S11.E18: Muvez, PrepWell Academy, Beddley, Bad Birdie

[JTMacc99]

Quote

Reinventing the traditional house slipper as a sneaker; an online mentoring program that helps high school students and their parents navigate the college admissions process; a bedding product that reduces the time needed to make a bed.

 

Hmm... Interesting time to be presenting an idea that turns a slipper into a sneaker. I kind of just need slippers at the moment.

[rhys]

I'm wearing my comfy feet Denver Broncos slippers as I type. I *think* I saw them on ST a few years ago. Hmmmm.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I liked the slipper / sneakers, and think a licensing deal will be a great way to go for them.   I'm glad they got a deal.

The Duvet lady was certainly stuck on her idea of the world's greatest duvet cover.     With those sales, and her attitude, I can see why Kevin just said No the way he did.  

The college prep course didn't have enough subscribers, and I'm guessing won't either.    I do like the guy, but I don't like his two pitches.   

I love the way the shirts look.   I can see the younger golfers going for this, and I think they'll sell well to younger people.     If the sleeves were longer, and the fit looser, I bet the 40 and up crowd would like them too.   They look very nice, and I bet they would sell for a lot of customers, not just golfers.      Most golfers don't seem that shy about wild colors and patterns either.  

 

 Kevin's right, they need to stay online, not retail.    Robert putting for the money, and missing is so funny, so much for that 5% he lost.   And Kevin missing even worse is so funny. .   Daymond made the putt, and I thought that was hysterical. 

Edited April 4, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[KayVeeTeeVee]

9 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I liked the slipper / sneakers, and think a licensing deal will be a great way to go for them.   I'm glad they got a deal.

The Duvet lady was certainly stuck on her idea of the world's greatest duvet cover.     With those sales, and her attitude, I can see why Kevin just said No the way he did.  

The college prep course didn't have enough subscribers, and I'm guessing won't either.    I do like the guy, but I don't like his two pitches.   

I love the way the shirts look.   I can see the younger golfers going for this, and I think they'll sell well to younger people.     If the sleeves were longer, and the fit looser, I bet the 40 and up crowd would like them too.   They look very nice, and I bet they would sell for a lot of customers, not just golfers.       Kevin's right, they need to stay online, not retail.    Robert putting for the money, and missing is so funny, so much for that 5% he lost.   And Kevin missing even worse is so funny. .   

And Daymond, who said he hates golf and doesn't play, sank the put!  Take that, Mr. Wonderful.

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

 love the way the shirts look.   I can see the younger golfers going for this, and I think they'll sell well to younger people.     If the sleeves were longer, and the fit looser, I bet the 40 and up crowd would like them too.   They look very nice, and I bet they would sell for a lot of customers, not just golfers.   

I live in a city with a big branded golf apparel manufacturing plant. What surprised me was that NONE of the sharks asked, What's to stop another apparel maker from buying a shirt, taking it to their own designers and then making funky designs themselves?

[seacliffsal]

I really liked the shoes.  When I lived in Japan, one always took off their shoes at the door and the hosts provided slippers for the guests to wear.  We had traditional tatami mats (rice stalks) on the floors, so it not only kept dirt/germs out but protected the mats as well.  I know many people who ask visitors to take off their shoes, but they don't provide alternative footwear for them.  I thought it was a brilliant idea in that one would not always be changing shoes, but just slipping the sole on/off.  I looked at their website and the shoes/slippers are $99.  I may go back and buy some.

I'm not sure about the duvet cover-it would be a really long zipper that would have to handle two corners.  So, my concern is more about the zipper.  I do think it would be so much easier (said as my duvet cover is not in the washer and I'm not looking forward to having to put my comforter back in it...).  I do wonder why there wasn't a licensing option-maybe because her valuation was just too crazy there wasn't any way to make it work?  It is interesting over the years how many presenters are so in love with their idea that they reject any of the suggestions that the Sharks offer to them.

I'm a bit of a skeptic about the prepwell presenter.  I actually liked Lori's suggestion.  The reality is that there are numerous books, websites, etc., that already exist about preparing for college admissions.

As for the golf shirts-I think Robert is the best Shark for them as he has several niche clothing lines in which he has invested.  I'm not a golfer (well, I do excel at putt-putt [miniature] golf...), but did like some of the patterns.

 

[psychoticstate]

The slipper/shoe might be one of my more favorite products I've seen on ST.  I think it's possibly one of my favorite products I've seen on ST.  Daymond is a good fit (no pun intended.)

