#038 Re Fresh's post-match review (19/02/2023)

Re Fresh has been on the market for a week and a half, but sales have been less than ideal. It hasn't achieved the sales volume I was hoping for with just one case, or the desired charitable effect. So today I'm here to do a post-launch review.

By the way, I'm sitting on my bed now, writing this journal entry on my computer. I've put Re Bedding on the bed, wrapped in a warm blanket (it's gotten cold again these past few days), and drinking my favorite Cream Soda Zero... (I think Cream Soda Zero tastes best in soda; by the way, I drink a lot of soda, probably every other day a week). Okay, let's get to the point.

Before launching Re Fresh, we gave away about 200 bottles to our existing customers as a way of thanking them. These 200 bottles were distributed in two ways: first, a batch was reserved for long-term supporters and customers who purchased the most (we really wanted to do something to thank them); the remaining hundred or so bottles were distributed online on a first-come, first-served basis to other customers. The customers who received the free Re Fresh gifts responded well, and we received messages from customers praising Re Fresh products and expressing their gratitude. However, despite this, Re Fresh sales weren't very good. Below, I'll attempt to offer my humble analysis for future reference and improvement.

1. This seems to deviate from Re Pillow Co.'s focus on bedding and doesn't align with the needs of visitors : When consumers come to our store or website, they are looking for bedding. Suddenly pushing perfume on them, even if it's a charity offer and the price is good, may not be what they need. Firstly, these people may never have wanted perfume, and secondly, it's not in their mood today, nor is it their purpose for learning about Re Pillow Co.'s products.

2. People who use perfume usually have their preferred brands and rarely try other brands, especially those without a related background. Those who don't use perfume, however, won't buy it randomly unless it's a gift . There's a tendency to continue buying perfume once you've started using a particular brand. Firstly, perfume brands invest heavily in building a specific image, attracting different consumers and leading them to love the brand. Secondly, while each perfume brand offers many different scents, they also have their own unique characteristics and personality. Therefore, if a consumer likes scent A from a brand, they might also like its other scents B and C, and will likely choose that brand when making a purchase, usually based on their personal taste. As for those who don't use perfume, unless there's a specific reason or idea that suddenly makes them want to try perfume, they rarely spend money on it themselves.

3. The high cost of small-batch perfume production, accounting for half of the total cost, may lead some to suspect inflated costs and distrust : It's well known that perfume production costs are low, but prices are high. Generally, the cost of perfume on the market accounts for less than 20% of the selling price (mostly 10%). However, because our perfume has a high concentration and is produced in very small batches, while we aim for raw materials and bottles to be close to market standards, and we need a pollution-free production environment, the final cost is too high. Others might think we're a scammer, inflating costs to secretly profit. Although in reality we can't profit; in fact, with current sales volume, we actually lose money on each bottle, but it's a small amount, so let's ignore it.

4. Re Pillow Co. lacks the necessary background and may seem unprofessional : The final reason is that we lack the background to manufacture these products, which might give the impression of being unprofessional. I believe this is entirely true. What I spend the most time and know the most about is actually bedding. I relied heavily on my friend David regarding many technical aspects of the Re Fresh product and how to combine scents, as mentioned in the product page. I spend the most time working on bedding, and it will be my future direction.

Regardless, it was a very interesting side project and a great learning experience. It will help me avoid making the same mistakes when I have the opportunity to do similar things in the future.

This week I've been working on some new products, mostly prototyping. Also, AEON stores in Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun started selling our pillows this week.