2002 Exhibitor Shares Experiences with INPEX® & QVC
Joe Simonsen brought his Aluminum Portable Towel Holder Rings to INPEX – America's Largest Invention Trade Show in 2002 not knowing what to expect. INPEX is a unique exposition showcasing numerous inventions, new products and innovations available to business and industry.
"I discovered INPEX on the Internet, and through an associate, who found another person who had attended the show," Simonsen said. "I decided to go based on their recommendations, but didn't really know what INPEX was about."
Simonsen, a Washington state native, flew to Pittsburgh for INPEX in 2002, and took home a Silver and Bronze Medal in the Kitchen and Bath categories. The Aluminum Portable Towel Holder Rings clip onto a surface so that they can be transported anywhere. The rings rotate for versatile use on the top, side or bottom of cabinet doors. While at INPEX, Simonsen said that he met many people.
He returned from the show, and after a few "dead-end" experiences with companies, he licensed the Aluminum Portable Towel Holder Rings to Live Shop TV, a contact he made while at INPEX receiving a $10,000 advance. Simonsen is now having the product manufactured in China, but hopes to be manufacturing it in the U.S. sometime soon.
Karen Hyman, past president of Live Shop TV, said that Simonsen was very determined about his product. "He had been turned down by a few people, and things didn't go well for him but he kept persevering."
With Live Shop's help, Simonsen appeared on QVC with the towel holder rings. According to him, the first airing did not go so well. "We ordered a small amount to get started with, and the first time that my product aired was Memorial Day weekend of 2004," he said. "There weren't that many orders, but there also weren't that many people in front of their television sets on a holiday weekend, either."
As a result, QVC agreed to air the product again in a different time slot. The second 8-minute airing resulted in a sell-out, and in January of 2005, Simonsen sold another 8,000 units from a third 9-minute segment. In April, QVC ran three different 8-minute segments, which again resulted in another sell-out for Simonsen. The product is now scheduled to air once a month, and he is now ordering about 17,500 units from his manufacturer. He's hoping these will sell out in a short time.
Simonsen's product is also in a catalog and he is planning to try out the product in retail stores within the next year. Live Shop TV is also currently working with Simonsen to put together a two-minute infomercial for the towel holder rings.
When talking about INPEX, Simonsen said that it's an experience that allows an inventor to walk away with a lot of information. "My advice to inventors is to take in as much as your time will allow. I took in the INPEX Inventors University™, and I really learned a good bit that I hadn't already known. The seminars were really helpful."
He also said that preparation is a necessity. "Make sure you come to INPEX prepared with your invention or product," Simonsen said. "Be realistic, keep your eyes open, and recognize that YOU have to do work to try to get this product licensed, manufactured or on the market. It's not just going to fall into your lap."
According to INPEX show director, Jennifer Lawlor, "Joe's experience is not typical of what an inventor can expect. Yet Joe's perseverance and abilities, as well as some luck, contributed to his success to date. We are pleased that INPEX has been able to play some role in this."
For more information about the Aluminum Portable Towel Holder Rings, you can visit the QVC website at www.qvc.com. For more information about INPEX, call 888-54-INPEX.
