20 commercial failures from big companies

[jw5]

DeLorean DMC-12​

While the Back to the Future series made the DeLorean DMC-12 one of the most famous car models of all time, it was seen as a huge failure at its launch and the DeLorean Motor Company folded in 1982, three years before the iconic film would come around. The car’s strange design caused it many problems, including poor ventilation and even worse performance due to the heavy weight and low horsepower.

 

[jw5]

Segway scooters​

Segway scooters became an immediate punchline, a ready-made slapstick gag for comedies such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and cartoons everywhere. The expensive motorized vehicle was seen by many as an unnecessary alternative to simply walking or riding a bike. The ultimate bad omen may have been when one of the owners of Segway’s parent company died in a Segway accident. Production of the Segway was finally discontinued in 2020.

 

[jw5]

Microsoft Zune​

Microsoft’s attempt to compete with the iPod was a complete failure, as despite the Zune being a perfectly capable MP3 player, it was never able to catch up with the iPod’s massive success as the market leader. Apple had a five-year head start in the portable MP3 player game and by the time Microsoft showed up, people weren’t willing to make the swap. Despite Microsoft discontinuing the Zune, it was still a bit of a cult hit with many people still proudly using their Zune to this day.

 

[jw5]

Keurig Kold​

Keurig’s attempt to transition from coffee to soda was not a successful one, as people were less willing to pay the price of Keurig pods when they only received a simple soda instead of a hot espresso. The machine itself was US$300 more expensive than a simple soda stream, which was already providing millions of people with their at-home soda. The machine was also loud, would overheat, and was far less convenient than just grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge. The product was pulled off the market just 10 months after its debut in 2015.