There’s this crazy story about a guy who made money off a rock in a box. 1975
Does anyone remember the Pet Rock?
It sold over a million units and did nothing. But that is kind of the whole point of selling these useless products we’re talking about.
So how do you sell something that nobody really needs?
Well, you stop selling the thing itself, and you start selling the vibe that goes with it. The chuckle, the idea of a gift, the funny story you tell when you give someone a gift.
Why Useless Products Give Cash
The fact is, people don’t buy a gadget, they buy what the gadget says about them. A gag gift says you are the life of the party. A weird novelty says you get the weird sense of humour of the person you’re buying for. The product is only the hook.
Useless products succeed by how they make us feel and the stories they tell, not by what they actually do. There was this app called “I Am Rich” which was $1,000 for a glowing gem that did nothing. Guess who bought it? Yes, status-seekers.
The trick is to make the pointlessness a joke or a boast, then make it shareable. Because really, what you’re selling is attention, in the end. Drop the justification of it having any use at all. There is none. Just sell the smile.
