BBC'S Dragons breathe sales into Patlock
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Sales of home security device Patlock have boomed since its appearance on BBC Two's Dragons' Den last month, with a year-on-year increase of over 200 per cent.
Craig Knott, founder of the French door locking gadget, was grilled by the Dragons on our screens on 5 February and - despite leaving the den without funding - he's seen his sales go through the roof as a result.
"Sales of Patlock have more than trebled this month compared to February last year," said Craig. "Getting the chance to beam the product directly into people's front rooms was a once in a lifetime opportunity it's had an enormously positive impact on the business. To see such a boost in sales directly after the show was amazing and demonstrated so clearly the customer demand for our product."
The appearance in the Den follows Craig awarding retail distributorship of Patlock to Burnley-based outdoor living brand Bar-Be-Quick in late 2015, mere months before the filming of the show. Bar-Be-Quick's existing channels facilitate listings in stores and online.
The Patlock (RRP £64), which has been designed and developed by Craig in the UK, assists home owners in securing their property against burglars and the method of forced entry known as lock snapping.
Lock snapping involves the breaking of the cylinder from a UPVC door, which then enables the trespasser to manipulate the lock to open it. When compromised, the cylinder renders all of the other locking points useless.
Patlock removes the risk of lock snapping by securing all shoot bolts and levers, ensuring that the doors remain in the locked position. This stops the exterior handles from being operated and removes the option to open the doors from the outside.
The device recently won the award for Best New Product at Totally DIY, a leading UK trade show for retailers and suppliers in the DIY and home improvement sector, which was held on 14 and 15 February.
Craig said: "Entering the Dragons' Den was unlike anything I'd ever done before - and I'm not sure I'd be queueing up to do it again! The dragons give you a really good grilling which can be pretty tough going, but I tried to give back as good as I got and I think I got some respect for that."
Although Craig ultimately left without funding - thanks to a final attack from Deborah Meaden - he is clear that the programme has been a good thing for Patlock.
Craig added: "Seeing such a spike in demand has given us the confidence that the customer appetite is there for variations on the product. We are now focusing on developing a newer model to offer customers a choice."
Patlock is currently stocked in Bunnings and online with Screwfix, B&Q, Homebase and Argos.
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