Check it Out: Why it's Good to Be Quirky

The inventor gets 4 percent of their product's revenues — the items are sold on Quirky's website as well as through retailers such as Amazon.com and Home Depot — while the community that helped influence the design and manufacturing of the product splits 6 percent.

Sustainable Business Model?
Questions have arisen recently about whether Quirky's business model is sustainable. The company has taken steps to address those concerns. Within the last 16 months, for example, Quirky has implemented new features to its voting process so great product ideas don't fall victim to favortism. One feature it's added is a "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" button that offers its online community a simpler way to vote for a product without a financial incentive. Quirky has also recently partnered with General Electric, helping to bring smart appliances to consumers' homes.