S06.E20: LuminAID, Taaluma Totes, Keen Home, Scholly

[NikSac]

Not all scholarships are need based. And some are really obscure. I haven't researched scholarships in a while (since the 00s) but the sites I remember, you had to give them a lot of personal info, and even pay.  If this app is only 99 cents and no one is going to be calling you, then it would be worth it to get a targeted list of scholarships.  The flaw I saw with the program was that it was all labor intensive in that they had 1 guy researching and typing the info in.  The presenter made it seem like once it was input, it wasn't revalidated.  Still 99 cents makes it a cheap buy.

 

Maybe this is where I got lost - I didn't realize that you got particularly targeted scholarships with this app. If the targeting works well I can see that becoming important, and maybe they could also develop a website where the scholarship list was targeted based on the info the user inputs. Then they could sell sponsored ads, etc.

 

I remember the biggest problem I had when I used that scholarship finder book I mentioned previously was that tons of them (like well over half) were no longer valid, which was frustrating especially when I'd shelled out the money to get the most current and supposedly validated info. The whole thing was kind of a ripoff frankly, so that may be why I had such a negative reaction to the Scholly guy. Plus I just immediately thought he was lying when he talked about how much he supposedly got in scholarships.  I'll still be curious to see what happens with him/the app, though.

[theatremouse]

Maybe this is where I got lost - I didn't realize that you got particularly targeted scholarships with this app. If the targeting works well I can see that becoming important, and maybe they could also develop a website where the scholarship list was targeted based on the info the user inputs.

I definitely thought he made a point of saying you entered criteria that applies to you and it filters, so I definitely interpreted it as being about targeted scholarships. But when he mentioned manually entering into a db, yeah...gonna be outdated really quick, just like old school scholarship books/lists, which is why the questions about the "algorithm" were important to those asking, and why it was weird he got cut off and we basically found out nothing about what the thing really does, if it's ever updated, etc.

[Lola16]

Mark and Robert were demanding to know how this algorithm the guy spoke of worked to validate and find scholarships. So it may have been more then guy just looking up info and tying it in. Also I think Daymond and Lori were thinking of ways to get more money from this then .99 cents for an app. 

I didn't hear that. Not all scholarships are listed online and the presenter definitely said there was 1 guy typing them all in. I'd think the question about the algorithm would be on how it matches people with targeted scholarship opportunities. 

 

Neither Daymond or Lori talked about further monetizing the app and the other sharks accused them of treating the presenter as a charity.

[Guest]

Maybe it's different now, but I personally didn't get around to college until I was 31. The FAFSA application had a focus on my parents' income that was not in any way applicable to someone who'd been on her own since 18. Maybe that has changed, but I didn't pursue government programs except student loans for that reason.

At age 24 you're considered independent.  I googled it to see and I know it was that way in 1989 because I entered college on full Pell grants at age 24, with a (deadbeat) dad with a huge income.  You can prove independence sooner in various ways.  For a full Pell grant ($1100/semester then) your income had to be under $6000/year (then).  So not a lot of adults probably qualified.  

 

Once on a whim I applied for a $500 scholarship, and then completely forgot the interview and so no-showed.  They gave me the scholarship.  Then a month later said "We screwed up, give it back, you were second in line."  So apparently two of us applied.  

 

This is interesting- 

https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-information/scholarship-myths/

The last myth listed is that there are billions of $ in scholarships that go unused each year.  They say it's not many at all.  And they say anyone claiming that and charging you money to find them is a scammer.  

[nobodyyoucare]

Am I the only one who uses the flashlight app on my phone for light when the power goes out? I also have a waterproof bag (a kayaker's thing) for my phone and money. And I go camping and anytime I need to find the communal restroom, I use my phone app.

That drains battery and hence unless you got a solar charger you got no phone.. Plus these lanterns do produce a fair amount of light and can light up a fairly large area. Not everyone carries around a solar system to charge their cell phone. I bought a system for 19.99 from staples that charges an included battery from natural and artifical light sources as well as usb. I could then press a switch to charge my cell phone. My phone actually has a flashlight switch that turns on an included led.

