61. Product Line Pricing: Branding & Marketing Lessons from a Product-Based Business Founder with Rochelle Vassell

I sat down with Rochelle Vassell, co-founder of Dsarskin, on my podcast Go Get Great, and our conversation left me with so many practical, real-world takeaways about product line pricing, branding, vendor relationships, and marketing for product-based businesses.

If you are thinking about launching a product line or refining the way you price and promote your products, this article pulls together everything I learned from Rochelle’s journey — and how you can apply those lessons to your own business. I’ll be honest and tell you what surprised me, what felt familiar from my service-based perspective, and how product line pricing is one of the single most important decisions you’ll make as a product founder.

If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.

Table of Contents

• Why product line pricing matters — and why I keep returning to it

• Start messy, iterate fast: the agile approach to launching products

• Physical branding — packaging, mood boards, and why it matters for price

• Vendor shopping: how to choose partners who support your product goals

• When to change branding and packaging

• How they chose which products to launch — testing and listening

• Production bottlenecks: inventory and quality assurance

• Budgeting and startup costs: expect higher early expenses

• Marketing channels for product-based businesses: what worked and what didn’t

• Communicating value: making customers understand why your price is fair

• Product line pricing strategy: how to set prices that work

• Top mistakes to avoid when setting product line pricing

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Parting words from my conversation

Why product line pricing matters for Product Based Businesses

From the moment Rochelle explained how she pivoted from accessories to skincare and then to home scents, it became obvious that the way you price your products drives almost every other business choice. Product line pricing influences the audience you attract, the vendors you can afford, the packaging you choose, how you structure wholesale agreements, and the marketing channels that make sense for your brand. Over and over in our conversation, product line pricing threaded through every strategic decision Rochelle made — from whether to start with white labeling to deciding which candles would become hero products. If you’re building a physical product business, refining your product line pricing early will save you time and money down the road.

Rochelle’s origin story: from living room hobby to boutique brand

Rochelle’s business didn’t begin in a lab or a fancy studio — it started in a living room. The business originally sold handmade accessories, and after a break and a lot of soul-searching, she pivoted. When she developed a skin remedy that actually worked for a stubborn skin disorder, friends and family encouraged her to turn it into a product. With experience at brands like Sephora and L’Oreal, Rochelle had an intuitive feel for beauty and fragrance, and she roped in her sister to help with candles and home scents.

That pivot taught me something simple but critical: many founders fall into product businesses because they’re solving a personal problem. That origin gives you empathy for your customer and a reason to dig into product line pricing that reflects both cost and perceived value.

Watch this episode of Go Get Great on YouTube & don't forget to hit subscribe!

Start messy, iterate fast: the agile approach to launching products

One of the most practical things Rochelle shared was how they launched messy at first — a few inexpensive bottles, simple labels, and product assortments chosen with budget in mind. The goal was to test and iterate rather than to chase perfection on day one.

For many product founders, that “launch messy” mentality removes paralysis and accelerates learning, especially when it comes to product line pricing. Here are a few of her recommendations:

• I learned that testing price points early — even with throwaway packaging — helps you understand perceived value.

• Launching a smaller product assortment reduces startup costs and allows you to test which items resonate with customers before committing to high minimum orders from vendors.

• When you stage your product development, you can gradually invest in better packaging and tighter branding as sales and margins prove your product line pricing choices.

When it comes to product lines the "less is more" mentality works well.

Physical branding — packaging, mood boards, and why it matters for price

Physical products have a tactile, visual element that services rarely require. Rochelle described how she and her team built moodboards, selected bottle colors, and iterated label designs until something felt “luxury, sustainable, and recognizable.” Packaging choices are not purely aesthetic — they directly affect perceived value and therefore product line pricing.

Learn more about business and product branding.

Here are a few practical lessons I took away about branding and product line pricing:

• Match packaging to price expectations: If your product line pricing positions you as a higher-end brand, packaging must deliver on that promise. Glass, textured labels, and refined typography help justify higher price points.

• Start with a consistent aesthetic: Even if you’re using inexpensive bottles at first, choose a cohesive colour palette and label treatment so customers learn to recognize your brand.

