i don't see why people are wanting to under value ipsy bags yet the way we've always valued our birchbox items is by how much they sell for in the birchbox shop. by that logic my birchbox should have a value of hardly anything since i end up getting most of my full sized products for free because of coupons and points.
Yep. I arrived at similar value as you, because that eyeliner isn't on the website, so until that point, it is a six dollar pencil liner in my book. Thats not arbitrary like that other girl said, its based on the the median price for similar liners I found.
I am vehemently against companies that price things expensive and then have constant 50% off sales. I am not a fucking idiot, yo. I can see you are doing this to trick the less informed into thinking they are getting such a good deal. grrrrr sketchy business practices.
Exactly... Anyway this month's ipsy bag is still a good deal. I feel ipsy is doing their best to get better products. Mixture of high end and low end is good for me.
i don't see why people are wanting to under value ipsy bags yet the way we've always valued our birchbox items is by how much they sell for in the birchbox shop. by that logic my birchbox should have a value of hardly anything since i end up getting most of my full sized products for free because of coupons and points.
Surely we can calculate BB in the same way. I mentioned in the last sentence: most (recent) birchbox would fail my strict test.
You misunderstood what I mean by "value". I calculate it by average price while using coupons and credits are special cases.
Total product value, excluding bag: $46.83.
I often see Nailtini at TJ Maxx/Marshalls in a pack of 4 for $10 so it's not worth $13 to me & would probably never pay $13 for one of them lol.
I agree 'fun' is also part of the value of sub boxes.
But it's not our fault to be 'mean' on value because It's the sub companies themselves that advertise their service as 'you get more than you paid'. All companies try to make the box look worth more, either by listing prices or making beautiful pictures.
Yes usability and tastes are the crucial things. Usually we can make better use of higher value stuff right?
Thanks to ipsy, this bag is definitely usable and suits most people's taste.
So true. I think the strict dollar value is more used as a comparison from sub to sub.
Personally this bag is worth probably $20 to me, so since I consider beauty boxes my form of gambling, this was a great hand, I doubled my money.
I already own meet matt(e) I got it for free from thebalm's daily facebook giveaway.. and I already have a bajillion lipglosses, so minimal value there
I really want to try the they're real or chella, and I really like the nail polish! most of the value to me is in these products.
the liner I will reserve judgement on. could be totally awesome or totally poo.
value and list price are totally different imo--I think value depends on the individual. I think you have to take into consideration how the item is typically priced regardless of list price. here's how I mentally evaluate the value of something:
I've never valued anything in my sample boxes as worth significantly more than the price I paid for the box--though I definitely think most (at least Ipsy) boxes are worth the $10. I sometimes see bloggers listing the value of their boxes at like $80--I guess I've just never had a box worth that much (like, I've never had a beautyblender or anything lol). I think the problem I had with MyGlam was that it was obvious some of their stuff was discontinued/old/you couldn't even buy it/no one would buy at list price (e.g. mall kiosk products). but they've definitely improved since earlier this year. you can't even tell it's the same company :).
i don't see why people are wanting to under value ipsy bags yet the way we've always valued our birchbox items is by how much they sell for in the birchbox shop. by that logic my birchbox should have a value of hardly anything since i end up getting most of my full sized products for free because of coupons and points.
and going by that lash'em would be the $70 that they sell it for on the Beauty Army store when I can get it for like $30 at amazon. What I do to calculate the value of my products for my blog and for posts here is, I look it up at the cheapest price I can find from a reliable store, at the end of the day, if I'm going to buy any product that's what I will do, I'll look for it probably at amazon(never ebay), cuz the real value is not the value from the overpriced stores
See that's not true at all. The retail price is set by the manufacturer which is what I base my prices on otherwise I would have everything valued between 25% to 50% less than what it retails because that's typically the markup on products. Nail polishes are 50% marked up since pro price is always 1/2 of what nail polishes are sold to the public, cosmetics are between 25% to 50% marked up compared to pro prices.
For example, OPI typically retails for $8.50 but pro price typically is $4.25 per bottle. The actual value of OPI is less than $4.25 because there is still a markup for the distributors versus what it actually costs OPI to make (probably another 50%) which mean OPI really costs about $2.13 per bottle however you can't say that how much OPI is worth and put that as the value.