At age 24 you're considered independent.  I googled it to see and I know it was that way in 1989 because I entered college on full Pell grants at age 24, with a (deadbeat) dad with a huge income.  You can prove independence sooner in various ways.  For a full Pell grant ($1100/semester then) your income had to be under $6000/year (then).  So not a lot of adults probably qualified.  

 

Once on a whim I applied for a $500 scholarship, and then completely forgot the interview and so no-showed.  They gave me the scholarship.  Then a month later said "We screwed up, give it back, you were second in line."  So apparently two of us applied.  

 

This is interesting- 

https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-information/scholarship-myths/

The last myth listed is that there are billions of $ in scholarships that go unused each year.  They say it's not many at all.  And they say anyone claiming that and charging you money to find them is a scammer.  

Its likely millions but there are indeed a number of scholarships that do not go claimed each year because people do not know they exist or think no one is going to get it so they don't apply. 

[Amarsir]

I could see both sides of the argument, but I'm leaning towards Lori and Daymond and don't think they did anything egregious. Come on, every single shark on the show has done the "take my deal right now or I'm rescinding my offer" bit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I agree that it would have been nice to hear more about how the app actually worked, but if Lori and Daymond were willing to put up the money without that information, that's their problem.

That sums up my position as well.  They're all adults and so is the entrepreneur so if they want to make that kind of play it's fair game. But I definitely think that the "I really care about your business" crap Lori pulls really shows hollow when she's making an inferior or time-limited offer. If she actually cared about what the guy was doing she'd want him to get the best partner even if it wasn't her.

 

So again I defend her right to be selfish on the deal, but that's definitely what she was doing.

 

That Scholly guy struck me as shady, personally. I liked the idea, but... really?  Maybe times have changed but back in the day when I was looking for scholarships almost all of them were need-based or partially need-based, and for around $20 I got a book that listed thousands of possibilities. Thing was if you had other scholarships coming in, that reduced your "need." Plus you couldn't accept multiple free-ride scholarships to multiple places. Like I said maybe times have changed but the idea that someone got $1million+ made me think he either lied on at least some of the applications, or lied to the sharks.

I'm old too so I also remember the books. But I know for a fact that the "This person got $X million in scholarships!" stories were things back then too. Yes demographics matter a lot. Yes they're being generous with the adding by putting mutually-exclusive offers together.  (You can apply to 100 schools, get an average of $2500/year offered from them, and call that a million dollars.)  But they're also putting out a ton of applications because you don't know how successful you'll be.  So it's an accomplishment.

 

An app is interesting.  I spent the episode thinking "this would be so much more natural on a website."  Still mobile-accessible and a lot easier to type on.  But then I remembered A) I'm old, and teens today think apps first and web second. And B) It's hard to monetize a website like that but an app has it built in.  He should have a back-end website though and give scholarship funds the ability to enter info rather than manually doing it himself.

 

See, my reaction to Taaluma was 180 degrees from my reaction to Sseko.  They're employing disabled people in the United States to do the actual labor, and making sure that profits get recycled into the source country.  It's no more a charity than Sseko, but seems less exploitative by a factor of approximately infinity

I roughly agree.  The reason I wouldn't have the backpacks made in the countries is because then you have a dozen manufacturing locations to manage.  Much easier to control quality and ship from one place.  Other than that I don't care where it's made.

 

But it did seem much more genuine.  "We celebrate the countries by buying local fabric designs from them" is so much more natural than "I help these people by hiring them to make sandals I designed."  And although microloans are not full-on charity, it's a give-back aspect separate from the actual business which makes it more marketing-worthy.

 

Plus they did it all without making their employees stand in a field for a "thank you" video. Maybe I'm overweighting that, but it really didn't sit right with me when Sseko did it.

 

Still not entirely sure what the sharks were even talking about when they poo poohed the backpack couple - that they are too nice? too green in the ways of business?

Yeah I think it was cut down a lot because some of the discussion implied there had been missteps so far and whatnot.  But "not profitable enough yet" would probably sum it up.  Especially if they're both working it full-time and needing to draw money out.