• Use mood boards early: They help you communicate your vision to vendors and designers, which reduces wasted samples and accelerates the path to the right packaging that supports your product line pricing strategy.

• Be prepared to change: Packaging often changes multiple times in early years due to shortages, vendor constraints, or a strategic shift in product line pricing.

Vendor shopping: how to choose partners who support your product goals

Vendor selection is probably one of the top operational areas where product founders get tripped up. Rochelle walked me through her vendor-selection process — samples, minimum order quantities, and the reality that sometimes the sample is great but the full order is disappointing. I want to highlight what stood out, because vendor decisions directly affect cost of goods sold (COGS) and therefore product line pricing.

Vendor tips that matter

• Don’t rely only on star ratings: Reviews are useful, but not infallible. Look at recent feedback and ask for references or case studies.

• Ask about responsiveness and willingness to resolve issues: A vendor who will resend a broken shipment and improve packing is a partner. That partnership reduces risk and stabilizes COGS for your product line pricing.

• Request multiple samples and inspect thoroughly: Packaging integrity, fill levels, scent throw for candles, and label adhesion matter. These affect customer returns and perceived value.

• Consider moodboard alignment: Vendors who’ve produced similar aesthetics will often translate your vision more efficiently, saving time and sample costs.

• Understand MOQs (minimum order quantities) and shipping costs: These are major inputs to product line pricing and can make or break margins.

Rochelle’s experience with vendors reminded me that vendor relationships are long-term investments. A good vendor who negotiates on price as you scale can lower costs and allow you to move product line pricing strategically as your brand matures.

When to change branding and packaging

Rochelle’s team changed the packaging for some products multiple times in the first two years. There’s no shame in that — early changes are often part of dialing in the right look, fixing supply issues, or responding to customer feedback.

I learned that packaging changes typically happen for three reasons:

1. Supply constraints: You may not be able to source the exact bottle or cap you want consistently, which forces a change.

2. Customer feedback and data: When a product doesn’t resonate in market testing, you may tweak packaging to better communicate benefits aligned with product line pricing.

3. Strategic repositioning: As your brand evolves, you may move upmarket or downmarket. Packaging must match that shift so your product line pricing feels authentic.

When you’re thinking about changing packaging, consider the cost of obsolescence and the impact on product line pricing. If you repackage too often, you may incur inventory write-offs or confuse customers about product identity.

How they chose which products to launch — testing and listening

I loved how Rochelle described being intentional about product selection. Rather than guessing, they used an email test list of under twenty people, hosted in-person pop-ups, and watched real purchase and repurchase behavior to decide what to keep and what to drop. These are low-cost ways to validate product-market fit before you finalize product line pricing.

Key tactics I recommend based on our conversation:

• Create a small beta testing panel: Ask for feedback and watch for reorders, not just compliments.

• Sell at pop-ups and trade shows strategically: Use these events for awareness and real-time feedback on scent, texture, and packaging — all of which influence product line pricing.

• Track engagement metrics online: Click-through rates on product pages, add-to-cart behavior, and conversion after promotional campaigns reveal price sensitivity and perceived value.

• Iterate with a narrow focus: Launch one to three hero products, optimize them, then expand. Starting with a broad product assortment increases inventory complexity and muddles product line pricing decisions.

Production bottlenecks: inventory and quality assurance

One of the most candid parts of our conversation was about the operational difficulty of producing physical products. Rochelle explained that inventory and quality assurance were the biggest early bottlenecks. Since her team makes 90–95% of their products, they had to create formulas, work with chemists, and repeatedly test shelf life and stability — all expensive and time-consuming activities that influence the cost base for her product line pricing.

From a practical standpoint, here are steps I recommend to avoid the pitfalls Rochelle described:

1. Budget for failed batches: It's normal. Set aside working capital in your financial model that assumes a percentage of production will be unusable in early runs. This protects your product line pricing strategy from being derailed by unexpected COGS.

