Fix defective inventory manually when capital constraints prevent reordering
When your first inventory batch arrives defective and you have no money for replacement, find creative ways to fix products manually rather than shutting down. Even if it requires hundreds of hours of manual labor, making defective inventory sellable preserves your ability to start selling and generating revenue. This scrappy approach to quality control can save the business when perfection isn't affordable.
When to use
When facing catastrophic product quality issues with no capital to reorder, and the defects can be fixed through manual labor even if time-intensive.
Don't do this
Giving up and shutting down when first inventory is defective, or waiting months to save money for a new batch, losing momentum and market timing.
1 Founder Who Did This
First batch of 50,000 silicone rings arrived with uneven edges, completely unsellable. With no money left, Casey hand-trimmed each ring with eyebrow scissors while watching TV in bed for months to make them sellable.