[atir]

I can't tell from Luci light's website (bad pix?) how to attach them to anything. Is there a loop on top? They are nice but I can just see them being tossed hither and yon in the wind. The same can be said for the other brand.

[candall]

teens today think apps first and web second.

Ono mny sklshp apps R gng 2 lk lk ths!

[nobodyyoucare]

 

I roughly agree.  The reason I wouldn't have the backpacks made in the countries is because then you have a dozen manufacturing locations to manage.  Much easier to control quality and ship from one place.  Other than that I don't care where it's made.

 

But it did seem much more genuine.  "We celebrate the countries by buying local fabric designs from them" is so much more natural than "I help these people by hiring them to make sandals I designed."  And although microloans are not full-on charity, it's a give-back aspect separate from the actual business which makes it more marketing-worthy.

 

Plus they did it all without making their employees stand in a field for a "thank you" video. Maybe I'm overweighting that, but it really didn't sit right with me when Sseko did it.

 

Yeah I think it was cut down a lot because some of the discussion implied there had been missteps so far and whatnot.  But "not profitable enough yet" would probably sum it up.  Especially if they're both working it full-time and needing to draw money out.

You also would have shipping and export laws to consider etc. So making the product in a dozen different locations then having the product shipping to the US is way more costly and time consuming then buying the  fabric and having it shipped to the US. Buying the fabric still helps out the local economies as does the micro-loans. Also depending upon the default rate, interest payments etc the micro-loans could generate a small profit for the bag maker or be a drain on revenue.

Edited February 22, 2015 by nobodyyoucare

[sarthaz]

I think the biggest issue Mark, Robert, and Kevin had with Lori's nonsense was that it was so fundamentally against the spirit of the show and entrepreneurism.  It was a small amount of money, and Lori loves to pretend to care about helping people, so she subverted the process to make herself look good. And that's different from the normal deal-making games they all play (e.g., Mark's 24-sec clock), because they knew next to nothing about the business, and Lori went out of her way to prevent anyone (including the viewer) from knowing anything about it either.

 

Also, the unspoken-on-television reason is that the agreements made on camera are not binding, and Lori's people will go over the financials of the company, and she may decide not to do the deal.  What she did opens the doors to everyone just making rash judgments and stupid deals to scoop the others on-camera and then bailing on them after the show when the numbers don't add up.  Lori's behavior was offensive to entrepreneurs, offensive to the idea behind Shark Tank, and offensive to the young man who is working hard to make something great.

[DayPlayerAtKellys]

Also, the unspoken-on-television reason is that the agreements made on camera are not binding, and Lori's people will go over the financials of the company, and she may decide not to do the deal.  What she did opens the doors to everyone just making rash judgments and stupid deals to scoop the others on-camera and then bailing on them after the show when the numbers don't add up.  Lori's behavior was offensive to entrepreneurs, offensive to the idea behind Shark Tank, and offensive to the young man who is working hard to make something great.

 

Yes. This. Whether or not the site or the young man is shady, he still deserved to give his entire presentation, the way the rest of the entrepreneurs did. I felt sorry for the guy, he couldn't get a word in edgewise. In the end, even if Lori drops him, he's still had this tremendous amount of PR and that'll probably be enough to make him a few dollars and perhaps even get noticed by a tech company who wants to buy it from him. Hmmm maybe that's what Lori is counting on - that he's sitting on an ap that'll be scooped up for millions.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I had actually seen this product a few years ago and put it on my "investigate and maybe buy later" list but never got around to actually buying one so seeing them on Shark Tank was actually a good reminder to get off my ass and place an order. My procrastination has been rewarded though - they now have some new products (which weren't discussed on the show) including a non-pillow shaped light and a multicolored light.

 

luminAID how it works - says it will hold the charge for 4 months. They have a couple of variations that weren't shown in the episode and a Give Light, Get Light program where you buy a light and sponsor a donation to a partner organization.

 

I lost power for 3 days during Hurricane Irene a few years ago and this would have been great instead of candles and lanterns. During the day there was plenty of sunlight to recharge.

 

In regards to the solar inflatable lamp there are other companies on the market that make those. One of these companies has patents. I don't think the Lumi girls were asked about patents or it wasn't aired. https://www.mpowerd.com/products is one such company and there lanterns don't look like a pillow. 

