The Foot Fairy is an app that helps parents determine their child’s shoe size. It was created by Dr. Sylvie Shapiro, a podiatrist, and Nicole Brooks, a licensed family therapist. The pair developed the application to help reduce parental frustrations when it came to buying shoes for kids. The app was a unique solution that combined convenience and technology to address a common problem that many parents face. However, the product failed to take off and eventually went out of business just six months after it appeared on Shark Tank.
During their Shark Tank appearance, the mompreneurs explain that the free Foot Fairy app measures a child’s foot size accurately and quickly. It then links to Zappos, an online shoe retailer, and suggests shoes that match the child’s size. The duo claimed that the Foot Fairy app had already garnered 13,000 downloads within three weeks of its official launch. Lori asks the mompreneurs if Zappo’s is doing any marketing for the Foot Fairy app, but they respond that they are confident that the app does not require any promotion.
Robert quickly eliminates himself from the deal, citing that the Foot Fairy app has no proprietary software or technology. He feels that if the app becomes successful, large shoe firms will simply copy the idea and produce a similar product at a lower cost.
Mark Cuban is the last Shark to offer a deal, and he agrees to invest $100,000 for 40% of the company. However, he insists on several conditions, including testing the software, ensuring that there are no similar products on the market, and reviewing their contracts with their tech team.