AFROVEDA RESPONDS...

[westNDNbeauty]

Mala responds on Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

Hi Nikki,

I completely understand the feelings of many of the customers who have commented on my reasons for the price increase. I've ready many responses that suggest that the reasons I listed were untrue. Nevertheless, they are true. In March of this year, the vendor that I purchase aloe vera products from (juice, gel and oil) increased their price from $40/gallon to $70/gallon. They gave no explanation why. I decided to look for another vendor and tried 3 different companies, only to find that their quality was not what I wanted for my products. In the end, I went back with the original company and paid the additional money because I liked the fact that what they offered was pure and organic. The same thing happened with the vendor that I purchase unprocessed Fair Trade shea butter and cocoa butter from. Their price increase wasn't as drastic, but it was considerably more than I had been paying. Those are not the only items that increased in price, only the two most dramatic ones.

I made the decision, despite the recommendation of my advisor, to absorb these additional costs and as I posted on the website, am now unable to continue this process. I could have stayed with the "inferior" products (which I don't really think are inferior, they were just not the highest quality), or used much less of the more expensive products in my formulas. Either way, in my mind, it would have yielded an AfroVeda product that did not meet my own standards -- which is unacceptable to me.

It has been recommended to me on numerous occasions that I find a "lab" to reproduce my products to cut down on costs. However, when researching this option I have found that it would actually be more expensive for me, especially since I have already developed specific formulas for them to follow. What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

I am committed to making products that perform the way they are intended, and will never compromise on quality. With the help of my chemist/consultant, I have improved the formulas for the hair butters so that there are no more issues with separating. I have also switched to eco-friendly packaging, and have upgraded the bottle labels so that they are now smudge-proof and water resistant. I have added a customer service phone number (which is posted on the website) and am now offering customers the option to call in orders, which wasn't an option before. All of these things I handle (with the help of an occasional intern/contract employee) while hand-making, processing, packaging and shipping 30-40 orders per day.

This explanation may not diminish the frustration of the customers who have supported me and AfroVeda to this point, but it is the truth. It is never my intent (or any business's intent I hope) to anger the very ones who have kept me in business. I greatly appreciate the customers who have embraced AfroVeda and apologize that this business decision has left them with unfavorable emotions about the company. It is my sincere hope that they have a prosperous hair journey, and that they would reconsider AfroVeda in the future.

Thank you again Nikki, for allowing me the opportunity to respond.

In perfect peace,

Mala Rhodes
Founder and CEO of Afroveda

 

[asubeauty]

I understand that she couldn't afford to keep the same quality product for the same price, but 100% price hikes kind of alienate your current clientele.

Either way, I won't be buying. *shrug*

 

[chebaby]

i still dont buy it(get it, get it ) i crack me up
anyway for one her most popular products werent even perfected for her to branch out into a seven line, emu line, childrens line, and BARE line. dont blame the price of raw materials when had she perfected her butters which we all know is her most popular products, the 100% price increase would not have been needed.
she may have needed to raise the prices a few dollars but not 100% and she would have still made a profit.
i doubt her childrens line and the seven line are selling out. and people were pissed when she came out with BARE yet she didnt see this backlash coming???

 

[QBOE2001]

Who on god's green planet is she buying from? You can find aloe vera gel certifed on amazon for less than 20 bucks a gallon and 100% whole leaf aloe vera juice for less than 40 bucks a gallon. Those are retail prices, i'm sure she could buy wholesale or work some type of deal out with a vendor based on her volume. If that's her story and she's sticking to it is seems like she should have spent more time shopping around. Oh well...it's neither here nor there....I plan on shopping elsewhere as i'm sure alot of the other ladies on here plan to do...there are too many other options out there with more reasonable price points for anyone to be bothered. I wish her well...but....DEUCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rastafarai]

In March of this year, the vendor that I purchase aloe vera products from (juice, gel and oil) increased their price from $40/gallon to $70/gallon. They gave no explanation why.

They provided you with no explanation whatsoever, Mala? *side eye*

Moreover, how many grades of aloe vera juice/gel/oil can there be to paying THAT much for the most "pure and organic" aloe vera?