 

They were asked about patents, that's when they said that the patents were filed through Columbia and so the school got 2%.

 

Okay I missed that part. But as I noted there are similar lanterns out there so the they do that pillow shape to have their product sold instead of being sued out of existence. So this is a case where a patent doesn't really help them out in getting an investment. Its just they got the chance to pitch instead of another company with a similar product. 

While both the Luminaid and the Luci were designed in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, mpowered (the group that created Luci) was formed in 2012 and filed their patent in 2013. According to the Luminaid website, they filed for their utility patents for the combination of solar, LED, inflatable technology in 2010. The Luminaid patent I found was filed in 2011. I'm more familiar with trademarks than patents so I'm not sure exactly how different two things must be in order for them both to have patents, but the Luminaid appears to have existed first and been patented first.

 

I don't have either product but after looking at them, I would not buy the original/outdoor Luci lamp because it's made of clear plastic which does not diffuse the light. I have an emergency LED lantern (hee, non-inflatable!) that I really don't like because the lights are housed in clear plastic like the Luci so the light is not diffused at all. You'd think this would mean it's brighter and therefore a better light source but it actually means that the light really just comes straight from the LEDs so it doesn't have much throw. The light isn't a thick beam like you get from a flashlight but it's also not as ambient as you get with the Luminaid. I have tried using the crappy lantern I have and it's not great for walking around the house because it only lights things that are less than 12" from the lantern. If it's lower than eye level, the LEDs glare right into my eyes. When I hang it, the LEDs don't blind me, but again the light is only good in the immediate vicinity. I know I am not describing this issue well, but you can see what I mean in this picture and this picture. There is a Luci Lux lamp with a frosted surface but it is described as shatterproof which I assume means it's hard plastic and therefore isn't inflatable/collapsible. One thing I really dislike about the mpowered website is that there isn't enough information on each product. I shouldn't have to find out the size, lumens, how many light modes are available, etc. from other sources on the internet. That stuff needs to be in the item description.

 

I live in a large city, but about once a year when it's stormy we end up losing power. I have tried everything from tea lights and lanterns to flashlights and headlamps. It really does depend on what your needs are and how long you think you will be without power, but I can see the Luminaid being handy if you are without power for more than a few hours. If it's just a temporary power outage that will be fixed by morning, then you can deal with not having electricity for a few hours. But in situations where your power will be out longer, you can't just plug your phone into the wall and then use the flashlight app. With a solar powered battery, you can use the light at night and recharge it during the day.

 

I can't speak for the Luminaid creators but I'm assuming that the pillow shape was to help diffuse the light, as well as to keep the design simple and so that it will pack down as small and flat as possible for transport. I know they mentioned that they can fit 50 of their lights in the same amount of space it would take to ship eight flashlights. For someone like me, that doesn't matter as much (although it is nice that you can charge one and then stick it in your glove compartment for emergencies knowing that it will stay charged for up to four months). But I can see how the packability and weight make a big difference when shipping boxes and boxes of these lights for emergency relief. The less space/weight these require on a transport, the more room they have for food and other supplies.

 

Ha, I think after the internet research I just did to write this post, I really have to buy a Luminaid!

[yeswedo]

 

Ha, I think after the internet research I just did to write this post, I really have to buy a Luminaid!

 

Please report back once you do!

[psychoticstate]

See, my reaction to Taaluma was 180 degrees from my reaction to Sseko.  They're employing disabled people in the United States to do the actual labor, and making sure that profits get recycled into the source country.  It's no more a charity than Sseko, but seems less exploitative by a factor of approximately infinity.  I liked them, I liked the idea, I loved the backpacks, and I bought one made of a beautiful blue-green Guatemalan fabric.

 

I didn't hate any of the products, I didn't hate any of the people pitching the products, and frankly, that's one of the few times Lori has never bothered me.  Good episode all around.

 

I agree wholeheartedly.  I was so impressed with their backstory, their idea and the fabrics that I went on Taaluma's website and purchased one in a fun, bright Ivory Coast fabric.  I look forward to it arriving.  I figure I can carry my laptop stylishly to my writing class or use the tote to carry my mishmash of items to and from work.

