S15.E13

[CrazyInAlabama]

Season 15, episode 13, 2 February

Sharks- Guest Shark Emma Grede, Mark, Kevin, Lori, Robert.

 

Genius Litter- Color Changing Kitty Litter-kitty litter that alerts owners to health issues, $250,000 for 4%. With Genius Litter you can monitor your cat’s health. His stuffed cat is Kevin O’Purry.   Super lightweight and traps odors, non-tracking, donates 10 meals to pet shelters with every purchase.  Litter is silica, with a PH tester that turns colors for kidney issues, UTI.  Margins are good.  There is a competitor.   $465,000 in sales so far in 2023.   Online is 70% through Chewy, Amazon, etc., with some in Walmart.   He had an online blog about soap operas, and sold the website/blog.  He wants to build and scale the business, and eventually sell it.  Kevin keeps bringing up his other animal company.   They want to branch out to a additive that you sprinkle on other litter brands, and it shows the same issues, and color indicating puppy pee pads.    I think this is a

Mark and Emma are out.  Robert is out.   Kevin and Lori offer 10% for $250,000 with a royalty per bag.  Kevin and Lori all equity for 20% equity and $250,000, no royalty.  Robert says $250,000 for 10%.   Seller asks how much for 3 Sharks, Lori, Kevin and Robert, 10% total, at $250,000 (exactly what Robert bid).   Lori, Kevin, and Robert.  Mark says $250,000 for 8%.  Lori, Kevin, Robert, 8% equity plus 2% advisory, $250,000.  Kevin drops out. 

My view is it's a fantastic idea for dogs and cats, but I'm sure there's competition out there.   

Deal with Lori, Mark and Robert for $250,000 and 8% equity and 2% advisory shares.

Modern Picnic Lunchbox Bags-a stylish lunch box, $400,000 for 6.5% of her company.   A lunch box for grown ups, vegan “leather”, stylish, looks like a purse.   Different shapes and sized, small, and have food containers that fit inside.   She packed the Sharks lunch.  Sell for $159 each, 80% margins, containers are 70%, small are $30 to $39.    70% are online, sell at Saks, Container store.  $6 million lifetime sales, $2 million in 2023, but still lose $100,000.      Customer acquisition is very high.    25% is spent on marketing.  Brand and acquisition marketing is way too high.   She’s raised $1.9 million.   Kevin says her numbers stink, and he’s out.   Mark says she’s overspending on advertising and customer acquisition, and he’s out.   Robert is out.   Lori is out, too much debt.  Emma says she needs to stop spending so much on marketing, and she’s out.  (This idea did nothing for me.  Another vanity product for people with a lot of money.)

No deal.    

AU Baby Blankets-(AU pronounced Oh) high-performance baby blankets, $80,000 for 20%.  Clean sustainable performance fiber made just for babies.   Blanket adapts to keep baby comfortable, can stay clean for up to a year, stain and spill proof.   Regulate temperature, wick away sweat.   Stains just wipe off, and won’t retain odors.   100% fine Merino fiber (wool).  First plant dyed baby blanket.   $62,000 sales 2022, hoping for $100,000 this year.  No digital marketing, but have a PR firm.   Partnering with pediatric specialists, going on podcasts.    Robert is out.  Mark is out.   Lori is out, too much competition, and pricing is too high.    Emma says product is too expensive.   Kevin bids $80,000 for 50%.  Counter is 30% for $80,000 from seller.    

Deal is Kevin 35% for $80,000. 

Torch Warriorwear-bodysuits for women in uniform, $150,000 for 10%. Air Force Vet, and cheerleader for two pro teams.  For women in the Military, health care, law enforcement, etc.   Fabric is stretchy, and soft.   For uniform wear, the colors have to be exactly correct.   As a minority, veteran, woman-owned business they have a deal with AAFES (Military PX ).    Margins are great.   Emma says the quality is great.  Kevin is out.  Mark is out.  Robert is out. Emma because Skims or her other business could jump into the same market.  Lori offers $150,000 for 25%.

