Aug. 20, 2009
Inventors Seek "Next Big Idea"
Amateur Engineers Pitch Creations at N.J. Inventors' Fair, Shooting for Success as Infomercial Stars
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The "As-Seen-On-TV" and infomercial market is a $20 billion industry. (CBS)
The market is a force to be reckoned with, especially since business in the sector is booming in the down economy.
But where do all those products come from?
"The Early Show" went to Fairfield, N.J. to find out. At the Telebrands Inventor's Fair, 74 aspiring inventors from 65 cities flocked to the event to get a chance to cash in on their ideas.
The head judge of a panel that gives a thumbs-up or down to the inventors is the CEO and founder of Telebrands, AJ Khubani. He's the force behind such "As-Seen-On-TV" products as The Windshield Wonder and the Ped Egg, an at-home pedicure kit that sold over 30 million units.
According to Khubani, the formula for these products' success is simple:
"It's got to solve a common problem. It's got to have mass appeal. It's got to demonstrate well on TV. It's got to be something we can retail for $10 to $20."
While some devices at the fair interested the judges for possible promotion, such as a device that eliminates water-filled cups in the dishwasher, others fell flat.
However, no matter the outcome from the panel, the fair was just the beginning.
One unidentified man told
And three inventors brought their gadgets to "The Early Show" Thursday.
David Slockbower, of Blairstown, N.J. had the "E-Z Shopper," which uses a handle that can grab a number of shopping bags at the same time to make bringing shopping bags from the car into the home easy. The device can hold a tremendous amount of weight. Slockbower invented the "E-Z Shopper" after hip replacement surgery because he couldn't balance the bags and his cane.
Jim Bonner, Akron, Ohio, showed the "Hang Glider," a hanger that has a moveable arm to insert in and out of shirts, sweaters, dresses to make putting your clothes on and off the hanger easy without stretching the garment.
And Terrance Sommerville, of Newark, N.J. displayed his Solarville Solar Battery Charger that can charge a cell phone and iPod, among other electrical devices.
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- Its amazing how the "as seen on TV" industry continues to grow, and now that TV time cost less because the big corporations are advertising less due to their budgets, I expect that the next year or two will produce a lot more infomercials. By the way you can buy many of "As seen on TV" products wholesale at EZwholesaler.com
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- bonjour,
c'est trés bien un salon pour inventeurs, pour leur donner un coup de pouce une chance..de réussir......quand aux trois qui sont passés au early show leurs inventions originales, mais l'idée du "hang glider" de jim bonner.. le cintre a bras m'a beaucoup plue bravo aux trois...au revoir - Reply to this comment
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