The Complete Technical Guide for Adhesive Tape
echotape.com
echotape.com
1. Just like any other design, decide what it's supposed to do, how you'll know that it actually does what you expect, and how you'll manage its use.
2. You'd never guess that there's such a thing as a glue or tape engineer, but the reputable makers of tape and glue can really help you figure out what you need for your application.
I love that this is still a thing in some industries. My dad is a retired contractor, and has several times suggested that I call the manufacturer of a home improvement product when dealing with a difficult or nonstandard installation. Coming from the phone-numberless land of Google et al, the idea that a manufacturer would have competent, highly technical help available to consumers always sounded totally insane to me, but it's worked for him! I finally tried it when a pressurized toilet tank failed on me, and the woman on the other end guided me through the diagnosis, worked with me to figure out the cause, and then shipped me a replacement part for free even though the previous owner of the house was the one who bought the tank. Great stuff.
This is why some of the better ones survive.
The ones that come to mind off hand are the premium paint suppliers (like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore). The first time I quit IT, I bought and extensively restored a 110 year old house for a few years. Mixing and matching coatings is not a trivial undertaking. Not trivial to plan, and certainly not trivial to un-do if something doesn't play nice with something else.
What was trivial was getting a regional VP (or better) from Sherwin Williams to register and post on historic restoration forums, and answer phone calls and emails.
These companies may be the last bastion of premium service for a premium product at a premium price on a large scale (as in there's a store in most towns).
Don't let the big box stores be the last store in your town, imo....
For sure. Dad's always been supportive of whatever decisions I make, but the disappointment in his eyes when I say I'm headed to Home Depot ... oof.