Foot Fairy was a unique mobile application that aimed to revolutionize the way parents buy shoes for their children. Pitched in the popular TV show Shark Tank, Foot Fairy promised to accurately measure children’s foot size using just an iPad, offering a solution to ill-fitting online shoe purchases. The innovative concept caught the attention of many, including billionaire investor Mark Cuban.
However, things didn’t go exactly as planned after the show. This article delves into the journey of Foot Fairy post-Shark Tank, exploring its highs, lows, and what eventually led to its apparent demise.
What Is Foot Fairy?
Following this, the application transmits the measurements to a children’s shoe store, facilitating an effortless process for parents to pinpoint the accurate shoe size and simplify online purchases.
Foot Fairy is dedicated to saving parents valuable time and effort by offering a user-friendly method to gauge their children’s foot measurements within the comfort of their own homes. This, in turn, serves as a preventive measure against issues arising from poorly fitting footwear.
How Does Foot Fairy Work?
Foot Fairy operates through a scanning process that makes it convenient for parents to determine their child’s shoe size. Here’s how it works:
- Scanning Capability: The child places their foot on the iPad screen. Foot Fairy utilizes the iPad’s scanning capability to capture an image of the child’s foot;
- Automatic Measurement: The app then automatically calculates the child’s shoe size based on the captured image. This measurement is typically provided in both US and UK sizing standards, ensuring compatibility with various shoe brands;
- Sharing Scan Data: Once the app determines the shoe size, parents have the option to share the scan data. This data can be sent via email to a shoe vendor for further assistance;
- Partnership with Shoe Vendors: Foot Fairy has established partnerships with shoe vendors to simplify the process for parents. When you share the scan data with a vendor, they can provide shoe suggestions that match the child’s size. Zappo’s is mentioned as one of their partners, allowing parents to access a range of shoe options easily [2];
Pros:
- Convenience: The most significant advantage of Foot Fairy is its convenience. It eliminates the need to physically go to a store to get your child’s foot measured. With a few simple steps, you can get accurate measurements right at home;
- Accuracy: Foot Fairy boasts of providing precise measurements. This feature helps in purchasing the right-sized shoes for children, eliminating the guesswork;
- User-friendly Interface: The app is easy to navigate, even for non-tech savvy parents, making the process of measuring straightforward and quick;
- Cost-effective: Instead of purchasing multiple pairs of ill-fitting shoes, you can save money by getting the right size the first time around;
Cons:
- Compatibility Issues: Some users have reported compatibility issues with certain smartphones, causing the app to malfunction or provide inaccurate results;
- Limited Scope: Currently, Foot Fairy only measures children’s foot sizes. Thus, it’s not useful for adults who might also benefit from such a tool;
- Dependence on Technology: While being an app is a strength, it’s also a weakness. If your phone is broken, lost, or out of battery, you can’t use the service;
Who May Benefit From Using Foot Fairy:
- Parents: Parents are the primary beneficiaries, as the app helps in determining the correct shoe size for their children. This can be especially helpful when shopping online or when physical shoe-fitting isn’t possible or convenient;
- Online Shoppers: Those who prefer or need to shop for children’s shoes online can greatly benefit from Foot Fairy. It can help reduce the likelihood of purchasing ill-fitting shoes and having to deal with returns or exchanges;
- Shoe Retailers: Retailers, particularly those that operate online, can also benefit from their customers using Foot Fairy. By encouraging customers to use the app, they can potentially reduce return rates caused by improper sizing;
- Children: Children can also benefit from Foot Fairy. The app can make the often tedious process of shoe fitting more fun and interactive. Plus, wearing correctly sized shoes is crucial for the healthy development of children’s feet;
- People living in remote areas: For those who live far from stores or in places where shoe size measurement services are not readily available, Foot Fairy can be a useful tool [3];
About the Founders Of Foot Fairy
Dr. Sylvie Shapiro, a qualified podiatrist, frequently encountered the consequences of children donning improperly sized shoes in her role as a foot specialist. Many parents openly admitted to making educated guesses about their children’s shoe sizes, leading to poorly fitting footwear and the potential for foot-related problems.
