee of the successful development or profitability of your idea. You can do that with ideas2sell.com.

What if my idea is not something that can be patented?
 ideas2sell.co is for people who get great ideas for a variety of things. Perhaps it’s a name for a business or a product, the words for a song, an idea for keeping kids occupied, a new way to do a task, an amusement, an idea for a theme restaurant, a delicious recipe, or any number of other non-patent ideas. In some cases, trademark or copyright protection may be available. If you think a trademark or copyright may be available for your idea, you may want to consult an attorney who specializes in that area of the law before listing your idea on this web site. If you want to find out whether there is any interest in your idea or concept, ideas2sell can help you do that.

Will a patent or copyright give me a greater chance of success in marketing my idea?
The purpose of a patent or copyright is legal, not marketing! The patent and copyright system does not guarantee the successful development of your idea. It guarantees the right to defend your ownership of the patented or copyrighted idea, if someone, who was not authorized by you, brings the product or concept to market. Such litigation is costly and time-consuming. The purpose of ideas2sell.com is to enable you to put your idea into the hands of an individual or company with staff and resources to defend the idea, if it becomes necessary. And, allow you to earn income with your creative mind.

Is there anything I need to watch out for when potential buyers contact me?
Yes. You will receive inquiries from people, some of whom will seem quite impressive over the phone. Some may work for well-known companies. Many will want you to reveal the details of your idea over the phone, so they can determine whether they have interest. Some may go so far as to tell you that if you’re not willing to give them the details over the phone, then forget it! WARNING – If you reveal the details of your idea on the phone, there is a chance it may have just been stolen! Do not operate with undue haste. If you have indicated yourself as the “Contact Person,” and are untrained in the law or negotiations, we suggest that you take the potential buyer’s name, title, phone number, and company, and seek professional assistance before responding. Please go to http://www.benedict.com for information about copyright violations and http://www.investorsdigest.com for useful information about patents and patent scams. Companies and individuals may also contact you wanting to “help you.” Be cautious dealing with companies who, for a fee, will help you find sources to patent, fund, and/or develop your idea. Refer any such calls to an attorney skilled in such matters. A number of these companies are not legitimate. Ask for references and success rates, and remember, you came to ideas2sell.com to sell your idea, not to incur additional costs!

Who will see the description of my idea’s benefits?
Any individual or company visiting our web site will be able to see your description. In order to contact you (or your agent), they will need to give their name and address information, and pay a $9.95 access fee. ideas2sell earns its income from fees, not by sharing revenue from the sale, or earnings produced by the idea. We will aggressively market our web site through direct mail to potential corporate and individual idea buyers, links with related sites, and positive positioning on the various search engines. We will also aggressively market ideas2sell.com through various groups and web sites related to the creative process.

I’ve been told that Companies stay away from non-patented ideas. Is that true?
Companies are frequently subjected to frivolous lawsuits brought by individuals and attorneys looking for a “windfall” at the Company’s expense. These suits frequently happen because an individual or a company claims they had the unprotected idea prior to being introduced to it by the idea seller, or because other individuals come forward after the company has purchased the idea, claiming they had it first! Those creating ideas are afraid that unscrupulous companies will steal their ideas, and companies are afraid unscrupulous individuals will subject them to lawsuits. As a result, an attitude of distrust exists. What could be a “win-win” situation becomes “lose-lose” instead. Companies believe that if the individual has a patent, trademark, or copyright, the ownership of the idea is established. In a world moving as fast as ours, the timeframe for moving ideas to completion will certainly accelerate. In order for more people to bring forth more ideas, their investment must be nominal, and the profit potential, very real. We believe ideas2sell.com is an important ingredient supporting the acceleration and profit potential.

How do you suggest getting around this dilemma?
A willing seller and a willing buyer can solve the challenge by starting with a trusting attitude, and a willingness to do what is necessary to protect the other party’s interest. Perhaps it starts with a non-confidentiality agreement. Perhaps the buyer would be willing to invest the resources necessary to patent, trademark, or copyright the idea, based on a prearranged sales price. Similar to the “due diligence” performed by buyer and seller of a home, after signing an Agreement of Sale.

Would you please review with me again, the benefits of listing my ideas on, or buying ideas through, ideas2sell.com?
·    A simple, easy to follow format.
·    A large number of product categories to choose from.
·    The ability to list a single idea in several categories for one fee.
·    Extensive marketing to potential buyers and sellers.
·    An inexpensive fee structure, just $9.95 to list your idea's benefits, and $9.95 for the potential buyer to obtain the idea contact person's name, address, and telephone number.