 

Personally I hate it when the sharks talk over each other and tell the entrepreneur they have to decide right then.  All this usually while others are talking and I've seen some epis where the shark then says they're out because the poor person can't respond fast enough. 

 

I do think Lori and Daymond were crazy to make an offer to the Scholly guy before he could even fully explain the app. 

[nobodyyoucare]

 

Personally I hate it when the sharks talk over each other and tell the entrepreneur they have to decide right then.  All this usually while others are talking and I've seen some epis where the shark then says they're out because the poor person can't respond fast enough. 

 

Note in the episodes where they say they were out because the guy didn't respond fast enough that whole sequence was said to be by the sharks to occur over 15 to 30 minutes. During that period the person refused to answer and was instead evasive multiple times. TV edited it down to two minutes or less. 

[needschocolate]

While they were having the Big Argument, I realized that Kevin wasn't talking - and he is always talking, no matter who else is talking. He doesn't shy away from arguments, he encourages them!  I wonder what rendered him speechless for a few minutes.  

[Guest]

I definitely thought he made a point of saying you entered criteria that applies to you and it filters, so I definitely interpreted it as being about targeted scholarships. But when he mentioned manually entering into a db, yeah...gonna be outdated really quick, just like old school scholarship books/lists, which is why the questions about the "algorithm" were important to those asking, and why it was weird he got cut off and we basically found out nothing about what the thing really does, if it's ever updated, etc.

It seemed like Scholly guy said someone entered the scholarship data initially and then said something to the effect of "and it will never need to be manually updated" or something, which piqued my interest and Mark's and Robert's, so I really wanted him to answer their question.  I mean, it's not that costly to pay someone to keep a database current but he implied he didn't have to.   

[NikSac]

Am I the only one who uses the flashlight app on my phone for light when the power goes out? I also have a waterproof bag (a kayaker's thing) for my phone and money. And I go camping and anytime I need to find the communal restroom, I use my phone app.

 

I've used it a time or two but the battery dies in like 5 minutes, so I don't use the flashlight app often. I wouldn't rely on it for a power outage. I can see the appeal of having a solar light of some sort available.

[Violet Penner]

Kevin talks about the walk out incident

https://soundcloud.com/ewradio/kevinoleary

[anonymiss]

While they were having the Big Argument, I realized that Kevin wasn't talking - and he is always talking, no matter who else is talking. He doesn't shy away from arguments, he encourages them!  I wonder what rendered him speechless for a few minutes.  

I think Mark and Robert were doing enough talking for everyone and they were angry while Kevin was just annoyed it seemed.

Edited February 25, 2015 by anonymiss

[starri]

Kevin talks about the walk out incident

https://soundcloud.com/ewradio/kevinoleary

Wow, he sounds incredibly Canadian there.

[Amarsir]

Here's an article with a brief update on Scholly and some other apps we've seen:

http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/24/the-shark-tank-effect-on-apps/

[cooksdelight]

But many users soon discovered that the app still had a number of bugs and, in some cases, pointed to outdated information.

Many complain that the app isn’t really offering much more information than a number of competing websites already do today, and, in fact, the limitations of a mobile interface is actually an inconvenience since the app doesn’t save your place, and you can’t open tabs like you could in a web browser.

This reaffirms Mark and Robert's questions as being valid and necessary. And gives Lori and Daymond the appearance of being jerks, in my opinion.

I still love my Cycloramic app.

[Lola16]

Here's an article with a brief update on Scholly and some other apps we've seen:

http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/24/the-shark-tank-effect-on-apps/

Drexel U's blog has more info on how the app works:

 

http://newsblog.drexel.edu/2015/02/20/drexels-million-dollar-scholar-gets-sharks-to-bite-on-abcs-shark-tank/

 

I can agree (from first hand experience) that the online 'free' scholarship search sites just spam the heck out of you and serve up useless matches --- many of which are 3rd party drawings for $500 or $1000.  All trying to get your PID or get you to buy something.  And there's a lot of scholarships to those private for profit trade schools or sketchy online only universities.