22.5% for $150,000 Lori makes the deal.     (The seller was so impressive, and I think she does have a unique product.   Having the exact color is a requirement for military uniforms, and probably others also. )

 

Update: Long Table pancakes, no deal.   Popcorn based pancake mix.  They had a huge bump in sales before the segment on Shark Tank ended.   $1.25 million in sales in 8 months.  

 

Iconic Moment: Simple Habit, where Richard Branson threw water in Mark Cuban’s face.  And Mark threw a glass of water on Richard. 

 

 

Edited February 6 by CrazyInAlabama

[DEL901]

The reason the kitty litter sounded familiar was because Martha Stewart was selling the thing years ago.   Sure, they claim some improvements such as the size or materials or something of the litter, but at the end of the day, a premium product that already exists. 

[Madding crowd]

I no longer work in an office but when I did I wouldn’t want to carry two purses just to disguise my lunch. It also seems like there are sections in the bag which don’t allow you to use it as an actual purse because things like a wallet or sunglasses wouldn’t fit.

I asked my niece who is in the Air Force if she would like the bodysuits and she said she wouldn’t buy it because she works with mostly men and wouldn’t want to have to take her top down to use the restroom in case someone walked in by accident. 

[Vermicious Knid]

No snaps on the crotch? Well I thought there was a bigger problem that no one addressed. Her bra was clearly visible through the top and that is neither professional or desired in a military uniform. 

Tidy Cats has been advertising a color changing litter that tells you how your cat feels for months now, I assume that's the competitor. It also uses silica. 

 

 

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Since I'm guessing the episode was filmed a while ago, I wonder if they sold out to Tidy Cats?  Is that the same litter Martha Stewart was advertising for?    

[Shrek]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Since I'm guessing the episode was filmed a while ago, I wonder if they sold out to Tidy Cats?  Is that the same litter Martha Stewart was advertising for?    

There's a few different makes floating around, at least 3 or 4 that I know of.

[aemom]

I would never spend that kind of money on a purse, never mind a lunch bag.

I was intrigued by the baby blanket, but man that's expensive. Some "spills" are not easily just wiped off.

I also thought that the bodysuits seemed rather sheer and I would never wear one without snaps - too inconvenient. 

I remember the pancake guy - I'm glad that he landed on his feet. He was very smart to go all in for his inventory before appearing on the show. I think that far too many pitchers are not ready for the rush after being on the show and lose a lot of opportunity. 

[eel2178]

2 hours ago, aemom said:

I was intrigued by the baby blanket, but man that's expensive. Some "spills" are not easily just wiped off.

Yet another mother who thinks she has revolutionized childcare.

If she's trying to tell me that after the kid pukes or poops on it all you have to do is wipe it off then hand it back to him, I'm horrified. What about milk spills that go sour? I'd also like to know if it is machine washable. If a wool blanket has to make a trip to the drycleaners whenever it needs to be washed, you'd better be planning on investing a lot in one-hour processing if this is your kid's security object (although if you're willing to pay that much for a baby blanket maybe you have a lot of disposable income; however, I can really only see someone spending that much money if it was going to be a baby shower gift).

Speaking of wool, I'm not sure children with asthma or sensitive skin issues should be using a wool blanket.

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Is that the same litter Martha Stewart was advertising for?    

No, that is Pretty Litter.

Having sold 18,600 units from Jan 2023 until the episode was filmed, it is hardly flying off the shelves.

I can see buying it if you think your cat might be having an issue in order to see if a trip to the vet is warranted; however, spending $25 every time you change the litter box just to wait and see if it will change colors is ridiculous. When my standard bag of house brand clay litter increased its price to $2.29 a bag, I thought it was ridiculously expensive.

