Merely "clever" doesn't seem quite strong enough. Taking something already well-known and useful in some specialized context, thinking of a way it would be useful for some non-specialized target market, and then successfully marketing it to that demographic is a very elegant move, and potentially quite lucrative if successful!
In fact, if I was going to critique this at all, I'd question the choice of marketing. They're targeting younger, geeky DIY-type internet people well, which is not a bad market at all to be sure, but there's definite potential for something like this in going for older, less tech-oriented demographics (I bet I could get my mother interested, for instance).
But I suspect they've already thought about that sort of thing--sounds like they can't keep up with the current demand as it is, so reaching new markets is probably not a priority!
there's definite potential for something like this in going for older, less tech-oriented demographics (I bet I could get my mother interested, for instance)
That is not the demographic that orders random puttys from the UK in anticipation of perhaps needing it someday. To be successful in that demographic, it needs to be marked through traditional means, and it needs to be available at the store. That is expensive and difficult. Making a website and some Youtube videos is much easier, and less likely to be a financial problem if there is no interest.
It does mean there's room for an existing manufacturer who has production capacity to start selling existing products into the market segment they just pioneered.
Someone could play Microsoft to their Macintosh and produce a cheaper and cheesier version with greater availability.
In fact, if I was going to critique this at all, I'd question the choice of marketing. They're targeting younger, geeky DIY-type internet people well, which is not a bad market at all to be sure, but there's definite potential for something like this in going for older, less tech-oriented demographics (I bet I could get my mother interested, for instance).
But I suspect they've already thought about that sort of thing--sounds like they can't keep up with the current demand as it is, so reaching new markets is probably not a priority!