The elusive hero product. Some brands laud its power to move markets, cement lifelong fans, and build buzz without hesitation. Others see it as a challenge, a prompt to make something better and even more in line with the consumer’s evolving wants. And yet another approach to the hero product has seen recent popularity. Enter: the supersizing effect.
Travel sachets and TSA-approved versions have their charms, but there’s something assertive about turning a bestseller into a bigger version of itself. It signals confidence to the consumer, creates value for the shopper that’s comparing price per ounce, and, in some cases, can be a play toward more sustainable packaging.
An Ulta Beauty spokesperson had this to say about their diverse assortment of jumbos from brands ranging from skincare to haircare: “The assortment allows our guests to stock up and save on their favorites that are non-negotiables in their beauty routines, without having to replace them for months to come, while brands that offer a larger size of their best-selling products are able to build brand and product loyalty within their existing fan base.”
Larger sizes are merchandised alongside the rest of a brand’s offerings, at least at Ulta. Their bi-annual Jumbo Love Event was born out of a celebration of upgraded offerings from brands like Kiehl’s, Redken, and Briogeo. During this three-week event, guests shop even lower prices on jumbo-sized products.
Similarly driven by communication with their community, Act + Acre knew it was time to launch jumbo-sized products when their Cleanse + Conditioner spurred hundreds of DMs, comments, and notes asking them when they were going to release both in larger sizes. Helen Reavey, founder of Act+Acre, credits three inspirations for the brand’s jumbo launch. “From a numbers perspective, the Jumbos are three times the size of our regular Hair Cleanse + Conditioner, offering our consumers a larger supply of the product (3.5 months) while saving 30%. From a sustainability perspective, both products were formulated utilizing our patent-pending Cold Processed technology, which used 90% less energy than traditional heat manufacturing methods. Additionally, the larger size offerings allow us to limit frequent deliveries, cutting back on waste and emissions from shipping.”
Customer demand drove Lush toward supersizing their bestsellers, too. "As we always have sustainability in mind, these bigger pots reduce the number of plastic packages being purchased and are made with our 100% post-consumer recycled plastic,” notes Jessi Kauppi, Head of Retail NA at Lush. “We also highly encourage our customers to participate in our Bring It Back program so that they earn rewards towards a future purchase and the pots get a new life through our recycling program."
Dae, a haircare brand born online, launched jumbo sizes of their best-selling Signature Collection Shampoo & Conditioner with a strategy in mind. By limiting their larger size offering to just their Hero Signature franchise, the brand could continue to build out product offering.
In the world of skincare, Amy Liu, founder of Tower 28, knows a thing or two about a hero product. Their SOS Spray is the brand’s number-one SKU, and a full-size product sells every 30 minutes. “Based on our on ecomm sales, we can tell that SOS Spray is our best LTV product,” Liu says. “If we sell one bottle of the 4oz, we have a 70% chance of selling the same customer another bottle and a 30% chance of selling them four bottles. Based on the replenishment rate, it just made sense to create a refill for both sustainability and a savings perspective.”
Every time the jumbo size has launched on Sephora.com, it’s sold out. Tower 28 keeps it stocked on their own site. And since sustainability is a core of the business, the 100% recycled bottle and easy-to-refill bottles are in alignment. What was once a limited-edition holiday offering available DTC only in October 2020, is now a hero product of its own.
“As a company that is committed to never use single-use plastic, launching refill sizes was a natural decision for us.” Rosie Jane Johnston, founder of clean beauty line By/Rosie Jane, notes that the brand’s decision to offer jumbo refills for their best-selling products coincided with Earth Day. “Launched as an eco-conscious–driven decision, our refills help our customers save money and the planet. Our Body Wash Refill gives you your favorite body wash two times, and the Deodorant Refill lets you refill your favorite deodorant four times.”
Whether the motivation is driven strictly by sales or a heartfelt attempt to limit packaging, supersizing a hero could become as second nature as expanding into travel-size products in the near future. Too much of a good thing, depending on the customer, can be a good thing.