Also, not everyone is going to buy off Amazon which may or may not be counterfeit (Amazon Marketplace DOES have counterfeit products such as MAC, WEN and more).
Frankly, in this type of discussion, pro prices are irrelevant, since most general-use consumers do not have access to those discounts. Perhaps the most accurate way of "pricing" a bag would be to quote the "MSRP" and then, if there is a huge discrepancy (such as how Color Club is generally available for much less cost via TJ Maxx) that isn't based on an unusual sale, it could be noted, just as one would note a subjective valuation (such as "self-tanners are of zero value to me").
See that's not true at all. The retail price is set by the manufacturer which is what I base my prices on otherwise I would have everything valued between 25% to 50% less than what it retails because that's typically the markup on products. Nail polishes are 50% marked up since pro price is always 1/2 of what nail polishes are sold to the public, cosmetics are between 25% to 50% marked up compared to pro prices.
For example, OPI typically retails for $8.50 but pro price typically is $4.25 per bottle. The actual value of OPI is less than $4.25 because there is still a markup for the distributors versus what it actually costs OPI to make (probably another 50%) which mean OPI really costs about $2.13 per bottle however you can't say that how much OPI is worth and put that as the value.
Also, not everyone is going to buy off Amazon which may or may not be counterfeit (Amazon Marketplace DOES have counterfeit products such as MAC, WEN and more).
My concern is not retail price V.S. producing cost, but price of particular product V.S. similar products on market.
I take average price as the 'value'
I looked at the lowest regular (non sale) consumer price from a reputable seller, if the exact item is available for purchase, then I use that price, if not, I calculate the portion of the sample value from the full size product. I can't go off TJ Maxx prices, because in my area they are never there, people must snatch them up, but I never see anything I have sampled there. :'( its unlucky for me, but still awesome for those who can find the stuff all the time.
1. bareminerals - sold in the brand new holiday kit for $25 for 6. Pretty easy to get that price, since that is the value of the sample, and the sample is not sold alone, so there is no place to buy the sample except in multiples, so therefore the kit price is the best possible price for this sample.
2. nail polish- easy, full sized based on their site
3. mascara- this is the smallest size, and is sold in kits on sephora, but can't ever be purchased alone since this is NOT the $10 mini. So value by weightthis is 1/3 the full size by weight, so 1/3 the price is the value
4. eyeshadow- easy, shadow by weight based on thebalm's site.
5.liner- i'll just put $?. I don't accept the $11, because the ones online aren't the same.
is it for JustFab again? *crossing fingers*
Super excited for this bag it's the type of sub that I want, makeup, makeup lol. Really for me the values don't mean all that much because for $10.00 I get to try out some higher brands of makeup that otherwise I couldn't afford. It's all really about what you want in a sub and unlike BB I know that I'm getting things I want and will use. All I ever got from BB were sample packets and the general service that sets different values for the box they send out, I always got the crappy box. I'm just waiting for mine to get here, that polish will be a great little stocking stuffer for the nieces.
Frankly, in this type of discussion, pro prices are irrelevant, since most general-use consumers do not have access to those discounts. Perhaps the most accurate way of "pricing" a bag would be to quote the "MSRP" and then, if there is a huge discrepancy (such as how Color Club is generally available for much less cost via TJ Maxx) that isn't based on an unusual sale, it could be noted, just as one would note a subjective valuation (such as "self-tanners are of zero value to me").
I go by zero-impulse-control pricing, which is honestly how I shop: If I saw this product at full price in a store (and that store would be Sephora or Nordstrom -- not TJ Maxx -- because those are the stores I shop at, and those seem to be the most common places for people to buy makeup, at least in my city) and bought it, how much would it cost? I ignore sales (because zero impulse control = you don't wait for sales) and group/set pricing (like a lip gloss set) unless a product is not available as a stand-alone item, like that eye shadow, and I'll base the price on whatever fraction of the whole set that portion represents.
As far as I can tell, the shadow is only available in that set, which brings up something else (now block o' text for ease of reading): Before I quit my job and had a drastic reduction in income after I (finally) got a new one, I used to go ahead and buy MAC eyeshadow palettes because I wanted *one* shade that was only available in that palette. I won't go hunting down a dupe. I'll just spend $40 on the palette. The shade of shadow being sent out? Was the shade I was considering buying the palette for. So to me, getting that shadow alone is kind of worth $34.50 because I'm not spending that much on one shadow I covet plus eight I'll just sigh at for being too boring. And I'm not going to go hunting down a deal at some random store or website I don't usually frequent, so TJ Maxx or Hautelook deals are completely off my radar. The mascara? Worthless because I don't use mascara. But *someone* uses it, and they pay full price for it at Sephora for it, so that's what I based my calculations on.
