We never saw it, but apparently, the deal with Lori Greiner from the TV show, Shark Tank, didn’t actually work out. Way back in April she tweeted, “Some deals happen on the show but not in real life #ThisOneDidntWork #SharkTank.”
Business is hard and we wish the Coolbox crew good luck, but they absolutely need to communicate better with their fans and pre-order customers.[/box]
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
If you’re unfamiliar with the Coolbox, a few guys designed the world’s smartest toolbox, integrating just about anything you’d need on a the job site: tool storage (of course), pass-through power, marine-grade speakers, LED lighting, mobile device stands, USB power, Bluetooth, a whiteboard, wheels, and more.
The Coolbox project started off as an IndieGoGo crowdfunding effort, raising more than $400k by April 2011—some 630% over the stated objective. That means lots of folks wanted one, including us. The guys posted video updates every few months, to show backers—those who pledged money towards development of the final product—how things were progressing.
It’s really cool to see entrepreneurs not only leveraging crowdfunding and truly bringing a product idea to fruition, but also actually listening and implementing backers’ suggestions. Here’s one of the video updates from December 2015, which does a good job of walking us through most of the Coolbox’s features:
The Coolbox founders also made their way onto the Shark Tank TV program, landing a $500k deal with investor Lori Greiner. Greiner has many retail successes, so the Coolbox team have made good company. Look for the Coolbox to be featured in big-box stores soon, most certainly.
While we obviously haven’t seen one yet, we did question just how much this thing would hold. Well, the guys at Coolbox answered us with this video timelapse:
And here’s a gallery showcasing the various integrated features of the Coolbox. Note that these are from the crowdfunding effort, so the final product may vary slightly.
The Coolbox will retail for $249, but there are a few deals going on right now, like the Shark Tank Special for $199, available through the Coolbox website at the time of this writing.
Yes I was never contacted by the cool box team Yes I am really pissed off I hope they make this right
We do, too. Here’s to hoping the February release date actually happens.