Sending a ball to a friend or relative who loves sports is a hassle. There are a lot of necessary packaging and procedures from the Post Office, and it costs a lot if you add the price of the ball. SEND a BALL founders Michele Kapustka and Melisa Moroko found a unique way around that.
SEND a BALL is a gift service that delivers balls directly to the doorstep without needing to pack them in a box. SEND a BALL attaches the stamp directly on the ball and delivers it as is.
We all have a family member or friend that is an avid ball enthusiast. Be it baseball, basketball, football, or soccer; a ball makes the perfect gift for someone that loves sports. However, delivering the ball is another method entirely.
Usually, the balls are delivered deflated and have to be inflated after someone buys them, and not everyone has an air pump to do it. Additionally, sending someone, a greeting card has become an outdated method. SEND a BALL wanted to fuse the two ideas.
The idea was born after Kapsutka wanted to send a rubber ball to an ill friend. While at the post office, she was offered money by someone who wanted her to mail a ball for him, ignorant of the instructions on how to send it himself. The idea hit her then. Kapustka, who had a background in direct mailing, saw a business opportunity.
After discussing the prospect of a business with her sister and neighbor, Moroko, the two got together to start an online company of greeting balls inscribed with messages. Using Moroko’s garage as their building space, they started producing colored balls with statements like “Have a Ball” or “Bounce Back” printed on them, even doing customized messages.
The two appeared in the fourteenth episode of the first season of Shark Tank, seeking eighty-six thousand dollars for twenty percent of their service business. Robert Herjavec inquires about the odd number, to which they answered that it was the exact amount they needed to build a machine that would print on the balls.
Kevin O’Leary doesn’t want to be a part of the ball business and pulls himself out of the deal. Kevin Harrington, Daymond John, and Robert Herjavec agree that there isn’t any proprietary to the company and does not have any exclusive rights, and they are out too.
Barbara Corcoran is on the fence, bouncing the idea in her mind. In the end, she’s out, too, saying she believes the business needs to grow and that the sisters can do well independently.
SEND a BALL did not get an offer.
Without getting an offer on Shark Tank and competitors springing up, SEND a BALL had a tough few months ahead, but that didn’t make them give up. With the popularity of Shark Tank and the advantage of being the first ones with such a business, SEND a BALL is still thriving.
The SEND a BALL website is still active, and they are doing better than ever before.
Our Review of Send a Ball
SEND a BALL offers a unique service that breaks away from traditional gift-giving. While greeting and congratulatory cards have been the most prominent gift-giving option, SEND a BALL aims to break away from the status quo.
The fun-inducing idea of sending a ball to the doorstep without a box or bubble wrap and having the ball inscribed with a message has taken the gift-giving business by storm. They send the message that you’re thinking of someone and allow them to be excited about the gift.
However, there isn’t a variety of balls that customers can pick. The ball comes in different colors and messages, but that is it. This bounds the customer to choose just one kind of ball. Customers who buy it once don’t usually repurchase the same thing, or they’ll be known as the ball guy.
Another aspect to consider is the quality. Although the idea itself is excellent, the product could use more work. The fully inflated bouncy ball is not very durable and doesn’t last very long.
The idea of a bouncy ball with a ‘pun-ny’ message is unique and fun. Not only do you send a message, but you send fun in the shape of a ball.
We have mentioned some pros and cons to understand the product better.
Pros of SEND a BALL
- A fun way of sending a greeting
- More straightforward than sending it through the Post Office
- Less expensive
- Delivered to the door
- Customized messages
- Quick delivery
Cons of SEND a BALL
- Not many options to choose from
- Low Durability
Who is SEND a BALL for?
SEND a BALL is a perfect option if you want to send someone a get-well-soon message or congratulate them on something. Rather than choosing a greeting card and a gift to send along with it, you can do both.
SEND a BALL is an appropriate gift for any relation, be it a family member, friend, colleague, or acquaintance. It is fit for any occasion, be it a birthday, graduation, or a get well soon message.
If you do not like going to the Post Office and are not familiar with how to send a ball through the Post Office, you can get in touch with SEND a BALL and send a fun little greeting.
Are There Any Alternatives?
A big competitor for SEND a BALL is Personalized Printing 4U which can deliver various customized products. Their biggest seller is the Personalized Golf Ball. Other than that, they personalize footballs, basketballs, cups, and even eggs and tomatoes. The business allows customers to have a variety of options from which they can choose.
Our Final Thoughts
SEND a BALL is a unique business idea and takes gift giving a step further. They allow you to step away from the mainstream greeting card and add a little fun to your greeting. SEND a BALL enables you to deliver the ball to the doorstep without worrying and exceeding costs.