And my wording choices: I say "value" instead of "price" because the latter to me implies that you can order that *exact* item (that color and that size), and that is not the case for most of these thing. $85-value gift-with-purchase sets or the tarte Carried Away set selling for $54 with a value of $512 (or, really, pick anything from Sephora's Value Sets page)? As far as I can tell, they calculate their values the same way I did when I figured out the value of this bag, which is why I think it's the right way for me to do it: I'm following an established formula. This is something that has *decades* of precedent, and it's the way I'm most familiar with figuring out the comparative retail value.
Ok, I just realize that by so far, I'm the only one using 'average price' to calculate the value of items. All the other girls focus on finding right MSRP.
Why do I use average price? Let me explain in detail:
First of all, 'calculating value' is not for those who sub merely for 'try it before buy'. If you may buy it after try it's sample, then the sample should be calculated with msrp. But think it in another way, if one's purpose is merely 'try', there's no need to calculate msrp because he/she focuses on the 'service', as long as the sample is not of extreme low value, every thing is ok.
So calculating value is for those who view the bag as a merchandise, as something with $10 price tag. I believer most people have this thought, more or less. For example some people sub more than one bag and use the extra ones as gift (at this point there's nothing to do with 'try'. Gift receiver just take it as something she can use.). In other threads, people are talking about they never need to buy lip gloss, mascara or hair product due to subs. In these cases 'samples' are playing the role of regular products.
Secondly, average price is for these alien brands. As for well-established brand, msrp is ok because it's already accepted by market .
Taking nailtini as example, the price tag is $13 but how can we know if its overpriced or properly priced? Is it a high end brand that we never heard of or just a nameless one? Here is solution:
Its price at TJ ($10 for 4) indicates its normal price should be around $5 (because essie and Nicola by OP at TJ are all sold at around half price, 50% is the regular discount at TJ), or in other words, this brand is in the same class as other $5 brands.
Since its among the $5 range, it most likely won't give me the same value (including quality, package, brand culture and even vanity... ) as a $13 brand.
Conclusion: this polish only means $5 to me. If the manufacturer lists it as $13, $31... my feeling won't change.
I often see Nailtini at TJ Maxx/Marshalls in a pack of 4 for $10 so it's not worth $13 to me & would probably never pay $13 for one of them lol.
I wasn't going to butt into this "value/price/worth" discussion because I think we all have our personal thoughts and feelings on this, but I have to say, this is not a fair (aka unobjective) evaluation of price.
Subjective feelings towards a brand's value is not a good indicator of what the actual price is or should be. While that influences what you feel about the worth/value of your bag, that absolutely no influence on the objective fact that there are items marketed at $11, $13, whatever, even if we would not pay that much.
For example, Julep is retailed at $14/bottle. This is an objective fact. They sell on julep.com and at Sephora for $14/bottle, unless if you get it as a Maven which is $11.20/bottle or about $7 ($20 for 3 polishes) or $5 a bottle (as an addon) if you get the product in a box. These are objective measures.
Now, how I feel about Julep is that I would probably only pay ~$5-7 a bottle for it. I also value OPI more than Julep as brands, because I prefer OPI's formula and range of colours, even though though Julep's retail price is greater. Despite this, I would also usually only buy OPI at ~$4-5 a bottle. However, I would say OPI is "worth" ~$8 (since I have paid that much for it) but Julep is also probably only "worth" $7 to me. That does not change the fact that OPI's MS retail value is $8.50 and Julep's is $14. What you'd pay, what it's "worth", and what its MSRP price is are entirely different things.
Comparing it to average price like fayeX suggested isn't a bad idea, as long as it's consistent with that particular brand and if it is very different from the MSRP. I'd agree that the Nailtini polish is also "worth" only $5 to me, but that doesn't change the the fact its retail value is $13. If you want to calcuate by the former, that's fine, but arguing about people's opinions about certain brands is obviously going to end in a deadlock. That's why it's much simpler to do it by the MSRP.
