Inventions “get on the shelf” at Walmart

As a patent attorney in Erie County I often get asked, “how can I get my products on the shelf in Walmart?” Shelf space is like real estate and every inch inside the store has to be accounted for and the product on that shelf must earn a profit equivalent to the cost to keep that shelf space available in the store.

An independent inventor has to be able to sell his idea to Walmart such that Walmart will remove other things currently in the store to make room for that product. This is a very difficult thing to do for an independent inventor.

Well this might have changed because right now, on the Walmart webpage they have a contest to “get on the shelf”.

Even if you don’t win the contest you certainly can get some exposure on their webpage which is visited by thousands of people while the contest is going on.

You can go to the Walmart webpage and enter your invention up until February 22, 2012. If you win the contest you will get your product on the shelf at all the Walmarts throughout the country.

You can get your friends and family to vote for you and hopefully your great idea will get on the shelf at Walmart and you can be on your way to becoming a successful profitable entrepreneur with a new invention.

I think it’s a great opportunity for inventors to get out there with their great ideas. Hopefully you’re the next new inventor and your product is sold at all the Walmart stores. Good luck.