Winning Ideas for the Home Shopping Network

When "Primetime Live" put out the call for new inventions to sell on the Home Shopping Network last year, about 900 entries came flooding in.

HSN merchants chose six lucky semi-finalists to visit their studios to audition for a shot on air. Two of those semi-finalists ultimately got the chance to sell their invention on television, to 85 million viewers.

Fortunes can be made from the most unlikely gadgets. Joy Mangano, a former stay-at-home mom, struck it rich by selling 25 million of her "huggable hangers" -- non-slip clothes hangers covered in a velvety surface.

Inventors who want to be on HSN have to show how their product is unique and easy to demonstrate.

They have to "really sell themselves and the products, and really get across for the merchants why we should air it," said Greg Gemette, head of merchandising at the network.

Four Inventions

The six chosen were typical of the HSN inventors, said Gemette. "They're anybody you know. They're you're next-door neighbor. They're you and I. They're people sitting in an office, dreaming 'what if, what if?' "

First up was Scott Brady, who brought along his timesaving portable home car wash, which is supposed to bring home the convenience of an automatic car wash.

However, it took about a half-hour to set up and Brady forgot a couple of vital components -- like a bucket and soap.

Plus, his device was only getting barely a quarter of the pressure he expected. He blamed the hose or spigot he was using. "There's definitely a problem here with this water," he said.

Next was a showering system that dispenses liquid fragrant soap along with the water. Inventor Brian Leonard, who works as an architect, said everyone who he talked to about it has been supportive.

The HSN buyers were as well. One said it looked like a convenient, hands-free solution that might help someone washing the kids or the dog.

Then, there was Elman Van Wick, who brought along the Window Mate, which uses magnets to let you wash both sides of a window at the same time.