Why Spending 5 Cents More on Your Product Is Worth It
Executive Summary
Shopify Masters episode in which host Benjamin Gottlieb talks with Samantha Kent, chief growth officer of her family's beauty manufacturing business LaDove and founder of the beauty brand The Cleanest Lab, about why product quality is worth a few cents more. Samantha describes growing up around the family labs, returning to the business, and starting her own brand after her sister's illness made her think harder about ingredients. She says quality, speed and price rarely all come together and quality should be the primary focus because it is what people use and why they come back, and that fixating on a unit price can cost a better product. She says her online-only brand grew slowly through word of mouth and repeat customers and launched through a partnership with a subscription box. Sponsor named: Shopify, which hosts the show. PARTIAL COVERAGE: this note draws on the opening, the family business, quality tradeoff and launch sections, and may miss parts of the roughly 27 minute video. Personal stories and statements about ingredients are Samantha's own and not independently checked. Nothing here is medical, health, legal or financial advice.
Key Takeaways
Customer for life
She says you can get someone to buy once, but the key is that they use it and love it.
Three generations
The host says her family has made skincare and hair care products for three generations through LaDove.
Quality first
She says speed, quality and price rarely come together and quality should be the primary focus.
The five cents
She says fixating on a price per unit can cost you the chance of a much better product, and that adding five cents can raise quality.
Slow organic growth
She says her online-only brand builds slowly but with strong repeat business and word of mouth.
Play to your strengths
She says early on you have to be nimble and play to your strengths, such as selling in person or telling stories online.
A partnership launch
She says the brand launched through a subscription box partnership and a hospital partnership connected to her sister's care.
The Conversation Breakdown
Customer for life
⏱ Untimed topicShe says you can get someone to buy once, but the key is that they use it and love it.
Three generations
⏱ Untimed topicThe host says her family has made skincare and hair care products for three generations through LaDove.
Quality first
⏱ Untimed topicShe says speed, quality and price rarely come together and quality should be the primary focus.
The five cents
⏱ Untimed topicShe says fixating on a price per unit can cost you the chance of a much better product, and that adding five cents can raise quality.
Slow organic growth
⏱ Untimed topicShe says her online-only brand builds slowly but with strong repeat business and word of mouth.
Play to your strengths
⏱ Untimed topicShe says early on you have to be nimble and play to your strengths, such as selling in person or telling stories online.
A partnership launch
⏱ Untimed topicShe says the brand launched through a subscription box partnership and a hospital partnership connected to her sister's care.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Speed, quality, price - Samantha's tradeoff
Rarely get all three, so make quality the priority.
Do not fixate on unit price - Samantha's warning
A few cents can unlock a much better product.
Play to your strengths - Samantha's founder advice
Use what you do best while staying nimble.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Work out what an extra few cents per unit would buy in product quality.
- ✓Track repeat purchase rate as a quality signal.
- ✓Pick the channel that fits your own strengths, in person or online.
- ✓Treat statements about ingredients and personal stories as Samantha's own, not as medical or health advice.
Notable Quotes
“you can get somebody to buy a product once but the most important thing is they use it they love it then you have a customer for Life”
“quality should always be the primary focus because that is what people consume and what they use and the reason they keep coming back”
“especially starting out you have to be really Nimble and play to your strengths”
The One Thing to Remember
Samantha Kent says putting a little more into the product is worth it, because people who love using it become repeat customers who drive word of mouth.