This professional insight, coupled with her personal experiences as a mother, awakened her to the necessity for a more precise and convenient technique to determine children’s shoe sizes [4].
Nicole Brooks, another mother sharing this sentiment, harbored her frustrations with the conventional process of procuring children’s shoes. The task typically involved escorting uncooperative children to a brick-and-mortar store, striving to maintain their composure long enough to obtain foot measurements. These shared experiences ignited the spark within Nicole and Sylvie to innovate a superior approach.
Hence, Foot Fairy was launched – an iPad application thoughtfully devised to accurately gauge a child’s foot dimensions right from the comfort of one’s home.
The application was meticulously crafted to streamline the shoe-purchasing ordeal for parents, effectively replacing the in-store measurement hassle with a straightforward at-home process. Parents merely had to position their child’s foot against the iPad screen and await a confirming chime, indicating that the application had successfully determined the child’s appropriate shoe size.
Furthermore, the application presented a convenient hyperlink to a pre-populated webpage from Zappos, an online footwear retailer, displaying shoes available in the child’s specific size.
Despite establishing a partnership with Zappos, complete with a commission structure tied to shoe sales, the company had yet to achieve substantial revenue, primarily due to a glitch in their system directing users to the Zappos app instead of the correct webpage.
In their quest to secure funding for enhancing their back-end infrastructure, refining their system, and retaining customers, they pitched their groundbreaking solution to the investors on Shark Tank.
The Pitch Of Foot Fairy At Shark Tank
Barb immediately delves into the details of why the two moms have come to Shark Tank. She inquires about the completeness of the application and what they specifically intend to do with the $ 75,000 investment [5]. Nicole responds that with the investment, they aim to bolster the back-end infrastructure, primarily to store customer emails, which would aid in retaining customers.
Nicole proceeds to provide insight into their sales model, emphasizing that the Foot Fairy application is free, and they receive commissions ranging from 8% to 18% based on the price and brand of shoes purchased through their partnership with Zappo’s.
Nicole further reveals that the application has been downloaded exactly 13,144 times during the airing of this episode, although it was officially launched just three weeks before the filming of this Shark Tank episode. Robert asks if they have received any royalty checks from Zappo’s yet, to which they admit that they haven’t received any money.
They clarify that they’ve encountered an 18% click-through rate, but it cannot be accurately tracked due to a glitch in their system that incorrectly linked users to the Zappos application, resulting in lost clicks and revenue, thus explaining the absence of a royalty check.
Lori acknowledges the fairly high 18% click-through rate but asks whether Zappo is advertising the Foot Fairy application. Nicole responds that they are confident they don’t require Zappo’s advertisement due to the app’s inherent necessity.
They have invested only about $ 2,500 and have garnered 13,000 downloads in under three weeks [6]. Sylvie adds that they are actively seeking sponsorships and advertisements but have not yet approached Zappo’s with the idea. She emphasizes their dedication as mothers committed to an admirable cause.
Kevin, however, remains grounded in reality and voices his concerns. He points out that they haven’t presented anything proprietary, patentable, or software or technology that would be challenging for others to replicate. Sylvie mistakenly claims they are proprietary, referring to themselves as “the moms,” to which Kevin expresses his unimpressed stance.
He mentions the critical milestone of 10,000 orders, explaining that if Foot Fairy reaches that number, they won’t receive any money. Nicole and Sylvie maintain their belief in reaching 500,000 orders, but Kevin argues that the company may not survive that long, as larger shoe companies could replicate their idea and offer it at a lower cost. As expected, Kevin exits the deal.
Lori acknowledges their enthusiasm but points out that they are still at a very early stage in their business venture and expresses her inability to foresee how she can recover her investment. Barb also appreciates the concept but does not see a clear path for her to make a profit as an investor.
Consequently, Barb is the fourth Shark to exit the deal, leaving Mark Cuban as the sole remaining potential investor.
