Google+ Failure Museum

Google+

Launched in 2011 right after Eric Schmidt became the new Google CEO, Google+ went head-to-head with Facebook who launched 7 years earlier.

Google saw that Facebook was consuming progressively more of users’ time. However, people preferred Facebook to Google+ because Google’s approach to social wasn’t fun, while all people’s friends were already on Facebook not Google+. Google assumed its Google+ users would enjoy spending time organizing their information just as Google was helping organize the world’s information.

Meta Ray-Ban Stories Smart Glasses - Failure Museum

Meta Smart Glasses

Launched in 2021 one month before changing its name from Facebook, Meta’s Smart Glasses allowed users to take photos and listen to music with the frames of their glasses.  However, less than 10% of glasses were actively used by purchasers. Among the top causes of poor user experience were issues with connectivity, problems with some of the hardware features including battery life, inability for users to import media from the devices, and issues with the audio on the product and problems with voice commands for the smart glasses. Plus, as a company that makes nearly all its money from advertising, there have been concerns about how images captured with the glasses will be used since Meta has had a long history of privacy concerns.

Apple Vision Pro - Failure Museum

Apple Vision Pro

Launched in 2024, the Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset. Although it has advanced display technology and immersive spatial computing, its high price, bulky design, and health concerns—such as eye strain and cognitive fatigue—have limited its appeal. 

Slip 'n Slide - Failure Museum

Slip ‘N Slide

Launched in 1976 by Wham-O, the Slip ‘N Slide waterslide caused neck and spine injuries when older kids and adults used it.

Creele People - Failure Museum

Creeple People

Launched by Mattel in 1964, the Creeple People kit let kids make rubbery bug toys by pouring liquid plastic into hot metal molds. However, the heating plates reached dangerously high temperatures causing burns.

Easy-Bake Oven - Failure Museum

Easy-Bake Oven

Launched by Kenner in 1963, the Easy-Bake Oven had real heating elements that could cause burns and fires. Some kids got their finger stuck inside the oven leading to amputations in extreme cases.

Dyson Air-Purifying Headphones - Failure Museum

Dyson Air-Purifying Headphones

In 2023, Dyson launched a head-mounted, fan-powered personal air purifier with headphones.  It squirts a smooth stream of “clean” air across the wearer’s mouth and nose. Dyson started working on this years before the COVID-19 pandemic. They had confidence this would be a hit after already disrupting the hand dryer, vacuum, indoor air purification, and hair product markets with its unique engineering.

However, they were embarrassing for people to wear in public, while were too heavy and emitted a loud fan noise.

Ember - Failure Museum

Ember

Launched in 2014, Ember used temperature control technology to keep hot beverages at your desired temperature.

However, the product had issues:

  1. The app and bluetooth connection can be finnicky.
  2. The charging coaster uses live pins that contact the bottom of the mug. These pins will get stuck and the coaster no longer works. If something metal falls on the pins it can spark.
  3. The battery in mug is non-replaceable and if it fails, the mug has to be replaced.
  4. The battery will not charge while it is keeping your drink hot – mug has to be empty or manually turned off in the app for the battery to charge.

GoBots - Failure Museum

GoBots

GoBots was a line of transforming robot toys produced by Tonka from 1983 to 1987. The GoBots toys were part of the robot “sensation” that swept the nation for a short time. The line sold well initially but was overtaken by Hasbro’s Transformers.

Forever 21 - Failure Museum

Forever 21

Launched in 1984, Forever 21’s fast-fashion business model, which was based on quick-turnaround designs that could be inexpensively mass produced, proved wildly popular with young customers who didn’t have much money to spend but wanted the latest looks. By 2015, global sales peaked at $4.4 billion, with 480 stores occupying enormous spaces in malls across America.

They weren’t seeing the trends, and instead of slowing down on physical space, they were building up physical space. It wasn’t just the number of stores that was problematic, it’s also their size. Forever 21 stores were huge, with the average size at 38,000 square feet. Meanwhile, other chains were closing big stores and moving to smaller footprints and mini-shops to shrink costs and maintain consumer access to their brands.

The company also didn’t bolster its e-commerce platform, even though its core customers are young people who prefer to shop online. This led to its bankruptcy in 2025.