2. Use consultants smartly: For beauty brands, bringing in chemists or technicians for a few critical sessions can speed up formulation and prevent costly missteps that would otherwise increase your COGS and force you to alter product line pricing later. For other niches this might look like hiring a business coach or another professional to ensure your initial products are fit for sale.

3. Implement a QA (auality assurance) checklist: Before shipping anything, go through a standardized set of QA steps — packaging, fill, scent consistency, labeling, batch records. This reduces returns and protects perceived value tied to product line pricing.

4. Control shelf-life communication: Be transparent about expiration or best-by dates. Customers appreciate this and it reduces complaints that could damage your brand and pressure your product line pricing to be perceived as cheaper than it is.

Budgeting and startup costs: expect higher early expenses

Rochelle didn’t sugarcoat it — starting a product business is expensive. Between lab time, formulation, sampling, label design, minimum order quantities, shipping, and quality assurance, your cash needs will be significant. For anyone thinking about product line pricing, that means two things:

• Your initial price points will likely need to reflect higher COGS until you scale and negotiate better vendor terms.

• You should explore funding options (self-funding, mentors, grants, or small business programs) to avoid starving product development early on, which can lead to poor product line pricing decisions made under cash pressure.

Rochelle and her partner self-funded and supplemented that with mentorship programs. I think that combination — self-driven ownership with mentorship — is a powerful approach because mentorship often reduces expensive trial-and-error, helping you refine product line pricing sooner.

Spending time researching business grants or start up loans are a good idea for start ups.

Marketing channels for product-based businesses: what worked and what didn’t

Marketing a product is different from marketing a service. Your product can live on shelves, in washrooms at partner businesses, or in curated boxes. Rochelle shared several tactics and the real results behind them:

Influencers vs. collaborations

Rochelle has mixed feelings about influencer marketing. They tried sending products to influencers and even paying for posts, but the ROI was inconsistent. For small product brands with limited budgets, influencers can represent a high-cost, high-risk bet. Rochelle’s experience suggests that influencers work better for larger brands or for long-term partnerships where content creators feel invested in the product.

Collaborations, on the other hand, have been much more effective. Partnering with wellness centers, restaurants, and small retailers provides targeted exposure and immediate purchasing opportunities. For example, Rochelle described partnerships where wellness centers placed scannable barcodes near products in washrooms — people could scan and buy on the spot. These micro-moments convert better than an influencer story that disappears in a feed.

Community building

Rochelle emphasized community as a core part of their marketing approach. Building an email list for testers, engaging attendees at pop-ups, and working with local businesses created repeat customers who understood the product and could justify price based on perceived value. Community-driven marketing lowers customer acquisition costs over time and supports premium product line pricing.

Do trade shows work? When to expect ROI

We talked about trade shows extensively. Rochelle explained that on some years she took a break from trade shows because the immediate return on investment wasn’t clear and they required a large financial and time investment to do. However, she still values them for awareness and relationship-building.

I took away three practical rules when considering trade shows:

1. Use trade shows for awareness, not immediate sales metrics. Early on, expect low direct ROI on sales but high ROI on awareness and wholesale leads.

2. Be selective: Choose shows where your target demographic is present and where retailers scout for new products. That increases the chance that trade shows will affect your product line pricing positively by producing wholesale deals.

3. Treat trade shows as a testing ground: Use them to try new scents, packaging, and price points in a real-world environment.

From a marketing perspective, I mentioned that it can be helpful to offer free product samples or giveaways that allow you to collect contact information for your target audience, this allows you to build awareness after the event is over.

Communicating value: making customers understand why your price is fair

One of the most useful parts of our chat centered on communicating value. Rochelle’s brand leans on sustainable luxury — glass bottles, reusable packaging, and plans for a bottle return program. Those features take time and investment to create, but when communicated correctly they support higher product line pricing.

Here are specific ways to communicate value for better pricing outcomes:

• Tell the sourcing story: Explain why ingredients are chosen and what makes them better. Customers pay for transparency.

• Show sustainability actions: Reusable glass and recyclable labels increase perceived value for eco-conscious buyers — which supports higher product line pricing.

• Use packaging to signal quality: Heavier glass, embossed labels, and cohesive design signal luxury and justify premium product line pricing.

