Shower Smarts
This story appears in the February 1998 issue of Startups. Subscribe »
A pyramid of shampoo bottles is not functional art, it's a nuisance. Give your customers elbow room in the shower with the Dispenser.
The Dispenser holds shampoo, conditioner or liquid body soap for easy, mess-free use in the bathroom. It comes in white, vanilla and chrome, and its fixtures hold up to four of your customers' favorite liquids. Each of the Dispenser's pop-out chambers holds 15 ounces, and the patented pump delivers the liquid with one or two pushes of a button. Installation is easy: The plastic Dispenser adheres to tile, marble, plastic and fiberglass.
Wholesale price: $8.98 to $13.39 for one chamber, $12 to $13.45 for two, $14.22 to $24.45 for three and $16.44 for four. Minimum order: 12 units.
From Better Living Products International Inc., Toronto. To order, call (800) 639-4756.
Pampered Pets
By Laura Tiffany
Does Fluffy complain of aching joints? Does Fido look stressed out? Rescue your customers' ailing pets with a pampering massage from the Massage `N' Brush, a unique pet brush that gives animals a soothing, vibrating massage while brushing away hair.
The vibrasonic action of the brush can be activated with the flip of a switch. The dual-sided brush has flexible wire bristles with ball tips for brushing and massaging, as well as large rubber nodes to pick up loose hair.
The Massage `N' Brush requires one "AA" battery (included) and is safe for use on dogs, cats and other furry friends.
Wholesale price: $5. Suggested retail price: $9.95. Minimum order: 12 units.
From Wee Talk! Inc., Agoura Hills, California. To order, call (888) 422-8810.
Home, Safe Home
By Laura Tiffany
How many times have you seen a door get kicked open in the movies? These scenes may leave your customers questioning the safety of their own locks. Sell them peace of mind with the Door Guard, an interior door barrier that withstands tremendous impact.
The Door Guard is easy to install; the main piece adjusts to any single-door width and slides on and off its mounted brackets in seconds. When an intruder tries to open or break down the door, the nylon device absorbs the impact. Because it's mounted to wall studs rather than the door, the wall must be destroyed before an intruder can break through.
Wholesale price: $19. Suggested retail price: $69.95.
From Hinge Lok Inc., San Juan Capistrano, California. To order, call (888) DOOR-GUARD.
No More Travel Tantrums
The inventors of the Are We There Yet? card game are parents themselves, which explains how they know exactly what parents and kids need to survive family vacations with nerves and sanity intact. Take advantage of the growing travel-products market by offering your customers this unique new travel card game, which promises parents will hear the dreaded "Are we there yet?" a lot less often.
The game includes 450 cards in five categories: objects, people, signs, vehicles and animals. Players try to spot such items as "a pet traveling in another vehicle."
Wholesale price: $7.25. Suggested retail price: $14.95. Minimum order: 12 games.
From Are We There Yet? Worldwide Inc., Calgary, Alberta. To order, call (800) 892-9012.
