The Trifecta That Doesn't Add Up: Bombay Shaving Company's Curious Case
And some realitycheck for D2C brand owners
There are few companies whose marketing is as strange as Bombay Shaving Company's 🧠
Every marketer dreams of the holy trinity: massive reach, adequate funding, and a decent product.
Most never get all three.
Yet Bombay Shaving Company somehow managed to hit this trifecta... and still posted a ₹62.15 crore loss in FY24 on a 200 Cr revenue.
And is still selling deodorants at ₹80-90 (assuming basic shipping and returns) 🤯🤯
Let's break down this paradox:
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵: Their founder's social presence is massive plus get's regular media coverage amplifying every move. ✅
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆: For some inexplicable reason, they keep raising capital in a category as undifferentiated as personal care and with no massive revenue growth. ✅
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: Their original products were genuinely decent. Nothing revolutionary, but solid. ✅
BSC gets regular media coverage and despite all the free media ..
So why the aggressive discounting strategy?
🚫 It's definitely not disposing of excess inventory because they keep doing offers like this on a regular basis.
🚫 Neither it is to get new customers because I have bought from them a few times earlier.
But I now find myself hesitating.
When a WhatsApp group member commented, "When something is free or cheap, then the user is the product. Maybe cancer is the outcome and users are patients" - the joke seems real with the price point.
🤔 But the bigger problem is why would you want to market your brand is such a way that customers joke or question it??
It seems the brand isn't bothered about respect or brand trust..they just want to be in the news & grow their topline.
While BSC takes it to extremes, despite their opportunity ; this is just not just about them !
Its common for many D2C brands in India..all of whom are now struggling.
So here’s my advice to all D2C founders:
When you have all three elements of the marketing trifecta or even 1-2 but still can't make the economics work, you have either a massive marketing problem or, worse a business model problem.
Accept it.
Fire the marketer who tells you that discounting and performance ads or influencer marketing are the only way.
Product businesses aren't built on discounts, they are built on usefulness, connection and most importantly trust.
If you do this, you will not grow as aggressively and primarily because of all the low-value customers you have acquired, but sooner or later there will be a change.
That’s my guarantee. Also now with AI you can quickly make your marketing team more efficient and increase the ROI.
Anyway, what’s your take on this?
- Saurabh www.linkedin.com/in/saurabhparmar