I cannot put my full trust in her explanation, not only because there are other companies (like Qhemet Biologics) that rely on and provide excellent products using similar ingredients, but Mala has of late been altering her ingredient list and prices. One minute she raised her prices to $18.50, the next minute its $15.50. And then to realize she has not fully disclosed her ingredients until now? She has now added Cocoa Butter and Xanthum Gum, amongst others, to the Cocolatte ingredients. Anyone who has used Cocolatte knows that it sure does smell like cocoa butter. Why omit some ingredients?

 

[HappilyLiberal]

The really bad thing about it is that she alienated her customers to the point that folks started researching her and figured out she was using a cheap base in some of her products. So now her whole company is perceived as sketchy just because she got greedy with her prices.

 

[chebaby]

she used to say the cocolatte smell came from the natural aroma of shea butter. chile please. i aint never smelled no chocolate shea butter.

 

[andromeda]

The explanation doesn't jive with me. Seems like she's spinning things. She definitely comes off as an inept businesswoman (using that term loosely).

she used to say the cocolatte smell came from the natural aroma of shea butter. chile please. i aint never smelled no chocolate shea butter.

:rofl3: iLol'd

 

[*fabulosity*]

*sideeye*

Again I don't use the products..never have.. but this is getting more ridiculous by the day... (excuse my broken english but I need it for emphasis... )
Don't no damn aloe vera juice, oil, and butter cost no $40 per gallon.. I got a gallon of organic aloe vera juice last night from TJ for 7.99!!!!!

Please stop Mala. I am embarassed for you now. Just say you went up on the damn prices because you *could* (thought you could) and be done and just cater to the sheep who are still willing to patronize you.

Sincerely,
Fab

 

[justicefighter1913]

fabulosity: ITA!!!

I'm giving the *side eye* to the whole price hike situation

 

[peachfuzzz]

Wow! I didn't realize there was a price hike until I saw this post! Thanks for posting! I liked CocoLatte, but I didn't like it $20ish bucks worth! And let's not mention the shipping!

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

Going up on the prices of your products is a VERY tricky thing. I had to do it a few times and I HATED to do it. There wasnt no way in the WORLD I could have justified or even tried to do a hike like that. If what she says is true, she should have just gone with another company that sold her ingredients for less. I dont know how she didnt know this wouldnt piss people off to the nth degree. erplexed

 

[makeupvixen]

I call Bull Shyt on this too! Once a liar, always a liar and she has dug her hole. I don't buy it and I don't buy AfroVeda any longer. The quality of her crap sucks and she still went back to the vendor that wanted to charge her more and blah blah blah... UGH she makes me sick.

 

[LittleLuxe]

What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

Absolutely. There just happens to be a website with an organic product company that just happens to make bases for small hair and body businesses that just happens to have the same list of ingredients that just happens to be in exactly the same order as your products and GASP just happens to have a product description that JUST HAPPENS to be word for word almost the same as yours!

Gosh with all these coincidences I need to go play the lotto because clearly stars are aligning, who knows maybe I'll go to my bank and find out I have millions that magically found themselves in the bank since another black woman JUST HAPPENS to have it.

Major eye-roll Mala, major eye-roll.

 

[Theresamonet]

So she's not going to admit to using pre-made bases, huh?

 

[curlycrocheter]

Absolutely. There just happens to be a website with an organic product company that just happens to make bases for small hair and body businesses that just happens to have the same list of ingredients that just happens to be in exactly the same order as your products and GASP just happens to have a product description that JUST HAPPENS to be word for word almost the same as yours!

Gosh with all these coincidences I need to go play the lotto because clearly stars are aligning, who knows maybe I'll go to my bank and find out I have millions that magically found themselves in the bank since another black woman JUST HAPPENS to have it.

Major eye-roll Mala, major eye-roll.

I am dying over here

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

So she's not going to admit to using pre-made bases, huh?

She KINDA did.

It has been recommended to me on numerous occasions that I find a "lab" to reproduce my products to cut down on costs. However, when researching this option I have found that it would actually be more expensive for me, especially since I have already developed specific formulas for them to follow. What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

 

[Neith]

She KINDA did.

