No.2 toilet paper -Sales jumped 52 times month-on-month

A toilet paper brand said its March sales on Amazon increased by 5210% month-on-month
U.S. toilet paper is snapping up, and various traditional brands of toilet paper, which are usually filled with shelves, are often difficult to find now, and consumers have to buy other alternative products.

If there are startups who want to disrupt the toilet paper industry, then this is definitely the best time.

No. 2 is a bamboo pulp toilet paper brand with a strong Ins style. The company said that its sales on Amazon in March (compared to February) increased by 5210% from the previous month, and that it directly faces consumers and provides On its own website for ordering services, sales in March increased by 3239% compared to February. No. 2 is located in Los Angeles. The company’s spokesperson said: “The situation is terrible, but some interesting changes have also occurred. For example, consumers who were afraid to try eco-friendly products are now beginning to recognize such products. ”

Recently, Fortune magazine interviewed Samera Fall, asking about the impact of the epidemic on her work and future views, and how she managed her emotional and financial situation in the face of the epidemic.

Samera Farr is the founder of bamboo pulp toilet paper brand No.2. She told Fortune magazine: “We hope (during the epidemic) that there will be a first-line turnaround for consumers to support more sustainable toilet paper brands.” Image source: Courtesy of No. 2

For brevity, the following interviews have been modified.

“Fortune”: Briefly introduce your own background. In general, the toilet paper industry may not be the first choice for entrepreneurship, but this industry clearly has long-term potential. What motivated you to create No. 2, and how did you form No. 2’s unique style and beauty?

Fall: I think you can say that I am essentially an entrepreneur who is always seeking to improve the user experience. Before starting this toilet paper company, I also founded a high-end nail salon Bellacures and opened many stores. In 2017, I sold this company.

After leaving Bellacures, I took a break. In 2018, I started looking for the next project and product that I wanted to improve. At that time I had many ideas and did some research. Later, I found that the toilet paper industry is really old, and the major toilet paper brands only pay attention to the softness of the product. For other important factors, such as reliability, no additives, and no plastics for packaging, it is a complete neglect. status. I was very excited because I knew I could give ordinary products a new life with my love for creative printing, my obsession with brand building, and the pursuit of quality products.

Simply put, after joining the toilet paper industry, I quickly discovered that the production of toilet paper consumes a lot of wood. Global production of toilet paper is destroying forests on the planet. With the deepening of research, the impact of relevant figures and statistics on me has become greater and greater, and I have also been attracted to the fact that changing the material of toilet paper is not a big deal, but it can bring environmental protection. deep influence. It is at this moment that I am determined to build No. 2 into a sustainable solution.

Now, my mission is to change people’s perceptions of toilet paper, including how they are purchased and how they can provide quality and sustainability experience.

What did you do to start this company?

I like to make a road map or business plan first, to guide myself to make a complicated to-do list, and then I will recruit talents to help me turn No. 2 from ideal to reality.

No. 2 is a brand of bamboo pulp toilet paper with a strong Ins style. Image source: Courtesy of No. 2
When did you realize that the new crown epidemic might affect the company? What do you think about panic buying and panic buying in department stores (especially toilet paper)?

I remember hearing the news that some people were hoarding toilet paper and the department store was sold out when the outbreak happened. I felt a little weird at the time. I didn’t take it seriously at first, until March 8th when I received a lot of orders. On March 12, the order volume skyrocketed, and I realized that I had to work out a response plan with you. The next day, I found that the company’s inventory is likely to be short sold in the week. Then, on March 14, our products on Amazon were sold out, and on March 19, our own website was no longer available for sale.

Until now, we haven’t figured out why panic shopping should grab toilet paper. As store shelves are sold out, people are also looking for alternative products, which provides the best opportunity for consumer education. Now, in addition to traditional wood pulp toilet paper, many people also know that there are toilet paper produced from recycled paper and bamboo pulp. We hope this will be a turning point for people to support more sustainable toilet paper brands.

What has happened on the demand side since the outbreak in the United States?

Compared with the months before the outbreak, our website’s sales have skyrocketed by 3239%, and Amazon’s sales have increased by an astonishing 5210%.

When orders begin to flood in, the first thing we do is leave enough inventory to meet the needs of the ordering customer. Compared with most of our peers, our inventory is more abundant, and the spot sale time is longer, but in the end it is sold out, and we have begun to accept reservations. We restored inventory on May 4th and started restocking on Amazon on May 18. We have increased production to 15 times the normal period.

Considering that we will still live in a state of “social alienation” for a period of time, it may not be possible to return to the previous shopping state in the next few months (or even years). Do you think consumers’ shopping habits and preferences will change?

I think this kind of convenient courier service is still very popular, especially when buying large items, otherwise you have to move these items from the store to the car, and then move back from the car to the home. So, people who have enjoyed express delivery service can’t go back to the previous shopping state? The answer may not be. But I think it is still largely in the epidemic after all. We cannot know what the “new normal” will be until the epidemic is completely over.

How has the new crown epidemic affected you personally, and how have you been?

This event can be regarded as the most historic event we have ever experienced. The epidemic has enveloped our lives in darkness and chaos, and has also changed our way of life. Everyone is deeply affected, but the way may be different. For me personally, from the beginning, I decided to face it firmly, and be curious, creative, and hopeful about the future while making preparations. This is also my secret to overcome difficulties. (Fortune Chinese Network)