[eel2178]

19 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

I no longer work in an office but when I did I wouldn’t want to carry two purses just to disguise my lunch. It also seems like there are sections in the bag which don’t allow you to use it as an actual purse because things like a wallet or sunglasses wouldn’t fit. 

The only advantage I can see is if you happen to get mugged on your way to work, the thief has a 50/50 chance of getting just your lunch instead of your valuables.

Lifetime sales are fewer than 38,000 units which she is trying to blame on difficulty and cost with customer acquisition. Lady, you can't acquire customers because your product is superfluous and way too expensive!

My previous boss used to carry her lunch to work in an Igloo cooler. Considering that she worked in an operating room and Igloo coolers are what are used to transport organs that are going to be used for transplant from one hospital to another, it really grossed me out every time I saw her walking in or out of the building with it. Maybe, for her I could see a reason to carry lunch in a purse instead; however, did the presenter say anything about it being insulated? I don't remember it if she did.

 

[aemom]

I don't know why, but I checked out the Modern Picnic website to see if they are insulated.

The prices!!!!

The kid's lunch bags are $83!

The Tote is $343 and the small clutch size is $81.  It says that they are insulated.

I bought a cute lunch bag (with the silver-interior) about 4-5 years ago and I think I paid about $20 CAD.

Wow these prices - I guess for the fancy folk they are NBD.

 

[eel2178]

1 hour ago, aemom said:

The kid's lunch bags are $83!

So kids are too posh to use a lunch box or brown bag now?

[Madding crowd]

1 hour ago, eel2178 said:

So kids are too posh to use a lunch box or brown bag now?

The same kids who have to walk around with designer Stanley cups! 

[Tango64]

22 hours ago, aemom said:

The Tote is $343 and the small clutch size is $81.  It says that they are insulated.

Is anyone who would pay those prices toting a baloney sandwich and a bag of Doritos for lunch? I don't seem them taking their lunch to work like that.

[CrazyInAlabama]

You can get insulated lunch bags from $20 to $80, they may not look like a huge tote / purse, but they're affordable.  I can't imagine spending the amount the seller wants for her lunch bags. 

I found out I will need to take lunches for my upcoming week of jury duty, so I bought a big insulated lunch bag, and a few of the freezer packs, total was less than $25, not paying hundreds of dollars for some lunch / purse tote. 

Edited February 8 by CrazyInAlabama

[Cotypubby]

23 hours ago, Tango64 said:

Is anyone who would pay those prices toting a baloney sandwich and a bag of Doritos for lunch? I don't seem them taking their lunch to work like that.

Exactly.

This is the main reason why the most recent seasons of this show have sucked so bad. Practically every product seems to be targeting the upper-middle class, or just flat-out wealthy, instead of regular people. It's not fun watches pitches for t-shirts that are $100, or bags that are $300. Let's see some clever, useful products that everyday people can actually afford.

That bodysuit seemed like a really bad idea to me. Because what female soldiers really want to do is strip naked every time they have to use the bathroom. WTF? Pants are practical for a reason.

[eel2178]

On 2/6/2024 at 3:54 PM, aemom said:

The prices!!!!

The kid's lunch bags are $83!

The Tote is $343 and the small clutch size is $81.  It says that they are insulated.

I bought a cute lunch bag (with the silver-interior) about 4-5 years ago and I think I paid about $20 CAD.

I live in a state that requires us by law to bring our own bags to the grocery store (actually, any store). They sell very large insulated bags in the checkout line for $2.99 (which I believe is for the posh group; remember when we used to take our groceries home in free bags without insulation in them, and it was never a problem? Why do I need an insulated one now?)

I know the ones the grocery store is selling aren't as sturdy as hers are; however, I could buy 114 of them for less money than I would have to pay for one of hers, and I would have enough room in my bag to bring something in for a potluck as well as my own lunch if I feel the desperate need for insulation.

