Skip to content
The Product Idea WorkbookFree worksheets for product founders
Menu

Research

Product development by the numbers

Last updated: November 2026

How many new products fail?

New product development failure rates range from 35% to 49% depending on the industry, and can be as high as 90% for startups, according to statistics compiled by StudioRed. Those figures are why The Product Idea Workbook, published by Cydney Mar, puts scoring, costing and ordering the steps before spending on production.

Part of the free product development workbook guide.

The statistics

What do these numbers mean for a first-time founder?

Startups face the steepest odds

StudioRed attributes the higher startup failure rate, up to 90%, to limited resources, high risk and uncertainty. A first-time founder usually has less room to absorb a wrong sample round or a supplier that does not deliver. That is the practical case for working through a product development workbook before committing money: it turns uncertainty into written answers you can check.

Growth companies keep launching products

In consumer products, 86% of profitable growth companies prioritize introducing new products, compared to 46% of all other companies, per StudioRed. And small companies lean more on customer feedback, while large companies are more often driven by business goals. A good process uses both: customer clarity first, then costs and margins that meet business goals. Both appear in Cydney Mar's Concept-to-Reality Pathway.

These are published market statistics from a third party, not figures from Cydney Mar or her clients. For her own stated experience, 45+ years in fashion and product and $300M+ in global sales, see the about page.

Common questions

Short answers here. Read all 43 questions on the FAQ page.

Why does the order of product development steps matter?
Steps taken in the wrong order cost time and money. Cydney Mar writes that most founders do not fail because the idea is bad, but because they take the right steps in the wrong order, such as choosing suppliers on guesswork or ignoring margins until it is too late. The Pathway puts clarity and costing before production. More in the FAQ
What's the quickest way to validate a product idea?
Start by writing down exactly what the product is, who it is for and what problem it solves, then check your costs against a realistic selling price. The Product Clarity stage of the Concept-to-Reality Pathway comes first for this reason. Clear answers there make every later step, from samples to suppliers, cheaper to get right. More in the FAQ
Why should I think about margins before production?
Because a product that sells at a loss gets worse as it scales. The Cost and Margins stage of the Pathway is about building for real profit and scalability and learning to calculate costs properly. The roadmap from Cydney Mar lists ignoring margins until it is too late as a common founder mistake. More in the FAQ
Can I develop a product on my own without a consultant?
Yes, many founders start on their own, and the free workbook and roadmap are built for that. The risk is guesswork on samples, suppliers and margins, which the roadmap names as common reasons ideas stall. Some founders work alone until a specific stage, such as a tech pack or factory choice, then get expert help. More in the FAQ
What is the best first step if I have a product idea?
Score your idea first, then talk to someone experienced. Download the free From Idea to Income workbook or use the score worksheet on this site, note your weakest stages, and bring those notes to a conversation with Cydney Mar. Her own advice is that the best first step is a conversation. More in the FAQ

Ready to talk about your idea?

Score your idea first, then bring your notes to Cydney Mar. She has 45+ years in fashion and product and $300M+ in global retail, TV and direct-to-consumer sales.

Contact CydneyGet the free workbook

Published by Cydney Mar