Judith has a passion for dictionaries. Although the products are selected for their innovative qualities and entertainment value, Robert says he sometimes has to rein in his love for gadgetry to concentrate on items that offer viable business opportunities and toe the bottom line set by Judith. Judith tempers that. Offering stuff people actually might want is important because the company takes a 5 percent to 50 percent cut of sales made as a result of its marketing efforts. But sales reflect only one piece of New and Kewl's revenue stream.
Vendors also pay for placement, shelling out amounts that vary depending on what they have to offer.
For example, clients whose products are, in fact, new and kewl pay very little because they bolster the site's identity. Those whose offerings mesh less well are invited to become advertisers at a higher rate. The company also sells sponsorships for various online and offline events. But the site also caters to inventors and entrepreneurs, who post information on their patented creations to attract marketers, manufacturers or licensing deals. We also saw a lot of good entertainment sites and online magazines, but many didn't allow end users to act on the information.