[nobodyyoucare]

Also those free sites may have malware on them. So .99 to try to avoid all that nonsense is a small price to pay.

[starri]

I got an update from Taaluma.  The response to their appearance was so overwhelming, they had to hire 15 new employees to keep up with the demand.  I guess they don't keep much inventory, because it sounds like they're made-to-order.  I don't have any urgent need for the thing, and maybe I just missed it on their website, but it would have been nice to know that beforehand.

 

I don't regret my purchase, but they've said it could take up to 14 weeks to fill the order, and if I'm on the tail end of that, I'm going to be at a different address by then.  Oh well.

[LeGrandElephant]

14 weeks! I wasn't going to order one anyway, but that would definitely stop me. They should start keeping inventory, and have a choice on the website between "buy now" and "order to be made for you in ___ time". They also should definitely make it clear when you order if its going to take more than a couple of days. 

[psychoticstate]

I got that email from Taaluma too.  It did say that we will get an update relative to our specific tote next week.  I certainly hope it won't be 14 weeks.  I will likely be at a new address as well.  Plus, I just really want my new tote! 

 

Glad they have gotten such positive feedback in the form of orders.  Surely they must have know they'd get a lot of hits on their website and potential orders.

[Skittl1321]

I think Mark and Robert were doing enough talking for everyone and they were angry while Kevin was just annoyed it seemed.

 

I thought Mark took a long time to get a word in. He kept sitting up, all puffed up, and then leaning back down again.  Finally he was able to talk.

 

 

 

As for Scholly- the guy said he got multiple full ride scholarships with no school attached to them.  And he chose Drexel?  As for the app, I think it is a good idea- if he can build the brand.

[anonymiss]

I thought Mark took a long time to get a word in. He kept sitting up, all puffed up, and then leaning back down again.  Finally he was able to talk.

He did take a long time looking like he was fuming and collecting his thoughts but then he unleashed. Kevin said his one-liner and returned to his pose of contemplation (his hands in that pyramid shape). I don't see him being one to say a lot after that--it looked like he was trying to remain his cool rational self.

[Katmai]

Taaluma's site now states they'll get your backpack to you by Sept. 1!!!!!!! Wow, 7 months away is a long time to wait for an order, maybe they need to hire even more people.

[nobodyyoucare]

Taaluma's site now states they'll get your backpack to you by Sept. 1!!!!!!! Wow, 7 months away is a long time to wait for an order, maybe they need to hire even more people.

I suspect fabric and time for it to be shipped to them is the real issue. I had to contact sportsman's guide in order to figure out why an order wasn't shipping. Turns out they would have held up the entire order due to one being expected to come in December. So the operator but a release on the rest of the stuff and I will only get charged for that one item when it comes in dec or earlier. 

[NikSac]

Holy cow, that is way too long to wait for a tote bag! At least they're being up front about the wait, but wow.

[psychoticstate]

Shouldn't Taaluma already have the fabric?  My understanding is that the fabric changes based on what's available so I would assume that the totes pictured on their website are the fabric they currently have in stock.

 

When I placed my order, the website stated that they had "a few" of the tote I chose left.  So I'm hoping that was true and I won't have to wait until September 1.  I can be a patient person but September 1 is ridiculous.

[cooksdelight]

Someone posted a link further upthread about a Luminaid product that looked square with a handle. I swear I saw a dog carrying one in a pet food commercial today.

[Amarsir]

Taaluma's site now states they'll get your backpack to you by Sept. 1!!!!!!! Wow, 7 months away is a long time to wait for an order, maybe they need to hire even more people.

That seems to be one of the differences a Shark makes. Businesses that get a deal are much more prepared for the Shark Swoon then ones that don't.  (Presumably by now the Sharks know what kind of ramp up to expect and they have the funding to pre-stock.)  

 

I've also noticed that several of Kevin's follow-ups seem to feature him addressing the production process to clear up shipping delays.  (Including this most recent one.)  Now if that's something he pays special attention to, or it's just something he does for the camera, would I guess depend on how much benefit of the doubt you want to give him.