The golf shirts were nice looking.  I agree with Kevin and Mark that retail is not the way to go - - too much competition and cost.  If your purchasers are lined up waiting for a shirt to drop, and you're killing it online, stay online!  

I liked the duvet cover thingy but the valuation was nuts.  Never tell the sharks not to think too hard about your sales and numbers.  She does need to change her packaging to show how easy it is to use.

I agree with Lori about the college prep app.  I don't think many people will stay with a monthly app for years.  He would be better off offering an online course, geared toward parents, or seniors, or juniors, and charge $199 with lifetime access.  He'd probably make more money and it would be passive income.  He could add updates if and when necessary. .  

 

[lynxfx]

The slipper is a great idea. We are a shoeless house but I dont like wearing slippers so I stick with socks. When I need to quickly run outside I just have a couple pairs of slip on shoes by the door. $100 ($80 on sale) is a bit much though and their sizing is limited still. No half sizes. Maybe in the future. 

The duvet didnt seem like a good idea. You need to tie the comforter to each corner to keep it in place, otherwise it can shift inside the duvet. To insert ours we do the roll method which is pretty easy. I also wouldn't want the zipper on the sides as I can picture it being uncomfortable. 

The others didn't really interest me. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, lynxfx said:

To insert ours we do the roll method which is pretty easy.

Is that the burrito method, where you start with it inside out or something?  It actually works, although I have to have Mr. Outlier lead because my spatial abilities are zero and I get super confused.  He actually did it from memory the last time, and I can't get it right even if I watch a video.

[mjc570]

I thought the shoe/slipper idea was a good one, I wear slippers or socks in the house, and keep a pair of slippers with heavier soles by the door to slip into.  That was a lot of money for a pair of slippers, though. 

I loved the duvet cover, and would totally buy one.  I'm short, with short arms, and it's always a struggle, whether I do the burrito method or climb inside.  I can see why none of them wanted to invest in the woman, though.

Not impressed at all with the prepwell academy idea.  I don't know why there was so much love for that guy, his presentation wasn't too impressive and I'm not a fan of using family members as props.  I liked his fit deck a lot better, I'm gad he was able sell it although I noticed he didn't mention the price (although I might have missed it).

Liked the golf shirts - but if there is such demand., why haven't the current shirt makers picked up on it?  I think Mark is right, the buzz is the limited opportunity to buy, but I guess I'm just too old - I don't care in the least about drop dates, there's always something else conning along.   Those 2 other guys were good looking, a good thing Barabra wasn't one of the sharks in this episode.

My favorite part of this episode - no crying, no emotional sob story.  Thanks, Shark Tank

[bilgistic]

Huh. I thought the slipper-shoes were hideous. The black-on-black version they gave Daymond were not horrible, but the ones with contrasting colors made the wearers' feet look like boats.

I hated the golf shirt dudebro. HATE. He reminded me so much of my fratty former boss (commercial real estate) who thought his "wacky" socks made him a wild and crazy guy.

Edited April 5, 2020 by bilgistic

[eel21788]

On 4/3/2020 at 7:00 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

The Duvet lady was certainly stuck on her idea of the world's greatest duvet cover.     With those sales, and her attitude, I can see why Kevin just said No the way he did.  

The college prep course didn't have enough subscribers, and I'm guessing won't either.    I do like the guy, but I don't like his two pitches.   

I starting to think that people are saying to themselves, "I want to get on Shark Tank. What business can I invent?" Instead of, "I need help with my business. How can I get it on Shark Tank?"

These were two good examples of that. 

Edited April 7, 2020 by eel21788

[eel21788]

7 hours ago, psychoticstate said:

I agree with Lori about the college prep app.  I don't think many people will stay with a monthly app for years.  He would be better off offering an online course, geared toward parents, or seniors, or juniors, and charge $199 with lifetime access.  He'd probably make more money and it would be passive income.  He could add updates if and when necessary. .  

I was waiting for him to say that Lesson 356 is have your picture taken playing soccer/water polo/crew especially if you have never played. I'm pretty skeptical about anybody charging money and claiming he can improve your child's chances of getting into college. When I applied to college, the whole point was see what the student was capable of on his own. I'm not sure the whole coaching/coaxing thing even existed back then.

[eel21788]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Huh. I thought the slipper-shoes were hideous. 

Agree. I'm not paying $100+ for slippers to wear outside. His design also isn't going to help me in the least if I have to wade through a foot of snow to put out the trash. On those nights, I pull my boots on over my socks, go out to the curb, come back in, take the boots off, and voila! I'm back in my socks again, and they're completely dry. I've never thought of that has being so inconvenient that I needed special slippers instead.

