yeswedo October 7, 2015 Share October 7, 2015 Guest shark Troy Carter; a sock-of-the-month club; wooden bow ties, lapel accessories and fedoras; a valet and garage parking app; a balm that stops eyeglasses from slipping; an update on some of Kevin O'Leary's previous deals. Link to comment
sadiegirl October 7, 2015 Share October 7, 2015 I've been having a lot of problems with my glasses slipping lately, so I hope that balm works. 3 Link to comment
designing1 October 7, 2015 Share October 7, 2015 Wooden bow ties and fedoras? This is comfortable...how, exactly? With the exception of the sock-of-the-month club, at least these all sound like new (to me, anyway) ideas. Link to comment
nottopbravo October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) Socks? Socks? I can't think of the last time that I showed somebody my socks. Wooden Bow Ties? Nerdwax? Are you kidding? No new ideas, anyone? Edited October 10, 2015 by nottopbravo 2 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I looked up Nerdwax on Amazon because the concept intrigued me. I wear reading glasses and have them all over the house. Constantly sliding. But for $13?? No, don't think so. After reading some of the more rational reviews, not the gushing "OMG, this is great!" reviews, I will pass. 3 Link to comment
leighdear October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 As a test, I just put a coat of Burt's Bees wax lip balm on the eye pads of my glasses, and they didn't slip. I know they said it's a different formula than lip balm, but my $2.99 tube of BB seems to work just fine. But then again, I have my glasses adjusted so they actually FIT my face properly, so there's that.... 9 Link to comment
Gregg247 October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I liked the basic idea for the valet parking app, but my question was, How do they tip the valet? In a lot of places around Atlanta, the parking is complimentary, but you still tip the valet a few bucks. Having to keep cash in your wallet for the tip would negate the convenience of paying for the parking through the app. Once again, nobody seems to want to take Kevin's money, even when he (occasionally) offers a good deal. I wonder if his persona of "the mean guy" is backfiring on him. Even his "Shark Tank Update" video only showed 3 of his company investments, versus the roomful of entreprenuers they routinely trot out for Lori and Barbara. I once read that Kevin only actually closes on something like 28% of the deals he "makes" on the show. 4 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 In a lot of places around Atlanta, the parking is complimentary Except the dome on game day. :) But I totally get what you're saying, he didn't mention a tipping process or if there even is one. Link to comment
LittleIggy October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I missed Robert. Didn't like the guest shark. Ashton was better, IMO. 6 Link to comment
roctavia October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) I don't know if it was the products... Or the sharks... Or both, but this episode was booooring! I don't always pay attention to the deal stuff anyway, especially when Kevin gets yammering... But I really didn't care this week. The valet thing.. Sure solves a problem in some areas... But doesn't seem very proprietary. The wooden rimmed hats were cool looking... But I don't think i'd ever buy one. Didn't like the look of the bow tie. The glasses Chapstick... Is it really the big of a problem? The sock of the month thing seemed like they are already doing well... But I think the subscription box thing is going to hit a wall soon, there are so many! Edited October 10, 2015 by Jjrmt 3 Link to comment
sadiegirl October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) I didn't realize sock of the month was a thing until this show. I think a few crazy socks are fun but I'm not sure I'd want all my socks to have crazy patterns. And $9 seems like a lot for a pair of socks. ETA - Just checked their web site. I have small feet and one-size-fits-all are usually too big for me, so I appreciate companies that offer sizing in their socks. And $2 shipping on top of $9 for a pair of socks? Way too much. Edited October 10, 2015 by sadiegirl 4 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I kept thinking of Oddjob from the old James Bond movies when they were showing off the wooden brim of the hat. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JDDjxa7RsKg The episode was boring because that new guy was boring. He spoke in such a monotone, I missed most of what he was saying. 3 Link to comment
Primetimer October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 When the most ingenious product featured on an episode is wax that keeps glasses from sliding down your nose, you know that Shark Tank has reached peak levels of useless crap. Read the story 2 Link to comment
Eolivet October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 For the "Foot Cardigan" (which...really? do the socks have buttons?) pitch, when the guy laughed off the sock sliding down his calf, that was a huge red flag to me. My number 1 sign of cheap socks is that they slide down your calf, and that guy couldn't make it through a presentation without it happening? Uh-huh. I didn't see much of a need for Nerdwax, but then I remembered that I get glasses at an eyewear store, where they're adjusted to perfectly fit before I leave the store. But a lot of people buy their glasses over the Internet now (isn't that Warby Parker's M.O.?), not to mention at drugstores, so maybe it's for that customer base. Still, I agree the price point is too high and is "Glasses falling down my face" really a problem that demands a solution? And wow, did their kids have the hipster-est names that ever hipster-ed, or what? Yikes. 3 Link to comment
