Drop Stop
Drop Stop is a patented[1] device designed to prevent items from falling between a car's front seats and center console. It was invented by Marc Newburger and Jeffrey Simon of Los Angeles.[2]
Drop Stop is constructed out of black Neoprene[3] filled with polyester fiberfill[4] and is about 17 inches long.[5] It has a slot sewn into it where the seat belt latch can fit through. This anchors the device, allowing the car seat to slide back-and-forth freely.[6] According to Newburger and Simon, the space between the center console and the front seats is always in dark shadow and thus the black color of Drop Stop matches any car's interior.[7] Provided the gap between a car's center console and seat is no less than 3.5 inches, Drop Stop should fit.[5] However, some cars, for example the BMW M3 and Volkswagen Jetta, do not have enough space in the gap to fit the Drop Stop in place.[8]
History
The idea was born after Newburger dropped a mobile phone down the gap while driving and almost caused a serious accident trying to retrieve it.[9][10][11] As of December 2017, 2.4 million Drop Stops have been sold with revenues totaling $24 million.[11]
Media exposure
Drop Stop was featured on a segment of The Marilyn Denis Show entitled "The Best As Seen on TV Products",[12] ABC's The View,[13][14] and Shark Tank. On a special Shark Tank episode, which aired March 29, 2013, Lori Greiner introduced the product alongside the inventors,[15] Newburger and Simon, who made a deal with Greiner for 20% equity in Drop Stop for $300,000.[16] On a follow-up episode of Shark Tank, which aired on November 22, 2013, Drop Stop announced a $2,000,000 purchase order with Walmart.[17] On March 19, 2014, Newburger and Simon were featured with their invention on The Queen Latifah Show wherein they were referred to as "some of Lori’s most successful inventors."[18] On a second follow-up episode of Shark Tank, which aired on December 5, 2014, it was announced that Drop Stop was now available for sale in Bed Bath & Beyond, in a "Lori Greiner Shark Tank" branded display.[19] In February 2015, Drop Stop was named one of the nine most successful Shark Tank businesses.[20] On a follow-up episode of Shark Tank, which aired on January 21, 2018, it was revealed that the Los Angeles Police Department had performed a three-month long test during which time zero traffic-related accidents had occurred in police vehicles equipped with Drop Stop. As a result, the police department announced they would be outfitting 3,000 police vehicles with Drop Stops.[21]
References
- ^ "APPARATUS FOR CLOSING GAPS". USPTO. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Inventors Have Solution To Vehicles' Black Holes". KABC. Los Angeles: CBS Broadcasting Inc. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ Kritsonis, Ted (7 March 2012). "How to prevent your stuff from slipping through the car's cracks". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Markley, Stephen (16 April 2009). "Drop Stop Prevents Items From Falling Under Your Seat". The Miami Herald. Miami. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2010. Alt URL
- ^ a b Keegan, Matt (24 October 2011). "Product Review: Drop Stop". Auto Trends. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ^ Braun Davison, Candace (22 August 2013). "Car Organization Tips: How To Declutter Your Car". Huffington Post.
This neoprene wedge has a slot that fits around the seatbelt buckle, and it moves with the seat, so it won't become the gap's newest victim if you need to move forward a few inches.
- ^ Romero, Ric (18 December 2009). "Invention blocks drops into console crevice". KABC. Los Angeles: ABC Inc. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ "Automotive Accessories: How to Keep Your Car Nicer Longer - Gear Box". Car and Driver. September 2009. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ Lamas, Jonathan. "The Original Drop Stop Car Wedge". About.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ "Car Accessory Aim to Reduce Crashes". Home and Away. AAA. August 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
- ^ a b Wells, Jane (20 December 2017). "How two friends turned a near-death experience into a 'Shark Tank'-backed $24 million business". Strange Success. CNBC. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ Khachi, Ramsin. "The Best "As Seen on TV Products"". The Marilyn Denis Show. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ "9 Most Successful Shark Tank Businesses". The Huffington Post. 18 Feb 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "The View". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Products With the Sharks". Shark Tank. YouTube. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Episode 419". Shark Tank. ABC. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
- ^ Baumgarten, Carolyn (25 November 2013). "Recap of Shark Tank Season 5, Episode 10". In The Shark Tank. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
- '^ "Shark Tank Success Stories". The Queen Latifah Show. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014. Shark Tanks Lori Greiner and Queen Latifah caught up with some of Lori's most successful inventors — the creators of "Drop Stop" Jeffrey Simon and Marc Newburger, and the creator of "CordaRoys" Byron Young.
- ^ Baumgarten, Carolyn (14 December 2014). "Recap of Shark Tank Season 6, Episode 11". In The Shark Tank. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ Quinn, Morgan (18 February 2015). "9 Most Successful Shark Tank Businesses". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ "Shark Tank (S9 • E19 Episode 19)". ABC. 21 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 12 March 2018.