[roctavia]

I get why duvets are a thing, but if people are finding them such a hassle, there are other options... 

Yes we can't change the patterns or anything fancy like that, but we have a comforter we use for our bed that is just that, a comforter. It doesn't come apart, it probably all could go in the washing machine... But we are people who like a top sheet, and we usually have another fleece/fuzzy like blanket we use with the comforter on top for the winter when it's colder... so we aren't sweating or anything onto the comforter meaning it doesn't need washing frequently... 

I would be much more worried about how a zipper that big would hold up, especially through regular washing cycles etc. 

[jaigurudeva]

Why was that college prep course guy even there? His business isn't scalable, what was he looking for investors for? I agree that he should make it a $99-199 one-time payment for the course, $15 a month for 4 years ($720!!) is crazy. He could even just put the videos up on YouTube and monetize them that way (it looked like he was just producing the videos in his own home anyway, not exactly a lot of production value or interactivity to warrant making it an "app"). Unless he also offers personal one-on-one sessions, like virtual meetings a couple times a month with an accredited guidance counselor, the subscription model is working against him.

The slippers/shoes is a solution without a problem. Most people who don't wear shoes in the house already have a system (slippers or sandals by the door, with a set for inside and for outside), and if you are visiting someone else's house they might still insist you take off the whole shoe if you come into their home and only pop off the soles. The rest of your shoe is still dirty, bro.

The duvet lady seemed genuinely earnest about her business, and I hope she finds a niche market out there, maybe for people with mobility problems who have a harder time with duvets than most. But changing a duvet cover is just a 10-minute chore most people only do once or twice month, and getting a special 3-sided zipper thing that would probably be uncomfortable to sleep with isn't worth a slight decrease in such temporary aggravation.

The golf guys are definitely making a mistake with retail. Most of their appeal is the online exclusivity and limited editions, and they'll see a huge drop off in their growth if they go into retailers and suddenly all their young hip customers find that they're twinning with the old fogies at the country club who saw the same shirts on a rack in Nordstrom's or wherever. Plus, larger brands will soon catch wind and start producing their own fun-patterned polos, and they'll end up competing on the retail floor in a with other similar shirts soon enough. They need to focus on branding their exclusivity, maybe bringing in big name artists/designers for limited runs, licensing designs from pop culture, etc.

[aemom]

On 4/5/2020 at 12:48 AM, jaigurudeva said:

The slippers/shoes is a solution without a problem. Most people who don't wear shoes in the house already have a system (slippers or sandals by the door, with a set for inside and for outside), and if you are visiting someone else's house they might still insist you take off the whole shoe if you come into their home and only pop off the soles. The rest of your shoe is still dirty, bro.

Exactly what I was thinking - the whole top of your shoe gets dirty - it's not like the rest of it remains pristine when you are outside.  However - this is still better than wearing your entire outdoor shoe inside.

Though in Canada, we are far less likely to wear shoes indoors than Americans (seems to be a cultural thing), so I have zero interest in this product because I would never wear my shoes inside my house or anyone else's.

 

On 4/5/2020 at 12:48 AM, jaigurudeva said:

The duvet lady seemed genuinely earnest about her business, and I hope she finds a niche market out there, maybe for people with mobility problems who have a harder time with duvets than most.

It was a good idea but her packaging was terrible.  It looked ancient and did not really highlight at all her special feature.  I suspect that's why her sales are so dismal - her cover is lost in the sea of others.

Edited April 9, 2020 by aemom
Typo

[bilgistic]

I kept reading Muvez as "moo-vehs".

[EtheltoTillie]

23 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I kept reading Muvez as "moo-vehs".

Yes, terrible name.  Should have been Moovs.  Or Moovz.

As for the duvets, I got a laugh out of Kevin showing his expertise again in the Societe de Tastevin Duvet. 

Edited April 9, 2020 by GussieK

[lynxfx]

On 4/8/2020 at 8:47 AM, aemom said:

Though in Canada, we are far less likely to wear shoes indoors than Americans (seems to be a cultural thing), so I have zero interest in this product because I would never wear my shoes inside my house or anyone else's.

 

Sounds like you are exactly the person the shoe is meant for. Those that don't wear shoes in house. 

I don't think they are meant to be your out and about shoe. They are replacements for house slippers that allow you to easily step outside if needed without putting on different shoes. Useful but truely a first world problem and priced as such. 

