Placing Your First Purchase Order

Welcome to the first lesson in your fourth module: Executing Your Fulfillment Strategy. By now, you are well on your way to completing your crowdfunding journey. It’s time to develop and implement a fulfillment strategy that ensures your backers receive their rewards and your product successfully enters the market.

At this stage, your project is fully funded, and you’re ready to turn your vision into reality. This is a critical step in your journey that requires careful planning and execution to get it right.

This lesson focuses on placing your first purchase order with your manufacturer, a crucial milestone in bringing your project to life.

A Free Resource to Support Your Next Steps

To make this process even easier, we’ve put together a free checklist & template that walks you through the process.

You can access it here:

• PO Checklist 
• PO Template

What You’ll Learn in This Lesson

• The basics of a purchase order
• Best practices for communicating with your manufacturer
• How to set up quality control procedures
• How to establish payment terms

Understanding Purchase Orders

Also known as a PO, a purchase order is a legally binding document that outlines the specifics of your order.

In this lesson, you’ll learn:

• What details a purchase order must include
• How it protects you as a buyer
• How to use a spec sheet to create an accurate and effective PO
• The step-by-step process leading up to submitting a purchase order

You’ll also gain access to exclusive purchase order templates to ensure your document contains all the necessary information and is clear for both you and your manufacturer.

Communicating with Your Manufacturer

Effective communication with your manufacturer is essential for a smooth fulfillment process. This lesson will cover:

• How to navigate communication challenges
• Best practices for ensuring clarity and transparency
• What information manufacturers need from you to fulfill your order
• What level of communication and transparency you should expect as a buyer

Setting Up Quality Control (QC)

Quality control ensures that the final product aligns with what you promised your backers.

In this section, you’ll learn:

• How to implement a quality control strategy
• The different stages of quality control and your role at each stage
• Who else is involved in quality control and how to coordinate with them
• How to read and interpret an inspection report
• Practical tips for applying quality control insights to your production process

Establishing Payment Terms

Clearly defined payment terms are essential for a successful manufacturer relationship.

This lesson will cover:

• How to create transparent and fair payment terms
• Common payment methods, along with their pros and cons
• How to maintain detailed payment records to ensure smooth transactions
• Best practices for ensuring that agreed-upon payment terms are followed

Post-Lesson Checklist

To help you apply what you’ve learned, you’ll receive a comprehensive checklist that summarizes all key steps. This resource will serve as a quick reference when creating your own purchase order and managing fulfillment.

Who This Lesson Is For

This lesson is designed for crowdfunders who have reached 100% (or more) of their funding goal and are ready to enter pre-production. It provides structured guidance on purchase orders and is ideal for creators at the intermediate stage of their crowdfunding journey.

By following the insights in this module, you’ll be well-prepared to move through the fulfillment stage with confidence and ensure a smooth transition from funding to product delivery.