sadiegirl October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 For the "Foot Cardigan" (which...really? do the socks have buttons?) pitch, when the guy laughed off the sock sliding down his calf, that was a huge red flag to me. My number 1 sign of cheap socks is that they slide down your calf, and that guy couldn't make it through a presentation without it happening? Uh-huh. I didn't see much of a need for Nerdwax, but then I remembered that I get glasses at an eyewear store, where they're adjusted to perfectly fit before I leave the store. But a lot of people buy their glasses over the Internet now (isn't that Warby Parker's M.O.?), not to mention at drugstores, so maybe it's for that customer base. Still, I agree the price point is too high and is "Glasses falling down my face" really a problem that demands a solution? And wow, did their kids have the hipster-est names that ever hipster-ed, or what? Yikes. Totally agree about those poor kids' names. Why do that to your kids? I also totally agree about the socks falling down. I tried the Bomba socks because they said their socks stayed up - and they do. I'm a customer for life just for that. I do wish they made knee high socks, too. Then I would be all set for socks. 1 Link to comment
nobodyyoucare October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 To be fair they did rip their pants off. That may have caused one sock to slide down due to the ripping motion. Glasses slipping down is a problem in hot weather due to sweat. Even fitted glasses become uncomfortable on the nose due to the effects of sweat. Sunglasses also don't tend to be fitted so those would slide like crazy. Note they said the tube lasted eight months before someone reordered. So either it goes bad or it lasts a lot of applications. So for a lot of people that would be a great deal. As for tipping paid valet services one would have two to five bucks. This is for valet services that charge 25-30 or more dollars just for parking an hour. That is what the app is for those services that charge by the hour. 1 Link to comment
starri October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Troy Carter's namedropping of all the tech companies he's invested in wasn't quite as obnoxious as Nick Woodman making every third word "GoPro," but it was close. I ordered a tube of Nerdwax. We'll see how it goes. i think my biggest takeaway was my utter shock at how much money Wicked Good Cupcakes has made in the last two years. 1 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 One of the reviews I read about Nerdwax suggested a cheap and more-effective alternative. Put a bit of fabric hemming tape on your glasses. You can cut it to fit. It makes sense, and that stuff is cheap so I'm going to give that a try. 1 Link to comment
Latverian Diplomat October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) I felt bad for the valet parking guy, because he seems like he knows what he's doing, but it's a really tough business to break into. Unlike uber, where there's a vast supply of underemployed people with their own cars, parking is a naturally scarce resource captured by established players. Valet parking even more so. One thing that seemed off about it, was using PINs instead of some some sort of phone app to "check in". People hate remembering PINs, and love waving their phones around. It seemed like a misstep to me. Nerdwax was probably there for the free advertising? They didn't really seem desperate for the capital. Men (and it is men, right?) who like to "break the ice" with loud socks and goofy ties are not people I am eager to meet, but I guess I can see the appeal these products to a certain type of extrovert dudebro. ETA: Surely these are both fad driven companies, right? They don't seem like long term success stories. Edited October 10, 2015 by Latverian Diplomat 3 Link to comment
Mountainair October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I spend about $9.00 a year per family member on socks so $9.00 a month for one pair of socks is a bit much. if it were $9.00 a month for a few pair of socks each time I could maybe get behind that. I'm all about subscription services. We do the Dollar Shave Club deal which is $9.00 every other month for four razor blades at a time. That works well for us. I did kinda like the Bowties. I could see that going over well with the hipster generation and also as groomsmen type gifts. My dad works for a reputable company making eye glasses. You go in store and try them on and get them fitted so I couldn't get behind the Nerdwax idea either. 1 Link to comment
leighdear October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) One of the reviews I read about Nerdwax suggested a cheap and more-effective alternative. Put a bit of fabric hemming tape on your glasses. You can cut it to fit. It makes sense, and that stuff is cheap so I'm going to give that a try. My grandmother used to use those stick-on corn pads. She'd cut them small to fit, then stick them on. They worked great and lasted for months! *LOL* Edited October 10, 2015 by leighdear 1 Link to comment
KaveDweller October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) I've never had a problem with glasses sliding down my nose, even cheap sunglasses that I've owned. So I didn't really see a need for that product. I was surprised so many people want crazy looking socks like those foot cardigan people. But good for them, I guess. I didn't like the new guest Shark. He kept having these odd looks on his face, like he was surprised/angry at things people were saying, even if there was no need to. I think the other sharks tend to have better banter between them that is more entertaining. Edited October 10, 2015 by KaveDweller 4 Link to comment
