I'm sort of new to this stuff. What I'm wondering, is how on earth does one go about finding product sources. I have an idea for a product I would like to make and sell for profit. It requires several components that are already on the market, but these products will not compete in any way with their existing products. For example, I've created a hanging fish bowl I sell by ordering the pieces needed, put the pieces together, modify a few of them and package. I know full well I am not paying wholesale, and that I could have this product made much cheaper if I could find the source that actually produces the parts I use.

Another product I want to create requires a primary component to an existing product. You can not find this primary component as a stand alone product, even though it has many uses and it could easily be one. I contacted the "manufacturer" and inquired about obtaining the component. Their response was "you have to purchase the entire package, we do not sell the product you want separately". This confuses me. Why would a "manufacturer" not want to sell something they manufacture. All I can think of, is that they do not actually produce the products, they simply do as I wish to do and design and package their product. How does one find companies that make particular products? Is this even possible? Are there contracts or something that prohibits companies that actually manufacture items for a product from selling that product to anyone else?