[Guest]

That seems to be one of the differences a Shark makes. Businesses that get a deal are much more prepared for the Shark Swoon then ones that don't.  (Presumably by now the Sharks know what kind of ramp up to expect and they have the funding to pre-stock.)  

You'd think they know the sort of response just being on the show tends to generate, regardless of if a shark invests or not, and the sellers could be more prepared.  There are banks willing to give loans for fairly safe bets like to fund inventory for a quick burst of sales from being featured on a primetime ABC show.  But I guess if your problem is manufacturing capacity, you're just going to have to hope people will wait.  It sounds like that's not Taaluma's problem, though.  

 

Bottle Breacher got a shark and couldn't meet early orders.  

[starri]

Taaluma's site now states they'll get your backpack to you by Sept. 1!!!!!!! Wow, 7 months away is a long time to wait for an order, maybe they need to hire even more people.

I'm just going to hope that those of us who got in the early crush don't have to wait that long.  I'm sorry, I liked the backpacks, but I don't know if I liked them that much.

[Kel Varnsen]

Lori is such a joke. I wouldn't want $40k if it meant I had to listen to her patronizing, condescending drivel. I really wish they'd replace her, because she brings nothing to the table but QVC and hate, and the show doesn't need that drama to be a hit.

I wonder if that Scholly guy's partners were pissed when he told them what happened. I mean they did all the actual tech development right? So sure going with Lori and Daymond means your app will probably be successful. But at the same time if they could have gone with Mark or Robert, guys in the tech field, and those Sharks liked their skills, it could have set them up for life.

 

I wish they'd asked more of Keen Home.  I'm going to their web site.  I really need new vent covers but I'm 99% sure they won't make offbeat sizes.  What would be cool is if you could set the vents to effectively 'follow you' (or your phone) around the house.  When you go to bed, the A/C or heat is concentrated there (or in all bedrooms, if you set it).  In the living room, there.  Not home?  Turn it all to low.  Coming home- tell it so it cools/warms the house.  

I wish they had asked more too. Allow me to geek out about because designing HVAC systems is my job, but I am really curios how much energy you could save. I mean most home furnaces are constant (or maybe 2 speed) fans and one or maybe 2 stage heating. Close some vents and the fan isn't going to sense you need less air, it is going to try to push the same amount of air through few openings. The increased pressure means you will get less flow so you might get some savings there, but the fan would work less efficiently (plus there is the fact that with the higher pressure and the fact that residential ductwork isn't sealed well could cause leakage and noise). You might get some savings from heating based on the room you are in but the furnace is still going to try and push the same amount of air at the same temperature. 

 

I feel like the Keen Home design we saw is mostly residential. I don't recall most hotels having the same size venting as home ducts. Maybe my judgment is colored by the fact that I've been living in a long-term stay hotel for three months after some water damage to my house, and my room has one of those great honking wall units that controls the temp.

I am not sure how good that would be for hotels. Just about every hotel I have ever been in has its own separate little HVAC unit under the window. The fact that every hotel room is a separate fire compartment means running ducts to each room, and trying to give every room control, is more difficult. Plus something like this, with just closing off vents would never be used on a commercial scale, since there is much better technology for reducing airflow and saving energy.

[nobodyyoucare]

You'd think they know the sort of response just being on the show tends to generate, regardless of if a shark invests or not, and the sellers could be more prepared.  There are banks willing to give loans for fairly safe bets like to fund inventory for a quick burst of sales from being featured on a primetime ABC show.  But I guess if your problem is manufacturing capacity, you're just going to have to hope people will wait.  It sounds like that's not Taaluma's problem, though.  

 

Bottle Breacher got a shark and couldn't meet early orders.  

Bottle Breacher was prepared but the demand was so much they had to hire a few dozen more people and were still backordered. 

 

 

 

I am not sure how good that would be for hotels. Just about every hotel I have ever been in has its own separate little HVAC unit under the window. The fact that every hotel room is a separate fire compartment means running ducts to each room, and trying to give every room control, is more difficult. Plus something like this, with just closing off vents would never be used on a commercial scale, since there is much better technology for reducing airflow and saving energy.