• Create programs that encourage repeat purchases: A bottle return or refill program can make premium product line pricing feel like an investment in quality and sustainability.

Product line pricing strategy: how to set prices that work

Now to the heart of the matter: product line pricing. Rochelle and I discussed how they determined price points based on their target audience (middle class to upper-class), competitor benchmarking, and the reality of where their brand sits in maturity. I want to translate that into clear steps you can use to set product line pricing that aligns with your brand and business goals.

Step-by-step product line pricing framework

1. Know your target customer

Are they value-driven, eco-conscious, or seeking luxury? Your product line pricing must reflect what your ideal customer expects to pay.

2. Calculate your all-in cost

Factor in materials, labor, packaging, shipping, customs, MLQs, QA, returns, and marketing overhead. This COGS baseline determines your minimum viable product line pricing.

3. Benchmark competitors

Look at similar brands and where they position themselves. If competitors are charging $25 for a 200ml room spray with glass packaging, that gives you a market signal for product line pricing.

4. Decide on margin targets

Think about gross margins that allow for sustainable growth. Many product brands target 50%+ margins at retail, but initial margins may be lower until you scale vendor agreements and reduce MOQs.

5. Build a tiered product line pricing ladder

Offer an entry-level product (lower price), a mid-tier (best seller), and a premium hero product. This helps capture different customer segments and increases average order value.

6. Test and be flexible

Use sales data and A/B testing to refine price points. If a product with premium packaging sells better at a higher price, your product line pricing may need to shift upward accordingly.

7. Communicate value clearly

Ensure your messaging matches price — if you want to charge luxury prices, every touchpoint (packaging, website, unboxing) must support that price point.

I want to be candid: product line pricing is iterative. Rochelle emphasized that they’re not at a six-hundred-dollar candle position yet — they’re building brand equity to get there. Most brands start in the middle and work their way up as awareness and perceived value increase.

Examples of product line pricing tiers (practical templates)

To make product line pricing tangible, here are templates you can adopt. Pick the one that fits your business model and adjust numbers to your actual costs and market.

• Entry-level (intro): Price near cost + small margin. Purpose: convert new customers and increase trial. Example: $6–$12 for small home sprays or travel sizes.

• Core/Best-seller (mid-tier): Price at competitive market rates with healthy margin. Purpose: reliably profitable product. Example: $25–$45 for full-size sprays or standard candles.

• Premium/Hero (high-tier): Price above average due to packaging, limited runs, or unique formulation. Purpose: brand prestige and margin lift. Example: $75–$150 for large candles or limited-edition bundles.

When you structure your product line pricing in tiers, customers can move up the ladder as they trust your brand. This tiered approach also lets you allocate marketing spend intelligently towards entry-level products that convert and premium products that increase lifetime value.

How to test price sensitivity without killing momentum

Testing pricing is both art and science. Rochelle’s approach with micro-launches, pop-ups, and a small email test group is a great way to measure price sensitivity without burning your entire launch budget. Here are specific testing tactics you can try:

• Run two price points on different platforms (A/B test on your site or between different retail partners).

• Offer limited-time discount codes to measure elasticity: if a 10% discount dramatically increases volume, you may be pricing too high; if it barely changes orders, you may have room to raise prices.

• Compare add-to-cart vs actual purchases: High add-to-cart but low checkouts often indicate price is a barrier.

• Use surveys with purchase intent questions: Ask beta customers whether they’d buy at specified price points and why (quality concerns, packaging, size).

How collaborations and wholesale affect product line pricing

Collaborations with local businesses and wholesale placements are powerful ways to increase distribution. Rochelle’s team experimented with supplying Airbnbs, wellness centers, and retail shelves. Each of these channels shifts the economics and therefore the product line pricing strategy.

Here’s how to think about it:

• Wholesale requires a different pricing model: You’ll sell at a discounted rate to retail partners, but the volume and reduced marketing spend can make it profitable. Factor wholesale margins into your overall product line pricing so your direct-to-consumer price protects retail relationships.

