Why Dr. Barbara Sturm Shower Gel Should Cost More

I bought Dr. Barbara Sturm shower gel, 500 ml bottle for 24.00GBP. The brand loses at least 26.00GBP here.

1. Recently the brand presented a shower gel priced at 30.00 GBP per 500 ml.

2. If you purchase in an official e-shop, you may subscribe to the item with regular deliveries to receive an additional price discount of 20%. This is how I bought it for 24.00 GBP instead of 30.00 GBP, with no intention to buy further - I had never tried it before, so I typically subscribe to secure the discount and cancel the subscription immediately after placing the order.

3. This is the first gap where the brand loses margin - 20% of the price.

4. While subscriptions can be a justified tool for repeat purchases, brands often do not structure them fully - as in this case. Or they impose a required number of purchases (which irritates clients if, for example, the product does not meet expectations and generates minus-emotions towards the brand). There is a third, more effective option where both the brand and the client can benefit, which, however, is rarely implemented.

5. The price of the shower gel should be integrated into the overall offer and price architecture - within the category, across the brand’s categories, and in comparison with competitors.

6. The brand’s body cream is priced at 100.00 GBP for 200 ml (this price is also inflated based on the price architecture logic outlined above, although the product itself is excellent).

7. In the body care line there is also a scrub - priced at 90.00 GBP for 160 g.

8. Therefore, to balance pricing within the category alongside existing products, Dr. Barbara Sturm should position the shower gel higher - at a minimum of 50.00 GBP for 500 ml, and more appropriately in the range of 65.00–70.00 GBP. This avoids dissonance, removes the perception that the shower gel is under-positioned (current pricing aligns with upper mass-market pricing), and protects the perceived value of the rest of the line.

9. Additional gaps identified while writing this note. The brand also offers body cream in:

• 50 ml for 25.00 GBP. This is undervalued, as the standard rule for smaller formats is that the unit price should not be lower or equal to that of the standard size;

• 500 ml for 220.00 GBP. This is well positioned - the client benefits from purchasing a larger volume).

10. Continuing the logic of consistent measurement units - the size of the shower gel packaging should be indicated in ml, with grams optionally added.

11. In the online store - a clear example of how product connections (which are highly effective for cross-sell and up-sell and which I prioritise in e-commerce consulting), are not fully utilised and instead resemble a random assortment where conversion is lost. For example:

• the body cream appears within the face care routine;

• in the shower gel sequence there is a scalp serum instead of a more logical option such as an intimate wash from the brand’s body care line.