I have been in a number of hotels that didn't have that. Depends upon the age of the hotel and wheter you enter the rooms from the outside of the building or the inside. 

 

These hotels have your typical room thermostat but no way for the management to remote disable the units. So if a room is vacant the fans go on by default, so having remote block vents by a wifi system already put in place for guest use could cut down on costs. 

 

The idea has merit but I think it would have to be tested to determine if over a year or several year period the cost of the unit is paid off before it is replaced. 

[Guest]

Bottle Breacher was prepared but the demand was so much they had to hire a few dozen more people and were still backordered. 

 

 

I have been in a number of hotels that didn't have that. Depends upon the age of the hotel and wheter you enter the rooms from the outside of the building or the inside. 

 

These hotels have your typical room thermostat but no way for the management to remote disable the units. So if a room is vacant the fans go on by default, so having remote block vents by a wifi system already put in place for guest use could cut down on costs. 

 

The idea has merit but I think it would have to be tested to determine if over a year or several year period the cost of the unit is paid off before it is replaced. 

Not being able to fulfill orders is to me not being prepared. 

 

The hotels and motels I've stayed in have the maids turn the A/C or heat to low or off when they service the room after a guest departs.  I'm not clear how Keen's product could improve on that.  

[starri]

The hotels and motels I've stayed in have the maids turn the A/C or heat to low or off when they service the room after a guest departs.  I'm not clear how Keen's product could improve on that.  

It would also make it easier to control the climate when the guest is in the room.  I'm not sure it would result in enough savings to offset the cost of installation, but I can see it being something that a hotel chain would at least consider.

[Kel Varnsen]

It would also make it easier to control the climate when the guest is in the room. I'Im not sure it would result in enough savings to offset the cost of installation, but I can see it being something that a hotel chain would at least consider.

Except on a commercial level there are already systems that allow each zone, say a bunch of hotel rooms, their own control. I question the amount of savings you would get by installing these on a system that wasn't designed for something like this. Basically if you had two vents in two rooms, and one closed a constant volume system would run more inefficiently and try to push twice as much air through the open one.

[nobodyyoucare]

Not being able to fulfill orders is to me not being prepared. 

 

The hotels and motels I've stayed in have the maids turn the A/C or heat to low or off when they service the room after a guest departs.  I'm not clear how Keen's product could improve on that.  

Maids will forget to do that or not be bothered since they would have dozens of rooms in a busy hotel. Also depending upon occupancy rates a room could be vacant for days. Its a lot easier to program a routine into a computer to turn on and off those vents depending upon wheter the room is vacant or not then have undependable humans turn on or off the AC. Guest checks out computer seals the vents. Guest checks in vents are unsealed by the computer. 

[psychoticstate]

I received an update on my Taaluma tote this morning.  Estimated delivery is May or June.  Right when I will be moving.  Ugh. 

 

The email said that people were working on the fabric and then it will be shipped to Virginia, where it will be made into a tote.  I'm confused.  When I ordered, the website told me they still had stock of the fabric I chose so it seems like there shouldn't be any delay in getting the fabric.  Unless they got a TON of orders from the east coast right after the show aired because I ordered out here on the west coast right after the show aired. 

 

Bummer.

[LeGrandElephant]

If I were you, I would email them either to cancel the order completely or to tell them you'll be moving and ask them to change the shipping address.

[starri]

They did give us the offer to cancel with a refund, but I'm hoping I'll get shipped closer to the beginning of May.  It's not like I have enough going on.

[LeGrandElephant]

Maybe you can change it to the address of a friend or family member who can pass it along to you? Good that they offered a chance to cancel. That kind of processing/shipping time is unreasonable. 

[psychoticstate]

I am going to see if I can change the shipping address to my office.  I'd really like the tote. 

 

It's too bad they were so unprepared for an influx of orders.

[psychoticstate]

So I changed the shipping address to my office.  No problems there.

 

Got a letter today at the office that the date has been pushed back yet again - - now we're at July 14th.  Apparently they went from making 50 totes per week to 700 with a goal of 1,000.  They most definitely underestimated the demand after their appearance.