• Collaborative placements (like barcodes in washrooms) increase convenience and conversion. These placements may justify slightly higher retail product line pricing because they meet customers at the moment of discovery.

• Bundles and B2B supply deals: Offering curated packages for restaurants or hotels often requires custom pricing but can lead to steady orders that improve cash flow and allow you to finesse product line pricing elsewhere.

Future planning: scaling product line pricing as your business grows

Rochelle’s goal is to continue refining their brand, expand into retail, and build programs like bottle returns to support sustainability and repeat purchases. As you plan your growth, think of product line pricing as dynamic — you can increase prices as your brand equity and distribution improve, but you must support that price with better packaging, storytelling, and service.

Scaling also gives negotiating power with vendors. Lower COGS through higher volumes means you can either increase margins or adjust product line pricing to capture more customers. The trade-off is strategic: do you want to be a high-margin boutique or a mid-market volume brand? Your product line pricing needs to reflect that choice.

Practical checklist: product launch essentials that protect pricing

Use this quick checklist to ensure your early decisions don’t undermine your product line pricing later:

1. Lock in a cost model that includes all hidden expenses (duties, labeling, returns).

2. Start with 1–3 hero SKUs and test them before expanding the product line pricing matrix.

3. Create clear packaging tiers that align with pricing tiers.

4. Document vendor agreements and MOQs so you can forecast price adjustments.

5. Use small-sample testing to validate both product appeal and price tolerance.

6. Build community early — repeat customers reduce the need to race to the bottom on price.

7. Be transparent about sustainability practices — they increase perceived value and justify premium product line pricing.

Top mistakes to avoid when setting product line pricing

In our conversation, Rochelle mentioned mistakes she and her partner made early on. I want to summarize those so you can avoid them:

• Underestimating COGS and operational overhead. This forces you to raise prices later or lose margin.

• Launching too many SKUs upfront. Inventory complexity makes pricing inconsistent and increases holding costs.

• Relying on influencer hype as a primary acquisition channel without measuring conversion. This can make a premium product line pricing impossible to sustain.

• Not thinking about packaging continuity. Frequent packaging changes confuse customers and devalue your brand.

Practical examples and real numbers to inspire your pricing decisions

While every business is unique, seeing hypothetical numbers helps. I’ll share simple, rounded examples to visualize product line pricing in action. Assume the following cost structure for a candle:

• COGS per candle (materials + labor + packaging + QA): $8

• Shipping & fulfillment per candle: $3

• Marketing and overhead allocated per candle: $4

• Total all-in cost per candle: $15

Pricing tiers using that $15 baseline:

• Entry-level small candle: Price = $25 (gross margin 40%). Good for trials and driving customer acquisition.

• Core medium candle: Price = $45 (gross margin ~67%). The best-seller that balances volume and margin to support reinvestment.

• Premium large candle: Price = $95 (gross margin ~84%). High-margin hero product that signals luxury and supports brand prestige.

Adjust these numbers to reflect your sector, but use this exercise to set thresholds where product line pricing covers costs and enables growth.

Final takeaways from my conversation with Rochelle

I walked away from our chat with a few clear convictions I want to leave you with:

• Product line pricing is not a one-time decision. Plan for multiple iterations as you learn from customers and scale production.

• Start with fewer products and test aggressively. That protects margins and focuses your branding efforts.

• Invest in vendor relationships and quality assurance early — they lower the risk of expensive mistakes that will force you to change product line pricing later.

• Marketing should be diversified: community and retail collaborations often beat one-off influencer bets for small brands.

• Packaging and storytelling are tools of pricing; invest in them to command premium product line pricing as your brand matures.

Action plan: what I recommend you do this month

If you’re inspired to move forward after reading this, here’s a simple action plan you can implement in the next 30 days to get clear on product line pricing:

1. Create a one-page cost model: list all costs associated with producing and selling a single unit.

2. Identify one hero SKU to launch or refine — don’t start with a dozen SKUs.

3. Build a small test list of customers (10–30 people) to sample and give pricing feedback.

4. Contact at least three vendors and request samples and MOQ quotes. Ask about packaging lead times.

5. Draft three price points (entry, core, premium) and map them to packaging tiers and marketing plans.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I set product line pricing if I don’t know my exact costs yet?

