Failed Product Database

Share the story of a product that failed and get paid if we add it to The Idea Lab failed-product database. Real cases only, reviewed before payment.

Failed products

  • Webvan — An online grocer that built automated warehouses for 26 cities before proving demand in one.
  • Quibi — A $1.75 billion bet that people would pay for premium, big-budget shows in chunks under ten minutes, made for the phone.
  • Juicero — A $400 Wi-Fi juice press whose packs, a reporter showed, you could squeeze just as well by hand.
  • Pets.com — A dot-com pet store that sold heavy goods below cost with free shipping, and became the bubble's mascot for it.
  • Homejoy — An on-demand home cleaning marketplace that grew on discounts it could not turn into loyal, repeat customers.
  • Color Labs — A photo-sharing app that raised $41 million before launch and never found a use anyone wanted.
  • The Resume Pro AI — Automatically build your resume using natural language