Business ETC uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Click here to find out more »
Dublin: 12 °C Wednesday 19 June, 2013
Trending:
RSS

Tags

See other tags

Tags

Best-sellers: 10 of the greatest products of all time

24/7 Wall Street has compiled a list of the most popular products in history … and some of the results are surprising.

06/07/12 13,730 Views 27 Comments
Image: Duncan Raban/Duncan Raban/EMPICS Entertainment

OUR FRIENDS OVER at Business Insider spotted this interesting list of popular products that have not only impacted on global culture but have sold…BIG.

The list was compiled after 24/7 Wall Street reviewed product categories that generate attention and command significant and frequently long-lasting loyalty. They identified individual items that had the highest sales in their respective categories. “Toys, consumer electronics, books and movies can be passing interests. However, the most successful of these are the best-selling products of all time.”

The authors note that although the products are widely divergent, most have something in common – their innovativeness and subsequent links to a franchise. The winner aside, that is…but isn’t that just one other wonder among many about the Rubik’s Cube?

Here’s the top 10 as noted by 24/7 Wall Street:

Best-sellers: 10 of the greatest products of all time
1 / 10

  • 1. The Rubik's Cube

    First year: 1974 in Hungary but brought to the US and renamed the Rubik's Cube in 1980. Sales: 350 million units Parent company: Seven Towers Ltd During the 1980s, the toy company believed that as many as one-fifth of the world's population had tried solving the puzzle. Have you?

  • 2. iPhone

    First released: June 2007 Sales: 250 million units Company: Apple Image: A demonstrator with an iPhone during a protest against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA, this year. (Michael Gruber/APA/Press Association Images)

  • 3. The Harry Potter books

    Year: the first book came out in June 1997 Sales: 450 million copies in 67 languages Author: JK Rowling Publishers: Bloomsbury and Scholastic Image: A signed copy of Harry Potter is held by Portobello Rugby Club mascot three-year-old Jack Henderson in 2008 (Danny Lawson/PA Archive/Press Association Images)

  • 4. Michael Jackson's Thriller Album

    First released: November 1982 Sales: 110 million units Company: Epic Records To compare that number to music sales now, 24/7 Wall Street notes that Justin Bieber's two albums have sold only 3.2 million between them. Ouch. Image: Michael Jackson on stage in his Thriller costume in August 1988 (Duncan Raban/Duncan Raban/EMPICS Entertainment)

  • 5. The Mario Franchise

    First released: 1981 Sales: 262 million units Company: Nintendo Image: david_a_lea on Flickr

  • 6. iPad

    First released: April 2010 Sales: 67 million Company: Apple It took Apple 24 years to sell the same number of computers, according to 24/7 Wallstreet. Image: US President Barack Obama poses for a photo taken with an iPad. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

  • 7. Star Wars

    First released: 1977 Sales: .54 billion in tickets Company: 20th Century Fox The figures include all six films, outshining other box-office greats, Avatar and Gone with the Wind. Image: In this June 7, 1977, cinema goers wait in front of the Avco Center Theater in Los Angeles to see Star Wars. (AP Photo, file)

  • 8. Toyota Corolla

    First released: 1966 Sales: 39 million Since 1966, Toyota has sold one Corolla every 40 seconds. Image: Bidgee on Flickr

  • 9. Lipitor

    First released: 1997 Sales: 5 billion Company: Pfizer The rise of bad cholesterol also brought about the rise of Lipitor. Not wholly unrelated, it was also one of the first drugs to benefit from direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in America. It has the largest ad spend of any medicine. Image: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

  • 10. Playstation

    First released: 1995 Sales: Over 300 million units Company: Sony Image: Chris Weeks/AP Images for Sony Computer Entertainment America
  • First year: 1974 in Hungary but brought to the US and renamed the Rubik's Cube in 1980. Sales: 350 million units Parent company: Seven Towers Ltd During the 1980s, the toy company believed that as many as one-fifth of the world's population had tried solving the puzzle. Have you?
  • First released: June 2007 Sales: 250 million units Company: Apple Image: A demonstrator with an iPhone during a protest against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA, this year. (Michael Gruber/APA/Press Association Images)
  • Year: the first book came out in June 1997 Sales: 450 million copies in 67 languages Author: JK Rowling Publishers: Bloomsbury and Scholastic Image: A signed copy of Harry Potter is held by Portobello Rugby Club mascot three-year-old Jack Henderson in 2008 (Danny Lawson/PA Archive/Press Association Images)
  • First released: November 1982 Sales: 110 million units Company: Epic Records To compare that number to music sales now, 24/7 Wall Street notes that Justin Bieber's two albums have sold only 3.2 million between them. Ouch. Image: Michael Jackson on stage in his Thriller costume in August 1988 (Duncan Raban/Duncan Raban/EMPICS Entertainment)
  • First released: 1981 Sales: 262 million units Company: Nintendo Image: david_a_lea on Flickr
  • First released: April 2010 Sales: 67 million Company: Apple It took Apple 24 years to sell the same number of computers, according to 24/7 Wallstreet. Image: US President Barack Obama poses for a photo taken with an iPad. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)
  • First released: 1977 Sales: .54 billion in tickets Company: 20th Century Fox The figures include all six films, outshining other box-office greats, Avatar and Gone with the Wind. Image: In this June 7, 1977, cinema goers wait in front of the Avco Center Theater in Los Angeles to see Star Wars. (AP Photo, file)
  • First released: 1966 Sales: 39 million Since 1966, Toyota has sold one Corolla every 40 seconds. Image: Bidgee on Flickr
  • First released: 1997 Sales: 5 billion Company: Pfizer The rise of bad cholesterol also brought about the rise of Lipitor. Not wholly unrelated, it was also one of the first drugs to benefit from direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs in America. It has the largest ad spend of any medicine. Image: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
  • First released: 1995 Sales: Over 300 million units Company: Sony Image: Chris Weeks/AP Images for Sony Computer Entertainment America