A: Start by estimating conservative costs and include a buffer for unexpected expenses. Create a pro forma that lists materials, labor, packaging, shipping, returns, and marketing. Use a 20–30% buffer for early-stage unknowns. Then test price points with a small audience — the feedback will help refine your cost estimates and product line pricing.

Q: Should I start with private label or make everything from scratch?

A: If you’re brand-new to product development, private labeling or white labeling can lower startup costs and help you validate demand before investing heavily in formulation. This allows you to develop a product line pricing strategy based on market demand and profitability insights, then transition to proprietary products when the business can support higher COGS for unique formulations.

Q: How many SKUs should I launch with?

A: Less is more. Launch with one to three SKUs. Focus your marketing and QA efforts on those products to get reliable feedback, develop repeat buyers, and refine product line pricing. Expanding too quickly increases inventory complexity and makes it hard to understand what drives sales.

Q: What’s the best way to test price sensitivity?

A: Use small A/B tests, discount codes, and pop-up sales. Track add-to-cart vs. completed transactions to understand drop-off points. Offer limited-time discounts to measure elasticity and gather direct feedback from customers about perceived value. These insights help tune your product line pricing.

Q: How do I handle influencer requests without wasting product and money?

A: Vet influencers carefully. Start with micro-influencers who have highly engaged audiences that match your target customers. Set clear expectations and consider paid, trackable partnerships that include conversion metrics. Alternatively, focus on collaborations with businesses where customer intent is higher, like wellness centers, boutiques, or hospitality partners.

Q: When should I consider raising my product line pricing?

A: Consider raising prices when: your brand awareness and demand increase, your costs rise across the board, your product receives consistently strong reviews, or you’ve improved packaging and perceived value. Communicate price increases as improvements or investments in quality and sustainability to maintain customer trust.

Q: How do I balance wholesale and direct-to-consumer pricing?

A: Wholesale pricing should be structured to allow retailers margin while preserving your brand’s MSRP. A common approach is to set wholesale prices at roughly 50% of your retail price, but adjust according to your cost base and retailer expectations. Ensure your product line pricing strategy includes both DTC and wholesale scenarios so you don’t undercut retail partners.

Parting words from my conversation

I love product conversations because they combine creativity, craft, and hard-headed business decisions. Rochelle’s candid description of learning to build Dsarskin — from labels that were “thrown up” to later, more intentional packaging and sustainable goals — is hopeful for anyone with a product idea. My biggest piece of advice, which echoes what we discussed at length, is simple: be methodical about product line pricing. Know your costs, validate demand, start small, and invest in the aspects of your brand that allow customers to understand why your price is fair.

If you want to go deeper into any of these topics — vendor negotiation scripts, cost model templates, or wording for communicating sustainability to justify product line pricing — I’d love to help and so would Rochelle. You can follow Dsarskin on Instagram at @dsarskin and visit their website at www.dsarskin.com. Or feel free to reach out through my socials or listen to the full episode on Go Get Great for the unedited stories and moment-by-moment insights from Rochelle’s founding journey.

Thanks for reading — and if you take one action this week, my ask is this: create a one-page cost model for your hero product and list three realistic price points. That small step will clarify your next moves and make your product line pricing decisions far less stressful.

---

Meet Rochelle

https://www.dsarskin.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dsarskin/

Come say hi!

⁠⁠@brittanymillersocials⁠⁠⁠ on IG

Ready to level up your life and business taking it from good to great? Hit follow and please leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! The kids and I might even bust out a happy dance! 💗 - Brittany

00:00 Intro

2:55 Rochelle's story

5:10 Physical branding

10:20 Vendor shopping tips

14:30 When to change branding

17:15 Choosing products customers want

19:40 Navigating bottlenecks in production

22:00 Startup costs to budget for

23:00 Marketing a product based business

30:00 Do trade shows work?

31:30 Tips for communicating value

33:00 Determining pricing for your products

35:45 Future plans

37:30 Tips for people starting

39:30 Wrap up