PooPail: World’s only 2-in-1 solution for cleaning dog poop

Pick up and store your dog's waste for up to a week! No smell, no hassle. No more poopy days! Keep your hands, yard, and pooch clean.

Meet the creator

I grew up in Orange County, California and moved to Santa Barbara in 1993.

I hail from a long line of engineers. My maternal grandfather was one of many engineers who helped design the Mackinac bridge—the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

My mother followed in her father’s footsteps and became an engineer as well. She was one of few women who worked in that capacity at Chevron in 1960. When Chevron got its first computer, she transitioned into computer science. But she always enjoyed a challenge, plus her boss didn’t want to go near the ‘monstrous beast’.

My father was a mechanical engineer who loved to tinker. For fun he would pull apart, examine, and repair anything mechanical. Since my young age, I have always been a problem-solver. With a love for math, I entered the financial industry but never left my designing roots. With high school drafting and talent for design, I remodelled homes and created compact studio apartments.

The housing and financial industries can be high stress at times. To counteract that stress, I have looked to nature, animals, and friendships with people who enjoy the same. A hiker, runner, scuba-diver, and traveler, I find my center in nature among the animals, fish, and birds. In fact, I had two medium-sized dogs who I loved immensely. But I spent too much time picking up dog poo in my yard and less time enjoying my pooches.

So I began to search for efficient tools to pick up the waste. Unable to find anything, I created the PooPail. PooPail is the first product I have brought to market.

Why did you choose to crowdfund your project?

Crowdfunding platforms have proven the best way to launch a new product like PooPail. Originally I was hoping to fund the cost of molds, which run in excess of $100,000. However, I was able to pay for the molds out of pocket, so am now seeking to develop a customer base.

Do you have any prior experience with crowdfunding?

I have backed about a dozen campaigns. I attempted to launch PooPail a year ago, but cancelled the campaign. Not only had COVID-19 taken over all conversations, but I also hadn’t found the best crowdfunding marketing company to partner with. Luckily enough, I was able to find one for this campaign.

Meet PooPail: The World's First 2-in-1 System for Scooping and Storing Dog Waste

PooPail is the world’s first 2-in-1 system for scooping and storing dog poop. It is a lifesaver for all dog parents who deal with the problem of cleaning dog waste every day.

Featuring a scoop and a large pail, PooPail turns the backyard cleaning process into a flick of the wrist.

Features:

• The large pail stores waste for up to 7 days, saving you from countless trips to the dumpster
• The biodegradable bags help dispose of waste without harming the environment
• The pick up scooper prevents you from touching the waste with your hands
• The closed lid keeps the stench of many “dinner” remains inside and miles away from your nose
• With its durable design and materials, you can buy it once and use for 10+ years. For dog owners, especially homeowners with multiple dogs, PooPail is the ideal solution when it comes to managing their dog’s waste. Unlike other scoop-like contraptions designed to pick up dog poop, PooPail features ergonomic design to help you not only instantly pick up the waste but also store it for up to a week, thus saving countless trips to the garbage can.

Prices:

Early standard version 1x-$39 (retail price $79)

Early longer version 1x-$49 (retail price $89)

Early standard version 2x- $75 (retail price $158)

Early longer version 2x-$83 (retail price $168)

What inspired you to create this project?

I moved into a home with a large, 100-ft deep backyard. With two dogs who used the doggie door to relieve themselves, there were landmines everywhere. I was indeed afraid to walk in my own backyard! So I searched at pet stores for something to allow me to pick up multiple messes, but didn’t find anything. That’s when I started thinking, there must be a better way. What I wanted was something dual-purpose. Something easy to use to pick up after my dogs and avoid multiple trips to the garbage can. Some kind of weekly storage system. I worked with multiple engineers before I started working with Craig. He brought my design to life and made it a reality. Each of the 20+ features on the pail were carefully thought through, from the way the bag attaches, to the sliding function of the lid. The entire design had to be clean to the touch. No hand should come near dog waste.

What products/services have you used throughout your project’s crowdfunding journey?

I hired photographers and videographers, hired and fired a few designers, and even bought a 3D printer (due to the size of my product, 3D molds are about $2,000 each). What’s more, I spent thousands on website development and with marketing companies before I really had a product to sell.

What recommendations do you have for other project creators?

I tried so many things, but had reached a point where I wondered if I should just walk away. Marketing mistakes turned out to be pretty expensive. I spent $20,000 on a TV ad (for the walking bags) and didn’t make even one sale. Perhaps the first really great decision that I made was to reach out to another individual who had successfully launched a (non-competing) product to a similar customer base (pet product). This person was kind enough to provide some good suggestions, feedback, and mentorship. This is a difficult road to successfully navigate on your own. There are many companies that offer crowdfunding marketing. However, only a few of them are worth the time and money. I was duped early-on by a few of them. Based on my story, I also learnt that the old adage that “If you build a better mousetrap the world will beat a path to your door” is completely false. You could have invented the best mousetrap in the world but without effective marketing your customer base will be limited to friends and family.

What stage is your project at now?

We have working samples from the manufacturer. Mass production is expected to begin in April 2021.

What’s next?

After fulfilling orders through the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, we will transition to online sales though our website, and hopefully with Chewy, Amazon, eBay, and others.

Where can people go to learn more about you and your project?

Website: goodwag.com
Instagram: @poopail_club
Facebook: ThePooPail
TikTok: @poopail
Kickstarter: PooPail
Email: [email protected]

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