But if you feel like you're getting your money's worth, I don't see why it's a problem either. I am excited about this bag and feel like it has about $20-25 of stuff, I paid $10 for. Last month, I calculated the "price" of the bag to be $80+, but I felt like I was getting about $30-40 worth of stuff. Still got my money's worth.
I wasn't going to butt into this "value/price/worth" discussion because I think we all have our personal thoughts and feelings on this, but I have to say, this is not a fair (aka unobjective) evaluation of price.
Subjective feelings towards a brand's value is not a good indicator of what the actual price is or should be. While that influences what you feel about the worth/value of your bag, that absolutely no influence on the objective fact that there are items marketed at $11, $13, whatever, even if we would not pay that much.
For example, Julep is retailed at $14/bottle. This is an objective fact. They sell on julep.com and at Sephora for $14/bottle, unless if you get it as a Maven which is $11.20/bottle or about $7 ($20 for 3 polishes) or $5 a bottle (as an addon) if you get the product in a box. These are objective measures.
Now, how I feel about Julep is that I would probably only pay ~$5-7 a bottle for it. I also value OPI more than Julep as brands, because I prefer OPI's formula and range of colours, even though though Julep's retail price is greater. Despite this, I would also usually only buy OPI at ~$4-5 a bottle. However, I would say OPI is "worth" ~$8 (since I have paid that much for it) but Julep is also probably only "worth" $7 to me. That does not change the fact that OPI's MS retail value is $8.50 and Julep's is $14. What you'd pay, what it's "worth", and what its MSRP price is are entirely different things.
Comparing it to average price like fayeX suggested isn't a bad idea, as long as it's consistent with that particular brand and if it is very different from the MSRP. I'd agree that the Nailtini polish is also "worth" only $5 to me, but that doesn't change the the fact its retail value is $13. If you want to calcuate by the former, that's fine, but arguing about people's opinions about certain brands is obviously going to end in a deadlock. That's why it's much simpler to do it by the MSRP.
But if you feel like you're getting your money's worth, I don't see why it's a problem either. I am excited about this bag and feel like it has about $20-25 of stuff, I paid $10 for. Last month, I calculated the "price" of the bag to be $80+, but I felt like I was getting about $30-40 worth of stuff. Still got my money's worth.
Good summary!
My original intention was to show another side of the value but end up in arguing. No I don't what argue, just want to add some information that no one talked about.
So, while msrp is 'fact' and we all have different calculator in our minds, why not suggest bloggers, youtubers listing two 'value' of one box? One mspr value and one estimated value by widely accepted price? This is more fair when comparing sub services or making purchase plan.
If we only stick to msrp, sub services would prefer put more low cost but high price products into our boxes. Overpriced alien brands would occupy the box, leaving no place for well-known products like benefit mascara.
And, I have to say again: I'm not complaining about the value. Everyone else seems happy with it too. No complain by so far.
The bag is definitely worth $10 to me... If I saw this bag, in a store, with these exact shades, for this price... I'd grab it!! Therefore, it's worth at least $10 to me. Also, when I was little, I LOVED grab bags! For me, just the thrill of getting a cute little bag full of beauty products makes it worth the $.
Of course, I shopped around for the best value when it came to subscriptions. I read reviews, I researched past bags, I compared prices (Really, Glossybox? $20?) and I went with Ipsy because they weren't sending out little foil packets of super-fancy stuff (Birchbox... ahem), Ipsy seems to be more about introducing subscribers to products that can be universally liked and used by subscribers. And you can get more than one use out of the samples they send, which is huge to me.
While I don't try to retail/value/MSRP price out every item, I understand those that do. You want to feel that you're getting your money's worth. Use whatever calculation system you want, as long as you feel like Ipsy is a good value for your $.
Oh, and someone asked about the coupon a few posts ago... info is below in the spoiler!
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
The coupon is for Just Fab. It's for one pair of shoes at half off their price, so $20 for any pair of shoes on the site, free shipping/exchanges/reviews. You CAN get the same deal when you first log in, but only in the first 24 hours after you set up an account. The value I see in this coupon is that you can take a few weeks (it's good through the end of Nov) to decide on which pair instead of making an impulse purchase. However, it's only good for new members... so if you've ordered before, you may be out of luck.
Of course, you COULD always talk a friend/relative/significant other into letting you use their email account to set up a new account... but that's cheating ;)
