It’s hard to believe, but the inventors of some of the 10 simple inventions that made millions were nothing more than dreamers not long ago. They had an elementary idea that they imagined could make them a few bucks, but little did they know what huge effect their, seemingly insignificant, inventions would have.
It’s surprising to see small ideas like this takeoff, but more and more are doing so, like the 11 Weird but Successful Business Ideas That Somehow Make Money. Successes like this convince us of the power of a dream or an idea, even one that doesn’t seem like much at first. You’d be surprised how popular and profitable products can be, that were made using the most ordinary ingredients or the most unpretentious concepts.
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Though our list is in order of least to most profitable, it’s important to keep in mind that these are not the simplest, nor the most profitable, products. It’s just a list of a few of them. We’d certainly have a job on our hands if we attempted to list the simplest and most profitable products ever made.
This can at least provide an idea of what kinds of products really takeoff. Three of our items are centered around food, three are centered around technology, two are apparel brands, one a cosmetic and one a household or kitchen item. That covers a wide variety of product types that are used by nearly everyone. Some of these brands were invented only a few years ago, while others date all the way back to the 1940’s.
Discover the power of one dream while you explore 10 simple inventions that made millions.
10. Chicfila
– $2.85 million per store gross for 2013, according to Forbes.
This popular fast-food restaurant’s slogan sums up the simplicity of their idea. “We didn’t invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich.” Who would have thought that a quality chicken sandwich, now sold along with ice cream, salads, and a wide variety of other chicken-centered food items, could become such a hit?
9. Kindle device
– $20.1 million in sales for 2012, according to Forbes
Turns out, Amazon was right. More people like the idea of electronically reading a book than most traditional bookstores would like to think. This number was a huge rise from the $2.4 million in sales made in 2009, due mostly to the debut of the Kindle Fire. As of March 2014, the device had earned a total revenue of $3.9 billion.
8. Etsy
– $195.59 million revenue in 2014, according to Statista.
This idea of a craftsman and artist’s buying and selling site made $125.02 million more in 2014 than it did in 2013.
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7. Vera Bradley
– $536 million in sales in 2014, according to Bloomberg.
Sturdy handbags and other accessories, all with a unique and colorful design, have clearly proved extremely profitable.
6. Clash of Clans
– $892 million revenue in 2013, according to Android Headlines.
This amount was $791 million more profitable than the revenue of$101 million taken in for 2012. This simple app, which most every husband is guilty of spending more time with than his wife, was created in 2012 by Supercell. It’s a strategy game where players unlock defenses, pillage, create and join clans and more.
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5. Crocs
– $1.12 billion average sales and revenue from years 2011-2014, according to Market Watch.
Some would debate that rubber Crocs, most designed with holes for adorning with plastic charms, are less than attractive shoes. And while they certainly place comfort over style, that doesn’t seem to hurt their sales any.
4. M&M’s
– $1.8 billion annual sales, according to Bloomberg.
Is it possible that a product invented as far back as 1941 could be generating billions in sales to this day? Not only is this true with the ever-popular chocolate candy, but the next two in the 10 Simple Inventions That Made Millions were also invented in the 1940’s. They must have had a knack for inventing back then.
3. General Mills’ Cereal
– $2 billion annual sales, according to Star Tribune.
This cereal brand includes all your favorites like Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Chex, Wheaties and even the more diet-friendly option Fiber One.
2. Tupperware
– $2.48 billion average net sales between years 2009-2014, according to Amigo Bulls.
Yes, plastic food-holding containers nearly top the list. It’s a timeless resource that everyone (who isn’t wasteful) buys.
1. Bath & Body Works
– $4.6 billion in sales per year for the past four years (as of December 2014), according to Racked.
Number one on our list is “America’s Biggest Mall Beauty Brand”. They sell both seasonal and timeless fragrances for everything from perfume to sanitizer to lotion to candles to car air fresheners.
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After reading about 10 Simple Inventions That Made Millions, you may be inspired to attempt an invention yourself. The try would certainly be worth the millions of dollars it may make someday.