Mark, with a grin, addresses the two moms, contemplating his decision. He raises a hypothetical scenario involving a world-renowned pediatrician creating a competing program similar to Foot Fairy and inquires about their defense strategy in such a situation.
Sylvie emphasizes the accuracy of Foot Fairy, which they have spent over a year refining. Mark proceeds to ask what competitors they would find if they were to search for alternatives. Nicole mentions a couple of similar applications with a different method involving sliding a measure up against the tablet, which is less accurate compared to Foot Fairy’s fully automated computer-based approach.
Mark, who owns a company called “Fashion Metric,” which conducts various metric tests on male body types, is personally invested in the potential of sensors and metrics in the future. He expresses concern about their potential to drive him “crazy” but offers them a deal. Mark proposes $ 100,000 for a 40% equity stake, with certain conditions [7].
These conditions include testing the software, ensuring there are no comparable solutions, and reviewing the contracts of the technology team to secure ownership of the software behind the application.
After a brief discussion between Sylvie and Nicole, they surprise the other Sharks by accepting Mark’s offer, marking the successful end of their Shark Tank pitch.
Foot Fairy After The Shark Tank
The deal with Mark Cuban ultimately fell through, and while the exact reasons were not disclosed, it is presumed that his team may have discovered issues during the due diligence process. Unfortunately, without the investment, Foot Fairy eventually ceased operations in May 2014, just a few months after the Shark Tank episode aired [8].
In retrospect, the company’s fate may not come as a surprise. Foot Fairy never had a website, and its Facebook page had limited activity with only 1,500 likes. Moreover, a Google search for “Foot Fairy” yielded few results, primarily consisting of Shark Tank-related pages rather than pages dedicated to the company itself. The app seemed to have failed to gain awareness or interest from the public.
On the bright side, her other company, Planet Flops, which offers eco-friendly flip-flops, remains operational. Additionally, she continues to run a podiatry practice in Santa Monica.
The brand is targeted toward men and offers products like a face wash, body wash, and blemish stick, all of which are free of sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), benzoyl peroxide, and parabens. These products accounted for 90% of the company’s early sales and were priced between $ 8.99 and $ 42.99.
Since its initial product launch, Stryke Club has expanded its product line to include an adapalene gel, which is the strongest daily retinoid treatment available without a prescription. They offer various kits, such as the “Class In Session Kit,” the “Fix It Kit,” the “Fresh Start Kit,” “The Club Kit,” and the “Lazy Boy Kit,” each containing different skincare products.
For those interested, the Stryke Club website offers these products, and they provide free shipping in the U.S. for orders over $ 50.
The Net Worth Of Foot Fairy
However, as of 2023, the company seems to have ceased operations, and its net worth has dropped to $ 0. Please note that these figures are estimates and may not reflect the current financial status of the company.
Alternatives To Foot Fairy:
- Brick-and-Mortar Shoe Stores: Many shoe stores offer in-store foot measuring services. They have specialized tools to measure a child’s foot size accurately. Store staff can assist you in finding the right shoe size for your child;
- Online Shoe Retailers: Some online shoe retailers provide virtual fitting guides and size charts to help you measure your child’s foot size at home. These guides can be useful for choosing the right size when shopping online;
- Mobile Apps: Several mobile apps similar to Foot Fairy are available for both Android and iOS devices. Some of these apps use the smartphone’s camera to measure a child’s foot size by capturing a photo. Examples include the “Ruler App” and “Foot Measure”;
- DIY Measurements: You can use a simple ruler or measuring tape to measure your child’s foot size at home. Measure from the heel to the tip of the longest toe and compare the measurement to a size chart provided by shoe manufacturers;
- Printable Foot Sizers: Some shoe brands and retailers offer printable foot sizes on their websites. You can print the sizer and use it to measure your child’s foot size accurately;
- 3D Foot Scanners: Certain shoe stores and companies offer 3D foot scanning services. These scanners create precise 3D models of the feet, helping you find the ideal shoe size;
- Consulting a Pediatrician: If you have concerns about accurately measuring your child’s foot size, consider consulting a pediatrician or a podiatrist. They can provide professional guidance and ensure the correct fit for your child’s growing feet [10];
Remember that foot size can change as children grow, so it’s essential to measure their feet periodically and consider the specific shoe brand’s sizing recommendations when making a purchase.