My wife loves slippers but I don't. So I stick to socks indoors and leave a pair of slip-ons by the door. 

[marny]

The duvet cover idea was good enough , but most people buy bedding based on its pattern or color, so it's unlikely to be a successful product line unless she can hire a designer who can create desirable textiles for her product line. All the ones she showed were just boring pale-colored solid covers. Plus her packaging sucked. I don't know if her idea of a duvet that unzips on three sides is able to be patented (or if it's even a unique design in the first place), but her only chance to be successful would be to license the design to other bedding companies.

[eel21788]

11 hours ago, lynxfx said:

I don't think they are meant to be your out and about shoe. They are replacements for house slippers that allow you to easily step outside if needed without putting on different shoes.   

I got the opposite impression than you did. I really thought he was marketing them as shoes you put on as soon as you get out of bed in the morning and wear them until you go back to bed at night. the way most people wear socks. That contributes to why his idea is so dumb. When you do that with socks, you start out with a clean pair every day. With his shoes, you'd be wearing he same pair over and over again with it being too inconvenient to wash them daily. Maybe you're supposed to buy multiple pairs of his already over-priced item just so you do have the ability to wear something somewhat fresher than if you wore them daily. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by eel21788

[lynxfx]

3 hours ago, eel21788 said:

I really thought he was marketing them as shoes you put on as soon as you get out of bed in the morning and wear them until you go back to bed at night. the way most people wear socks. That contributes to why his idea is so dumb.

If that is what they really think then yes I agree it is dumb. The tops of the shoes would definitely get dirty which defeats the purpose of no shoes in the house.

[sasha206]

On 4/10/2020 at 10:24 AM, marny said:

The duvet cover idea was good enough , but most people buy bedding based on its pattern or color, so it's unlikely to be a successful product line unless she can hire a designer who can create desirable textiles for her product line. All the ones she showed were just boring pale-colored solid covers. Plus her packaging sucked. I don't know if her idea of a duvet that unzips on three sides is able to be patented (or if it's even a unique design in the first place), but her only chance to be successful would be to license the design to other bedding companies.

I was thinking the same thing.  I'm not a duvet cover person -- I like a thin quilt and blankets underneath!  It I were to buy a duvet cover, I'd want something pretty.  

The lady really bugged me too.

 

On 4/4/2020 at 7:15 PM, bilgistic said:

I hated the golf shirt dudebro. HATE. He reminded me so much of my fratty former boss (commercial real estate) who thought his "wacky" socks made him a wild and crazy guy.

Exactly!  If I saw a guy wearing the shirt that he was playing golf, I'd know immediately he was probably one of those attention whoring men who wants everyone to think he is so fun loving.

[LuvMyShows]

On 4/3/2020 at 9:00 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

The college prep course didn't have enough subscribers, and I'm guessing won't either.    I do like the guy, but I don't like his two pitches.   

I didn't like the name at all.  The "prep" made it sound like the prep in "preparatory school" rather than the prep in "preparation".  And the "academy" doubly made it sound like a preparatory school.

On 4/4/2020 at 5:13 PM, mjc570 said:

Those 2 other guys were good looking, a good thing Barabra wasn't one of the sharks in this episode.

LOL!

On 4/4/2020 at 7:15 PM, bilgistic said:

Huh. I thought the slipper-shoes were hideous. The black-on-black version they gave Daymond were not horrible, but the ones with contrasting colors made the wearers' feet look like boats.

Yep.

On 4/8/2020 at 11:47 AM, aemom said:

It was a good idea but her packaging was terrible.  It looked ancient and did not really highlight at all her special feature.  I suspect that's why her sales are so dismal - her cover is lost in the sea of others.

OMG the packaging was insanely bad.  In addition to looking ancient, it looked depressing.  And I agree that it didn't highlight the special feature.  I am legit stunned that someone with her education would have turned out such a shitty package.  Did she not show it to anyone and get feedback?  Surely the sharks commented on it, but it wasn't broadcast?

On 4/10/2020 at 10:24 AM, marny said:

 I don't know if her idea of a duvet that unzips on three sides is able to be patented (or if it's even a unique design in the first place), but her only chance to be successful would be to license the design to other bedding companies.

Yes, I didn't understand why the patent question wasn't broadcast, since I can't imagine it wasn't asked at the time).  Likewise with the licensing, which was probably suggested.

On 4/3/2020 at 9:00 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Robert putting for the money, and missing is so funny, so much for that 5% he lost.  

I absolutely LOVED that the kid had the cajones to make that suggestion!