CellHelmet Phone Case Update | Season 4
Entrepreneurs Mike Kane and David Artuso created a protective cell phone case, that they’ve bundled with an insurance plan. Will they earn a deal on
Shark Tank CellHelmet Update
- Entrepreneurs: Mike Kane and David Artuso
- Business: Protective cell phone case bundled with insurance plan
- Ask: $160,000 for 20% equity
- Result: No deal
- Shark: None
Mike and David appeared wearing Viking helmets before proceeding to bludgeon, bash, and beat down several cell phones, to illustrate how ineffective most protective cases truly are. They did not claim the case made by their company, CellHelmet, was any better, but they said they were different in that they bundled a safety net in the form of accidental damage coverage, a detail that set them apart from the pack.
STRENGTHENS GLASS ON A MOLECULAR LEVEL: cellhelmet Liquid Glass is a nano coating that is 500x thinner than a human hair & invisible to the naked eye. It works with all cases and accessories.
Cases retailed at $44.99 and came with a one-year safety plan which allowed them to receive repair or possible replacements for up to a year. The repair did come with a $50 handling fee, however, but it was still less expensive than traditional insurance.
Robert Herjavec asked how long CellHelmet had been in operation. The two entrepreneurs answered that it had been four months since launch, during which time they sold 1,300 units directly to consumers via their website.
Mark Cuban asked how much it cost to repair a phone, and Mike and David said it cost $77 out of their pocket on average. Kevin O’Leary didn’t like this, commenting that he hated the business model and intended to punish them once he could figure out how. Mike and David argued that, despite Mr. Wonderful’s disdain, the model was profitable. Kevin asked what their attrition rate was, and the two replied that approximately 3% of customers required repairs.
Robert asked how bad of a blow it would be if CellHelmet could not repair a customer’s phone, and instead needed to replace it. Mike and David insinuated that it often did not happen, neglecting to confirm that it would indeed result in a loss. Mark asked what would happen if a customer broke their phone, bought the CellHelmet case, then spent the extra $50 handling fee to get a cheap repair or very cheap new phone. Mike and David said that, although they could never stop opportunists, their average take exceeded their average payout.
Kevin was the first shark to go out, and Robert followed. He didn’t see the business as being profitable in the long run. Lori Greiner rode Robert’s coattails, agreeing that it was not a great business to break into. For that reason, she was out. Daymond John would go out next, fearing how often “unethical people” would take advantage of the policy and use it against CellHelmet.
Only Mark remained and, although he understood their model, he didn’t find it intelligent, and went out. Mike and David left the tank without a deal, and Robert picked up some weapons to give the props a few hits for fun. How did things go for CellHelmet after the tank? Keep reading our CellHelmet update to find out!
We have good news to share in our CellHelmet update! The company went on to have their products featured in twenty Verizon stores in Pittsburgh, and they sold 1,400 units the night the show aired. After that, more than two hundred retailers reached out to Mike and David looking to pick up the product and plan combo. CellHelmet would introduce liquid glass as well, a product that strengthened cell phone glass at the molecular level. In 2021, the company grossed $11 million. CellHelmet products are also available on their website, and on Amazon.
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Jennifer is an avid Shark Tank fan that has been watching the show for years. She serves as Senior Editor at Shark Tank Recap and ensures that all our information is accurate and that our posts are up to date. Her favorite Shark Tank products are Le-Glue and Ring!