These 20 Ridiculously Simple Ideas Made Millions

Who didn’t love these as a kid? Most of us had at least five – most of the time, we’d slap them on all at once. Andrews hit the jackpot with this idea: He was a high school shop teacher before he invented the slap bracelet. In 1990 alone, the bracelets were estimated to be profiting between $6 million and $8 million.

This pet simulation device prompted a huge craze back in the nineties, and was perfect for kids – and adults, for that matter – who simply wasn’t responsible enough for a real pet. More than 70 million Tamagotchis have been sold: At one time, they were selling one Tamagotchi every second.

The real brilliance behind the Snuggie was its advertising campaign: The product was sold in ridiculous infomercials, featuring families wearing the Snuggie while roasting marshmallows and attending sporting events. According to Boilen, that approach was taken because the Snuggie in-and-of-itself is ridiculous: Why not advertise it in a humorous way? The approach worked: So far, the Snuggie has profited over $200 million dollars.

This adorable (albeit pointless) stony companion profited 15 million in the first six months it was on the market. Each rock was sold for $3.95, profiting Dahl $3 per sale. They came with a hay bed, a pet carrier, and a manual on how to deal with this “hassle-free” housemate.

We all loved to hate the Big Mouth Billy Bass, and that was kind of the point. It’s clearly nothing but a gag, but basically everyone you knew bought one, earning the company millions of dollars in the process.