Read more at 24/7 Wall St>

  • Share on Facebook
  • Email this article
  •  

About the author:

Sinead O'Carroll
@SineadOCarroll
sinead@thejournal.ie

Contribute to this story:

Leave a Comment
Send a Photo / Video
Send a Tip
Send a Correction

Read next:

Comments (27 Comments)

Ordered By: Popularity
Leave a comment

Add New Comment

Read Next:

Enda Kenny to meet Japanese PM in a bid to strengthen trade Japan

Most Popular Today

TheJournal.ie
1
Revealed: British to blame for Ireland’s drink problem
24,538  135
2
In pics: Michelle Obama and girls visit Wicklow park and lunch with Bono in pub
23,536  67
3
‘Suicidal man’ turned away from Roscommon psychiatric unit
17,563  47
Business ETC
1
The IMF wants Budget 2014 to ignore the promissory note deal
9,425  57
2
Ireland gets another €1.6 billion in bailout loans from the EFSF
6,463  72
3
Royalty gives up bid for Irish biotech firm Elan
4,418  0
TheScore.ie
1
As it happened: Lions v Brumbies, 2013 Tour
26,082  30
2
Former Irish Olympian vows to fight on after terminal cancer diagnosis
15,706  4
3
“I’m going to keep fighting. Keep ticking away” – Gardiner on cancer battle
14,761  6
DailyEdge.ie
1
Oh, just a huge snake OPENING A DOOR
32,231  9
2
Embarrassing ‘Obama in Ireland’ headline fail
30,353  66
3
The 7 things lads* do in photographs
26,461  21

Trending Tags

JAPAN
Enda Kenny to meet Japanese PM in a bid to strengthen trade
Enda Kenny to meet Japanese PM in a bid to strengthen trade
Everything you need to know about the G8, but were afraid to ask
Japan shock Six Nations champions Wales
DUBLIN BUS
LRC recommends cuts to overtime and sick leave for Dublin Bus drivers
LRC recommends cuts to overtime and sick leave for Dublin Bus drivers
Dublin Bus are now tweeting pictures of lost phones
The 9 at 9: Thursday
JOBS
13 extreme examples of what not to wear at work
13 extreme examples of what not to wear at work
11 examples of people really, really enjoying their job
President: More action on unemployment needed from EU leaders
EUROPEAN UNION
It’s been 40 years since we joined the EU, so how did it all happen?
It’s been 40 years since we joined the EU, so how did it all happen?
EU groups calls for compulsory training for university professors
The next head of the European Commission will probably be chosen in Dublin
APPLE
Taoiseach: I didn’t raise US senate claim that Ireland is a tax haven with Obama
Taoiseach: I didn’t raise US senate claim that Ireland is a tax haven with Obama
Taoiseach: Ireland wants to be part of G8 tax evasion plan, defends corporate tax rate
Apple does not collect ‘a mountain of personal details’
GOOGLE
Google boss defends Ireland’s corporate tax rate
Google boss defends Ireland’s corporate tax rate
Living in a remote part of the world? Google wants to get internet access to you with balloons
Civil liberties groups claim PRISM breaches international human rights

About Us

Follow Us

Corrections

Policies

Content copyright © Journal Media Ltd. 2013 Registered in Dublin, registration number: 483623. Registered office: 3rd floor, Latin Hall, Golden Lane, Dublin 8.

Please note that TheJournal.ie uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies policy.

News images provided by Press Association and Photocall Ireland unless otherwise stated. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography unless otherwise stated. Wire service provided by Associated Press.

Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, submissions or preferences. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, posts, comments and submissions available. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Switch to Mobile Site

Sites: TheJournal.ie | BusinessETC.ie | TheScore.ie | DailyEdge.ie | Boards.ie | Adverts.ie | Daft.ie