‘Shark Tank’ review: Revolights, U-Lace, the Buffer Bit, and Squeeky Knees
After watching tonight’s new episode of “Shark Tank,”there was one thing really stood out for us above all else: Why were so many of these products fashion-based? We like this show when there is variety, and we only saw that with the very first product.
Still, this episode had a lot going for it from a drama perspective, in between Mark Cuban making strong accusations of one business owner, and telling another that their product “sucks.” In addition to seeing our take on everything below, we’ve also (as always) conveniently handed you some links so that you know where you can pick these up for yourself.
Revolights (asking for $150,000 for 10% of the company) – Was this ever entertaining or what? Seeing Mark Cuban blatantly accuse this guy of undervaluing the company and using the show for exposure was something that hasn’t quite been done like this before … but who knows? Mark could be right, and this could be some elaborate scheme … but we didn’t see that evidence in the edit. It seems more like he wanted to get a really good portrayal on the show of his brand, and he therefore gave the sharks a great evaluation to compensate for their time. We’re not an avid cyclist, but we hear about so many accidents at night that this really feels like a tremendous product. Robert Herjavec gives him $300,000 for 10%, double what he asked for.
Squeeky Knees – As we wrote about in our preview article for this show, we understand why there is a value for this. Parents are constantly worried about their children, and this takes care of youngsters hurting their knees, and it makes it easier on babysitters. We were really all for it … at least without the sneaker. The sneaker basically turns kids into crawling dog toys, and it would be beyond annoying to hear this all the time.
We also had more hope in the preview since we hadn’t seen the business owners yet, and knew what they were like. We didn’t know the squeak was so obnoxious, or that they were. We also don’t think that Mark was being rude or judgmental when saying that being a full-time mom or having a full-time job is going to take away from the business; he was just being honest. If the sales were higher and there was proof of concept, he would’ve never said that. No deal.
The Buffer Bit (seeking $75,000 for 25%) – We didn’t agree with Mark at all on the first product tonight, but since then, he’s really hit the nail on the head. This is a nice product for people looking to shine their shoes without having to buy a separate machine for it. It’s kitschy in a way. The major problem here is that there is probably not a big enough market for hardware-loving guys who also want to shine a shoe. The really rich probably get someone else to do it using fancy equipment, while most everyone else just goes casual. Still, at least this guy didn’t argue with anyone or find himself getting told off. No deal.
U-Lace – Unlike Squeeky Knees, this product came off far better here than in our pre-show research. It’s not perfect by any means, since these specialty laces are only comfortable with certain types of shoes. Also, it seems like work to change them out all the time. But, the margins are great, and the cost is low enough still that anyone can buy them. It’s not like shoe-shining or anything else that “kids these days” are not interested in doing.
This product, in the end, was a steal for Mark Cuban at $200,000 for 35%. He can have them in giveaways at the American Airlines Center, put them in the Mavs shop, and reach out to all of his partners. He may not be a designer like Daymond John, but there are so many easy connections here that it is the perfect product for all parties involved.
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Photo: ABC