Amarsir October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Unfortunately Troy was just boring to me. It's probably just a less forceful personality, which doesn't come across so well in a single episode. Nothing against him in general but it wasn't captivating TV here. I don't know if it was the products... Or the sharks... Or both, but this episode was booooring! I don't always pay attention to the deal stuff anyway, especially when Kevin gets yammering... But I really didn't care this week. I actually thought Kevin's "Something Wonderful" synergy was the most interesting part. (Which he apparently renamed between making the failed bowtie offer and taping the feature segment. I like the name and I like the marketing pitch, but he is going to need to win more deals. I didn't see much of a need for Nerdwax, but then I remembered that I get glasses at an eyewear store, where they're adjusted to perfectly fit before I leave the store. But a lot of people buy their glasses over the Internet now (isn't that Warby Parker's M.O.?), not to mention at drugstores, so maybe it's for that customer base. Still, I agree the price point is too high and is "Glasses falling down my face" really a problem that demands a solution? I am currently wearing $40 glasses from EyeBuyDirect and they never slip down, even during exercise. Maybe there are certain types of frames that are heavier than others and thus more susceptible. But it's never been an issue for me. 2 Link to comment
slowpoked October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Mr. Wonderful no more? No one even took Kevin's offers last night seriously. I think both accepted offers went with the expensive ones, or practically begged another shark to join in with someone else. What, does Kevin have herpes or something? How come no one wants his money?! LOL! I kinda laughed at the wedding update segment. I didn't think someone like Kevin would make his businesses integrated like that with a wedding concept. He's right though, weddings are one event where reasonable pricing goes out the window. He should hook up again with the rent-a-wedding dress lady a few seasons ago and he would be one step closer to complete wedding services. I wonder if no entrepreneurs taking Kevin seriously is like karma for that season where he spent majority of it making crap royalty deals. And now, that he wants to be seriously in on the deal and makes a reasonable, and even sometimes cheaper offer, no one wants to touch him. 3 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 My grandmother used to use those stick-on corn pads. She'd cut them small to fit, then stick them on. They worked great and lasted for months! *LOL* OMG yes, my granny did the same thing! I forgot about that little trick. As I said, I have a bunch of reading glasses strewn all over the house, so I may try that. They are always sliding because I buy them at Dollar Tree. They do the trick, without being prescription. I have socks I bought 8 years ago, still in good shape. No way would I pay $9 a month for goofy socks. Basic black or white for me, please. 1 Link to comment
starri October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 The most bizarre aspect of the episode is the discovery that not only is a socks-by-mail business profitable, a Google search reveals about a half-dozen different services. 21st century version of Columbia House, I tell you. 5 Link to comment
PepperMonkey October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Aww, I liked Troy. I thought Ashton was a breath of fresh air his week, also. And, agreed, on the GoPro guy: Please don't ever have him back again. Kevin needs to follow suit with the other sharks and take a week off. He's ALWAYS always ALWAYS there. It would serve him better if he'd be gone now and then so maybe the viewing public would realize they miss him and/or his antics? Perhaps he's afraid we wouldn't, though. Everything was boring and hipster-y last night. Next week: hipster hula-hoops and more hipster beard grooming tools. 3 Link to comment
atir October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I couldn't believe in that wedding segment when Kevin said: "I now pronounce you man and wife." I haven't heard "man" in decades. Kevin, newsflash. He's already a man. Stupid git. How does one clean a fedora that has a wood brim? Daymond looked good in his. 5 Link to comment
nobodyyoucare October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Gift subscription seems to almost double their customer base for a few months out of the year. 11 bucks for one month for a pair of tacky socks I could see a lot of people doing as a gag gift. I suspect there are a number of people who get bored with just having constant white socks and having one disappear. Maybe these socks don't vanish into lint or perhaps the sock gnomes don't like them. Link to comment
starri October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 My Nerdwax has already shipped. That's some fast turnaround. Link to comment
nobodyyoucare October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Man and wife is the legal terminology from English common law. The man and wife became one entity but the man was still the man of the house meaning he had to get a job and provide for the entity resulting from marriage. Link to comment
atir October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Sorry, I'm not following your point. My comment was about how that part of the vows hasn't been used in so very long. Hell, I've been married 42+ yrs & that wasn't in our vows way back in ol' timey time. Kevin should have known better since he got his interwebs minister's license. 2 Link to comment
