Something I always wanted to know : how one can sell an idea?

What bugs me is the fact that you're supposed to unveil your ideas to people before you can expect some money in return, right?

Patents are too expensive and so are lawsuits

So, is it an impossible task as I presume?

I don't think it's impossible at all.

Are you looking to sell your idea and walk away, or find investors for your business?

Either way, you can get them to sign an NDA preventing them from copying your ideas.

Ideas themselves aren't that valuable. What is valuable is the time and effort you've put in behind them to ensure the idea is workable. To find and fix the bugs, and to figure out how to market and sell it. A napkin with scribbles is little more then a napkin.

I bet you can tell them the idea - enough to get them interested, and then work out a contract.

The other thing is - is your idea that easy to copy? If it is, what are you going to do on the second day of business? It will be public as soon as you start selling. Why not tell *everyone* what your idea is, and start generating hype. An ideavirus is *far* more valuable then a simple idea. You'll never get to the ideavirus stage with a secret idea.

Well, the ideas meant to be sold aren't related to a business of mine.

They are just ideas about things that don't currently exist or improvements of existing products.

What I want to sell is the idea as it is.
The workability evaluation should be done by the buyer of the idea.
Sounds logical because he is the one who's suposed to be an expert within his field.

The thing would be to get paid only if the idea is viable in the end.

And I'm not sure I would want to wast my time and money with lawsuits in case someone breaks an NDA.

For anyone who has the technical means, any idea can be easily copied.

could you please tell me what exactly is meant by patents and also I would like to know that what is its relevance in case of e business.... If you could also elaborate on the procedures and formalities involved I will be gratefull.....