$400 juicer startup 'Juicero' is finally closing its doors

[Polycount]

Juicero -- the startup behind the notorious $700 (now $400) juicer -- is closing its doors after 16 months of service. The company has converted their official product website into a one-page press release explaining the reasoning behind the company's closure, and how it will impact their current customers.

According to Juicero, the company's main problem has been balancing the costs of the manufacturing and distribution of their products with more affordable price points. To quote the press release: "...it became clear that creating an effective manufacturing and distribution system for a nationwide customer base requires infrastructure that we cannot achieve on our own as a standalone business."

Indeed, the company seems to have realized this problem back in July, with Juicero CEO Jeff Dunn stating in a company-wide email that "...the current prices of $399 for the (Juicero) Press and $5 - $7 for produce packs are not a realistic way for us to fulfill our mission at the scale to which we aspire". Though Juicero intended to offset these mounting manufacturing & distribution costs by offering a second-generation $200 juicer to their customers, it seems the troubled start-up has simply decided to cut their losses entirely.

Although the company claims that its closure is purely a result of unsustainable distribution and manufacturing costs (and a lack of proper infrastructure) there's another (simpler) possibility: not enough people are interested in paying $400 for what they can do at home for free (albeit with a bit more cleanup) - something the company has faced criticism for in the past.

For anyone who's worried about being left in the lurch after purchasing their own Juicero Press, don't worry - Juicero has you covered. The start-up claims that all customers who have purchased the Juicero Press at any point in the past will be eligible for a refund for the next 90 days, until December 1st. Additionally, if you still have an active Produce Pack subscription, you'll be receiving your final shipment next week.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/70825-400-juicer-startup-juicero-finally-closing-doors.html

 

[VitalyT]

The last squeeze, LOL.

 

[bmw95]

The last squeeze, LOL.

lmaoooo good one

 

[Nobina]

Imagine the average person that bought this obvious scam.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

"the company's main problem has been balancing the costs of the manufacturing and distribution of their products with more affordable price points".
**Translation** The stupid consumer has finally wised up to the fact that we were only in it to rip them off so now it's time to take the money and run... hopefully somewhere they can't find us and sue us, then plan our next scam.

"The start-up claims that all customers who have purchased the Juicero Press at any point in the past will be eligible for a refund for the next 90 days".
Don't believe that for a second. Not only were they selling a $700 gadget not worth $7, they probably have a Ponzi type scheme going on as well. Only very few people will be refunded.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

I would rather believe that these are nice folks who vastly overestimated their market. "Engineering" types often do... "Just sell this to 0.003% of the world market... (7 billion x 0.00003 = 210,000) ... at $700 each... (210,000 x $700 = $147,000,000)... and we can float initial public offering of NASDAQ stock for 7x sales for OVER A BILLION!!"

 

[fimbles]

There is a teardown of this thing on you tube and it was engineered to aerospace grade levels, And built from the finest materials. Were talking half inch thick aluminium plate.

I have no idea why it was so overbuilt and expensive for such a simple product. I am pretty sure they must have been selling the press at a loss..

 

[Vulcanproject]

There is a teardown of this thing on you tube and it was engineered to aerospace grade levels, And built from the finest materials. Were talking half inch thick aluminium plate.

I have no idea why it was so overbuilt and expensive for such a simple product. I am pretty sure they must have been selling the press at a loss..

Maybe Juicero's engineers were told by the PR department that they need to take this juicer stratospheric and they took it literally? Built it as flight hardware for the ISS.

It is mind boggling. Pretty sure that Bosch or Breville or the like could build something with a similar function for less than $100.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Pretty sure that Bosch or Breville or the like could build something with a similar function for less than $100.

<$35

 

[captaincranky]

Aren't small kitchen appliances pretty much disposable goods?

Here you have a bunch of egomaniacs, thinking they're going to float a POS like this an an 'heirloom'.

Heck, for a single person such as myself, a $17.00 "Mr. Coffee", with an on/off swatch, is way good enough.

Break a carafe? No problem. Since they want at least $10.00 for a replacement, 'bear your loss with dignity', and throw the the whole damned thing away, then buy a new one.

 

[EClyde]

Aren't small kitchen appliances pretty much disposable goods?

Here you have a bunch of egomaniacs, thinking they're going to float a POS like this an an 'heirloom'.

Heck, for a single person such as myself, a $17.00 "Mr. Coffee", with an on/off swatch, is way good enough.

Break a carafe? No problem. Since they want at least $10.00 for a replacement, 'bear your loss with dignity', and throw the the whole damned thing away, then buy a new one.

I got the Wal-Mart knock-off for $9

 

[captaincranky]

I got the Wal-Mart knock-off for $9

I'd never imagined I could be taken for a brand snob, for buying the cheapest Mr. Coffee I could find...