starri October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I imagine different denominations/couples might have different phrasing in the actual vows. Link to comment
TimetoShine October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 (edited) I use these to keep my glasses from slipping. They work. I tend to break out when beeswax is involved. I know I'm allergic to bees themselves but it seems kind of weird to also be allergic to beeswax; however, I can't use Burts Bees without some kind of a reaction. I have to agree, this episode was very boring. Although, I had no idea socks were that big, maybe it's because I'm in LA and it's 95 degrees out. I also have to agree that the guest judge was lame. Not interesting. Edited October 10, 2015 by corinne Link to comment
zxy556575 October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 I was surprised so many people want crazy looking socks like those foot cardigan people. But good for them, I guess. I thought Grace and Lace was a big ol' loser, too, so what do I know. I know a well-groomed guy -- a quiet academic librarian -- who wears patterned socks as sort of his thing and I don't think even he would want 12 new pairs a year. I get the appeal of the subscription model for entrepreneurs, but not selling individual pairs seems short-sighted. The Foot Cardigan website is trying way too hard to be FUN!! Link to comment
augmentedfourth October 10, 2015 Share October 10, 2015 Mr. Wonderful no more? No one even took Kevin's offers last night seriously. I think both accepted offers went with the expensive ones, or practically begged another shark to join in with someone else. What, does Kevin have herpes or something? How come no one wants his money?! LOL! I kinda laughed at the wedding update segment. I didn't think someone like Kevin would make his businesses integrated like that with a wedding concept. He's right though, weddings are one event where reasonable pricing goes out the window. He should hook up again with the rent-a-wedding dress lady a few seasons ago and he would be one step closer to complete wedding services. I wonder if no entrepreneurs taking Kevin seriously is like karma for that season where he spent majority of it making crap royalty deals. And now, that he wants to be seriously in on the deal and makes a reasonable, and even sometimes cheaper offer, no one wants to touch him. I know! He was like the Robert of this episode! :-X (Poor Robert. I like him most of the time, but he does get passed over an awful lot.) That wedding seemed like an awful reenactment. Or maybe I'm just hoping it was, because even if you're best friends with Kevin, are you really going to allow all the Shark Tank cameras in to use your wedding to help boost products that have appeared on the show? It's not a terrible idea, and he's right when he says common sense re: pricing goes out the window when it comes to wedding planning, but I just can't see him as the new face of weddings. Maybe too many "you're dead to me!"s over the years. I avoid valet parking, my reading glasses stay on just fine, and I'm not the target market for the wooden stuff, so it doesn't matter that I thought they looked dumb. When they said it was a good conversation piece for meeting women, I told Mr. Fourth that I wouldn't have dated him had he been wearing a wooden bowtie, flower, or fedora. He started to say that maybe some of them were cool, but then I told him if he bought one, he had to grow a neckbeard to go along with it to truly complete the look. However. He liked the Foot Cardigan people, went to their website, and was put off by the pricing. So I emailed the link to my mother, who is always looking for birthday/Christmas gift ideas for him. She's of a much higher tax bracket and didn't flinch at the cost, so I guess I'll let you all know how many pairs come to our house and what they're like.... 1 Link to comment
bilgistic October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 (edited) Grace and Lace have God behind them, so of course they won't fail. I also didn't know sock subscriptions were A Thing. "Foot Cardigan" needs to go back to workshopping that name. Sock Hop, Sock Shop, the Sock Stop, Ship Sock, Top Toe, Funny Feet. You're welcome, Foot Cardigan. A few of the men in my office (boss included) try to out-crazy-sock each other, and I can actually see them liking this in theory, but if the socks don't come from Brooks Brothers or someplace more pretigious (read: $$$), they probably wouldn't be all in. I have very few words for that self-tongue bath that was Kevin at the Vineyard (or wherever) marrying his rich friends and gifting them for free with his portfolio of Shark Tank investments. Edited October 11, 2015 by bilgistic 2 Link to comment
starri October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 I have a feeling the crazy-sock thing is in the same niche as the Tipsy Elves ugly sweaters. Shame Robert wasn't there, he'd probably have offered a better deal. Link to comment
Auntie Anxiety October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 I have had my fill of hipsters. Tired of the beards, tired of the vests, tired of the "coolness" of the hip-geoisie. Enough already. Talk about a niche product. If anyone wants to give me $9 (plus shipping and handling) for a pair of super duper cool socks, I'll go to the local Marshall's, buy a pair for $3 put it in a mailer and gladly steal your hard-earned money. And I wondered how many people actually buy a second wooden tie after they've bought the first one. The wedding was obviously a re-enactment, although I'm not sure what it was a re-enactment of. The guests looked like people they pulled off the street and received a Wicked Good Cupcake on the way out as payment for their time. 1 Link to comment