What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

Imo she's outright denying it...

 

[Dposh167]

exactly how high did her prices go?
like give me an example.

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

Imo she's outright denying it...

To me its like shes saying she did, but then saying she didnt.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

She KINDA did.

She thought she was being slick.
Just because you don't get your pre-made base from a LAB doesn't make you better than people who do, Mala. I don't care if you get it from a lab or from Jesus, a pre-made base is a pre-made base.

 

[Neith]

It has been recommended to me on numerous occasions that I find a "lab" to reproduce my products to cut down on costs. However, when researching this option I have found that it would actually be more expensive for me, especially since I have already developed specific formulas for them to follow. What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

To me that whole paragraph is stating that it's not cost effective for her to get a lab to make her product. She says that she doesn't use bases and that she has her own formulas. Using a base would not be the "Afroveda way".

Which is so funny. Blatant lie.

 

[BostonMaria]

She thought she was being slick.
Just because you don't get your pre-made base from a LAB doesn't make you better than people who do, Mala. I don't care if you get it from a lab or from Jesus, a pre-made base is a pre-made base.

Freakin hysterical!!!!!!!!!

 

[MilkChocolateOne]

Honestly, I think she quit or planned to quit her job and raised prices to compensate for the loss of income.

 

[Sasha299]

I think I understand what she is saying but the price hike means that she should review her business plan. Many people who are not in the industry don't realize there is a difference between "organic" products and "certified fair trade organic" products. The latter almost doubles the price of the product. That means that even though the product may be made in india/china/which ever 3rd world nation the workers are allegedly paid the same as an employee would earn in US income. This most times means being assured of no sweatshop/child labor conditions in addition to paying out of the teeth.

Personally I have abandoned sourcing organic products from fair trade and just concentrate on good quality organic products because my customers are not willing to pay a premium just for fair trade products when the are already paying a premium for organic.

Personally I feel that she did not even bother to understand her target market. That alone raises an eyebrow.

 

[pringe]

I never bought her products and won't be buying. But I kinda feel like if ppl don't like it just don't buy it. Why is everyone taking this as a personal attack? She raised her prices, it kind of sucks and now if u want it pay the extra if not then don't buy it and find something else. Just my opinion

 

[bronzebomb]

Quite frankly, I don't have the time or do I choose to make products. The pretty much cost the same...

AfroVeda's Curl Define is $18.50
Oyin Handmade is $18.00
Qhemet Biologics ($16.00 - 16.50)
Miss Jessie's - $32.00
Komaza Care - $17.50
Carol's Daughter Healthy hair Butter $16.50

Aren't these the same prices (in the ballpark)? When somone introduces their products the cost is typically low. It's supply and demand. When you, the consumer, start ordering more, the prices go up. She believes in her products. Miss Jessie's didn't change her prices nor did she change those ingredients...

Now, I will say that she still needs to step up her marketing game, chose those labels are wicked! (The still look homemade). But she did say that she impoved on the ingredients so they would not seperate. Last week, this product was wonderful, the holy grail...not anymore...Y'all done boycotted her! LOL

 

[empressri]

*clears throat and stands up* "Hello everyone, I'm EmpressRi, aka Boo Boo the Fool."

 

[chellero]

LMAO @ this whole mess. I was planning on buying some of her stuff, but I won't be after reading about all of these shenanigans.

 

[beautyaddict1913]

She KINDA did.

What makes this option cost effective is when a person uses the already-formulated bases designed by the lab, and then only add a few additional ingredients to make it "their own". It is easy to do because there are labs everywhere, but that is not the AfroVeda way.

Nah, to me she was saying that if she were using bases and adding a few ingredients THEN she wouldnt have had to raise the prices but since thats NOT the way Afroveda does it she HAD to raise those prices lol

But at Texas Natural Supply 5 gallons of AV juice is only $102 and she's paying $70 for one? She is not that crazy lol! I just think all the buzz is not just about the price hike bcuz prices rise, its because she is not being honest about her product sources. She's charging immaculate prices for simple products. You cant fool EVERYBODY....she seems prepared to take the 'L' though (loss)