AFFORDABLE.% STEPHANIE RUHLE HAS MORE.
>> THE FACTS, MOST DON’T KNOW %
WHAT IT IS.
>> -- IT IS FOR WOMEN’S ITEMS %
VERSUS THE MALE EQUIVALENCE. %
>> SO WHEN I BUY A RAZOR, I PAY
A TAX AND MY HUSBAND FOR HIS %
EQUIVALENT RAZOR DOESN’T.%
WHY IS THAT?%
>> SO NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS
FROM A MANUFACTURERS STANDPOINT,
A LOT OF THEM CLAIM THAT IT IS %
DIFFERENT OR THE PRODUCT COSTS %
IS DIFFERENT TO CREATE A %
SPECIFIC PRODUCT.%
TO BE HONEST, THEY’RE THE SAME %
PRODUCTS THAT WOMEN HAVE TO PAY
MORE FOR WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. %
>> TAMPONS, MAXI PADS ARE
CONSIDERED A LUXURY ITEM. %
>> YES.
VIAGRA IS EXEMPT FROM SALES TAX
BUT PADS AND TAMPONS THAT EVERY
GIRL, EVERY WOMAN NEEDS, IS %
CONSIDERED A LUXURY ITEM AND IT
CHARGES A SALE TAX. %
>> DO CONSUMERS REALIZE THAT WE
PAY THE TAX. %
>> ONE OUT OF TEN UNDERSTAND %
THIS IS AN ISSUE.%
BECAUSE WHEN YOU’RE BUYING THESE
ITEMS AND LOOKING AT THE %
RECEIPT, WHO IS ITEMIZING THE %
TAX THAT THEY’RE PAYING ON THE %
ITEM. %
>> MY MIND IS GOING AND I’M SURE
THERE IS NOT A WOMAN ON PLANET %
EARTH WHO THINKS TAMPONS ARE A %
LUXURY ITEM.%
TELL US ABOUT YOUR INITIATIVE. %
>> IN 2016 I DID MY RESEARCH %
AROUND TAMPON TAX AND LOOKED AT
THE ITEM THAT WE CARRY ON %
BOX.COM AND SAW THAT MANY ITEMS
DID COST MORE FOR THE WOMEN’S %
VERSION THAN THE MALE VERSION.%
>> RAZORS, SHAVING CREAM, BODY %
WASH. %
>> YEP. %
>> DEODORANT. %
>> AS WELL.%
>> SO WHAT DID YOU DO ABOUT IT?%
>> I TOOK THIS UP TO OUR CEO AND
OUR COO AT THE TIME AND TOLD %
THEM WHAT I SEEN ON OUR PLATFORM
AND THEY WERE FLABBERGASTED.%
THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS
ISSUE OR WHY THIS ISSUE WAS %
SO -- BACK THEN IN 2016.%
AND SO WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF %
BRINGING UP THIS ISSUE TO THEM,
WE HAD LAUNCHED OUR -- AND TAKEN
A STAND BY DETERMINING PRODUCTS
THAT COST MORE FOR WOMEN THAN %
THE MALE EQUIVALENCE AND %
DISCOUNTING FEMININE HYGIENE IN
AN EFFORT TO MAKE UP FOR THE %
SALES TAX. %
>> SO YOU OFFSET THE TAX?%
>> YES. %
>> DID THAT IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE WHO WERE BUYING YOUR %
PRODUCTS?%
>> YES.%
ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE SAW, A., INCREASED LOYALTY
FROM OUR CURRENT CUSTOMERS %
BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT IS %
SOMETHING THAT THEY ALSO CARED %
ABOUT AND THEN MORE CUSTOMERS %
PURCHASED THESE ITEMS FROM OUR %
PLATFORM FROM A NEW CUSTOMER %
PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THEY FELT %
THIS WAY ABOUT THE ISSUE AS %
WELL. %
>> SO AT THE END OF THE DAY EVEN
THOUGH YOU WERE CUTTING A PRICE
FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE YOU
DIDN’T LOSE BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU
INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF %
CUSTOMERS. %
>> RIGHT.%
EXACTLY. %
>> WAS THIS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF
HOW DOING GOOD RESULTS IN DOING
WELL AS A BUSINESS. %
>> ABSOLUTELY.%
YEAH.
IF TAKE A STAND ON AN ISSUE THAT
YOU FEEL ABOUT AND THE COUNTRY %
IS PASSIONATE ABOUT, IT COULD BE