cooksdelight October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 If I was dating a guy with a wooden bow tie, I can guarantee you I'd find a way to put my eye out with the thing. Link to comment
woodscommaelle October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 Daymond needs to wear that wooden fedora every episode. 1 Link to comment
LittleIggy October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 I buy expensive frames at reputable eyeglass places, and my glasses slip because I have a low bridged nose and glasses just get warped by taking them on and off. That said, I wouldn't buy that wax. I can push my glasses back up easily enough. Link to comment
amaranta October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 If they are going to switch out Sharks I wish they would do it with Lori's spot; she's my least favorite. Her only upside this season is that she hasn't said "a hero or a zero" during these first 3 episodes. Robert is my favorite, followed by Daymond. Please, sub for Lori! My glasses, even though fitted, slip all the time. And always when my hands are full or soapy. If Nerd Wax lasts 8 months I may try it. 2 Link to comment
PepperMonkey October 11, 2015 Share October 11, 2015 (edited) Kevin's Wedding of Hilarity was, well, hilarious. Look, I have nothing against entrepreneurs and I realize there's a market for everything, but if I were a groomsman in a wedding at Martha's Vineyard who received a bottle breacher I would be a pissed off groomsman, I don't care how big you have my name monogrammed on there. Also, were the Wicked Good Cupcakes a gift or a substitute for the wedding or groom's cake? If so, just NO. Whether they were a gift OR the actual cake to be consumed, just NO and no again. Were they actually in those little jelly jars we used to fill with wild plum jelly and give as Christmas gifts so many years ago??? And I wouldn't want Kevin officiating my ceremony but maybe he has enough friends that will. Or enough desperate people who want to be close to a sort of star that they would pay to have him read their vows. As has been said so many times before, to each his own. Edited October 11, 2015 by PepperMonkey Link to comment
Charlesman October 12, 2015 Share October 12, 2015 The Valet App seemed the most interesting to me, but, my big hangup with a lot of these types of apps is that you need to download the thing before you arrive at the place. So, you'll need to know in advance, before you leave your house so you can use it on the wifi, that the particular restaurant you're going to uses this particular service. I just don't valet enough to care, and I live in Los Angeles where seemingly everywhere has valet. Link to comment
starri October 13, 2015 Share October 13, 2015 My Nerdwax arrived today. Either they were prepared for the surge in business after the show, or they didn't have much response. If it works, it came at a good time. Link to comment
leighdear October 14, 2015 Share October 14, 2015 Well, come on Starri! Tell us all about it! Does it work? How does it smell? Tell us, tell us, telllllllll usssssss!!! ;-) Link to comment
Jersey Guy 87 October 14, 2015 Share October 14, 2015 All the pitches just seemed lame to me. I agree with others about the problem of tipping with the valet app - I rarely (if ever) park somewhere that's valet parking and isn't free (I don't consider the typical New York City parking garage to be "valet parking"). So, for me, the only expense in valet parking is the tip. Which the parking attendant expects cash. So fail there. The eyeglass wax seems like too much of a niche market, and if you're only going to buy the stuff once or twice a year there's not enough repeat business. Same with the loud sock of the month club - that's a novelty gift item and you buy someone a three month subscription. I don't think there's all that big a bow tie market let alone one for wooden bow ties. Bad pitches combined with a boring guest shark made for a forgettable episode. I'm sure it will show up every other day on CNBC soon enough... 1 Link to comment
starri October 14, 2015 Share October 14, 2015 Nerdwax kept my glasses in place when I was scrubbed in on a really long surgery today. Which is the reason I bought it, so I approve. 3 Link to comment
needschocolate October 16, 2015 Share October 16, 2015 The wooden accessories and the sock on the month club seem like "gifts for the man you don't know what to give." Tired of giving your father/boss/brother-in-law/etc a tie for Christmas or his birthday? Give him a wooden bow tie or a new pair of socks every month. I don't see either one having much repeat business - who would say "Gee, I really liked the wooden tie my son gave me, I think I will buy another one" or "Gosh, now that the subscription has run out, I miss getting a new pair of socks every month, I think I will join up again." Maybe once business dies down, they can join forces and people can get a pair of wooden socks every month. How does one clean a fedora that has a wood brim? Pledge? Or, if it is particularly dirty, Murphy's Oil Soap. I wonder how often it needs refinishing. Nerdwax kept my glasses in place when I was scrubbed in on a really long surgery today. Which is the reason I bought it, so I approve. Did it make your nose feel waxy? While they were giving there pitch, all I could think of is that your nose would be waxy afterward. 1 Link to comment
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