Plop Star
When a guy rolls into the Shark Tank on a motorized toilet and says he wants to talk about poop, you know you're in for a real one. And it's fair to ask whether this might be the next Squatty Potty, though that's getting a bit ahead of things.
This entrepreneur says that he's never seen any product that works "post-poop" as advertised. And what he means is, the place still stinks. So, in typical Shark Tank fashion, this entrepreneur has gone and fixed the damned problem himself by creating a tablet that will eliminate odor if it's dropped in the bowl before... doing your business.
He claims that it works by spreading a little oil slick over the surface of the water and that these oils hold in any scent. Kevin wants to get all scientific about it and wonders if it's the oils that are holding all the smells in by trapping them under the oil layer. The entrepreneur seems to agree. He was inspired to make this product based on his daughter's making of bath bombs.
Lori, Mark, and Kevin all seem to like the replacement scent that the product gives off. Still, it's not enough to keep Mark in and he exits the deal "with prejudice", whatever exactly that's supposed to mean.
Plop Star comes in two kinds of packages, a six-pack that retails for $4.99 and a 30-pack for those who just don't ever want to be without it for $12.99. So far, the company has a stunning $12,000 in lifetime sales.
Unfortunately for Plop Star, there is an 800-pound gorilla already in the space space named "Poopery", a brand which has been valued at $300,000,000 and has seen $56,500,000 in sales and Lori is well aware of them because of her investment in Squatty Potty.[1] But she does seem to think that Plop Star might fit within her... "family" of businesses in this area.
Guest shark Rohan Oza compliments the form factor of the product but thinks that, rather than making it a consumer brand, the B2B model might be better since people might not care what state they leave other people's bathrooms in. Lori disagrees with this.
Barbara calls the entrepreneur a cautious, respectful, and quiet person but then goes on to say that she doesn't think he's tested the market and is out. Mr. Wonderful suggests the entrepreneur just flush the whole idea down the toilet, calling it a dog.
Lori finally says that she thinks there's too much competition in the space and is out because it's not for her despite earlier saying that it might fit within her family of businesses.
Rohan is the last shark still open to a deal, saying he likes the idea but that he was struggling with a seeming lack of a gameplan. The entrepreneur says that his plan is to pursue B2B and to try to get into more retail but this tips Rohan over the edge. He says there are "too many 'ands'" and he finally exits, leaving Plop Star without a deal.
Notes
- ↑ Incidentally, Lori mentions that Squatty Potty has done $160,000,000 in sales and has moved over 5,000,000 units.