 

[eel2178]

5 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

This is the main reason why the most recent seasons of this show have sucked so bad. Practically every product seems to be targeting the upper-middle class, or just flat-out wealthy, instead of regular people. It's not fun watches pitches for t-shirts that are $100, or bags that are $300. Let's see some clever, useful products that everyday people can actually afford.

Send your feedback to:

https://support.abc.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=360003079511

[DEL901]

I always find it funny when people brag about sales, but because of the price, they have only sold a couple of hundred units.   And I’ve been floored by the sharks doing deals they would never have touches a few seasons ago.  

[SoMuchTV]

On 2/5/2024 at 8:12 PM, Madding crowd said:

I asked my niece who is in the Air Force if she would like the bodysuits and she said she wouldn’t buy it because she works with mostly men and wouldn’t want to have to take her top down to use the restroom in case someone walked in by accident. 

 

On 2/5/2024 at 11:33 PM, Vermicious Knid said:

No snaps on the crotch? Well I thought there was a bigger problem that no one addressed. Her bra was clearly visible through the top and that is neither professional or desired in a military uniform.

I just watched this, so those comments were in my mind during that segment.  A  couple things:  1) there were definitely snaps at the crotch, although they seemed to be making a point of keeping the camera away from that area except for a few seconds.  Otherwise how would you even put it on?  It had a crew neck.  She said it was stretchy but didn't look stretchy enough to step into like a swimsuit.  2) This is supposed to be an undershirt, right?  So what would it matter if it's see through?  It's under your uniform shirt.

I thought she did a good job of pointing out what to me would be the main selling points - fire resistance and exact color match to the uniforms - but the sharks seemed to be mostly ignoring that.  I didn't catch it if they talked about price, though.  Maybe that was enough to turn most of them off.

[EXEAL]

On 2/6/2024 at 1:59 PM, eel2178 said:

I'd also like to know if it is machine washable. If a wool blanket has to make a trip to the drycleaners whenever it needs to be washed, you'd better be planning on investing a lot in one-hour processing if this is your kid's security object (although if you're willing to pay that much for a baby blanket maybe you have a lot of disposable income;

She said the blankets were made with Merino Wool and at one point she said, "Guaranteed not to fade after washing." So I looked the wool up and it can be washed in cold water and tumbled dry. It doesn't shrink or fade. The link to the care is here...

https://www.minus33.com/pages/wool-care

[EXEAL]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:51 AM, aemom said:

I also thought that the bodysuits seemed rather sheer and I would never wear one without snaps - too inconvenient. 

I was curious too so I did a search and found her IG page. The body suit has snaps. These are screenshots from a video on her IG page and the link takes you to that video...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2ByvlWrXKB/

[eel2178]

20 hours ago, EXEAL said:

She said the blankets were made with Merino Wool and at one point she said, "Guaranteed not to fade after washing." So I looked the wool up and it can be washed in cold water and tumbled dry. It doesn't shrink or fade. The link to the care is here...

https://www.minus33.com/pages/wool-care

However, I think she added something to it such as Scotch Guard since she was trying to claim that it could be wiped clean without washing it. Her allegation was it only needed to be washed once a year. No one making Merino wool sweaters makes that kind of claim. Maybe whatever she had coated it with to be stain resistant wouldn't hold up to a washing machine even on delicate.

[eel2178]

On 2/8/2024 at 6:58 PM, DEL901 said:

I always find it funny when people brag about sales, but because of the price, they have only sold a couple of hundred units. 

I've said it before, but it still bears repeating: the snarks start ooing and awing whenever they hear anything about sales being over $1,000,000. They never stop and do the basic math.

If it sells for $550, then they've only sold 18,181 units.

If it sells for $5.50, then they've still only sold 181,818 units.

Why are they so impressed by that? Sales that low don't keep anyone in business no matter what the product. Then if you start calculating in how many years it has taken them to reach those numbers, the impressiveness factor drops even more.