However, all these alternatives may not provide the convenience and accuracy of Foot Fairy, especially for online shoppers. Foot Fairy’s unique proposition lies in its ability to offer a quick, easy, and accurate way to measure children’s shoe sizes using just an iPad, making it particularly relevant in today’s digital age.
FAQ:
- How does Foot Fairy help you?
Foot Fairy is an app designed to assist parents in accurately measuring their child’s foot size. It simplifies the process of finding the right shoe size for children. Parents can use the app to take a picture of their child’s foot, and Foot Fairy automatically calculates the foot size. It then provides this measurement to stores selling children’s shoes, making it easier for parents to find the correct shoe size and make online purchases conveniently.
- Who owns Foot Fairy?
Foot Fairy was founded by Dr. Sylvie Shapiro and Nicole Brooks, both of whom are mothers. They recognized the need for a solution to help parents accurately measure their children’s foot sizes and developed the Foot Fairy app.
- Is Foot Fairy still in business?
Foot Fairy is no longer in business. The app ceased operations approximately six months after its appearance on Shark Tank. Despite an initial surge in downloads, technical issues and competition in the app market led to its closure.
- What is the app that measures a child’s foot size?
The app designed to measure a child’s foot size is called “Foot Fairy”. It was created by Dr. Sylvie Shapiro and Nicole Brooks, to provide an accurate and convenient solution for parents to determine their children’s shoe sizes.
- Is there a free app to measure foot size?
Yes, Foot Fairy is a free app that allows parents to measure a child’s foot size accurately. It offers a simple and cost-free solution for parents who want to find the correct shoe size for their children.
- Can you measure your foot size?
While Foot Fairy is primarily designed for parents to measure their child’s foot size, it may be challenging to measure your foot accurately using the app due to the angle and positioning required. It is more practical for parents to use the app on their child’s feet.
- How do you measure a girl’s foot size?
To measure a girl’s foot size, you can use the Foot Fairy app (or a similar tool). Follow the app’s instructions to capture a picture of the girl’s foot, and the app will calculate the foot size. Alternatively, you can use a traditional foot measuring device, available at shoe stores, to measure the length and width of the foot.
- At what age do feet stop growing?
The age at which feet stop growing can vary from person to person. Generally, most individuals experience significant foot growth during childhood and adolescence. A girl’s feet typically stop growing between the ages of 14 and 16, while a boy’s feet may continue to grow until around the age of 18. However, it’s important to note that some individuals may experience minor changes in foot size throughout their lives.
- What is a good foot size?
“Good” foot size is a subjective term and varies based on individual preferences, comfort, and the purpose of the footwear. A good foot size is comfortable for the person wearing the shoes and allows for proper support and alignment.
Different shoe sizes may be considered good for various activities, and it’s important to choose the size that provides the best fit and support for the intended purpose. Shoe sizes also vary by country and brand, so it’s essential to consider these factors when determining the right shoe size.
Useful Video: Shark Tank || Fairy Shoes
References:
- https://www.failory.com/blog/shark-tank-failures
- https://seoaves.com/what-happened-to-foot-fairy-after-shark-tank/
- https://www.sharktankblog.com/business/foot-fairy/
- https://bizzbucket.co/foot-fairy-shark-tank-update/
- https://gazettereview.com/foot-fairy-app-update-happened-shark-tank/
- https://kirktaylor.com/foot-fairy-makes-contingent-deal-shark-tank-not-stick/
- https://www.bstrategyinsights.com/foot-fairy-after-shark-tank/
- https://2paragraphs.com/2017/09/foot-fairy-what-happened-after-100000-shark-tank-mark-cuban-offer/
- https://www.chron.com/entertainment/heavy/article/Foot-Fairy-Enters-the-Shark-Tank-5-Fast-5486839.php
- https://sharktanktales.com/foot-fairy-shark-tank-update/