When you’re launching a new product for your brand, it can be a little scary. You worry about the price point, the shipping costs and packaging. Are consumers even going to like the product? So many things could go wrong. But I’m pretty sure Manny MUA, owner of Lunar Beauty, wasn’t planning on losing thousands of dollars because of one simple mistake.
Lunar Beauty is a cosmetics brand founded by beauty influencer/YouTuber Manny MUA. The brand sells makeup and other merchandise. Manny MUA is renowned for his signature crescent moon. In March of 2017, he collaborated with a fellow beauty influencer Jeffree Star and called the launch the “Uranus” collection.
The collection featured one Skin Frost (highlighter) and two liquid lipsticks. Manny got to pick the colors and Jeffree got to pick the formula . . . which was his own, of course. The moon and star black packaging is cute and creative and reflects the similar brand designs of each makeup artist.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago, Manny launched his own eyeshadow palette with Lunar Beauty, and everyone couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. Why? Because it’s called the “Life’s a Drag” palette and is advertised as being a product that consumers can create sickening drag queen looks with.
However, there are a few problems with its given name. Half of the palette features drag queen-themed colors like bright pinks and blues. The other half contains neutral colors that are pretty common in eyeshadow palettes.
Now usually when someone reviews a product on YouTube, particularly an eyeshadow palette, they swatch it and then create a look with it. With a palette called “Life’s a Drag” people were expecting to see Manny create a drag look when he reviewed it twice on his channel.
The issue was that Manny created looks that some people felt were very underwhelming for a product advertised as being a drag queen eyeshadow palette. They were very simplistic and to some extent, not drag at all. So, the colors of the palette weren’t completely “drag” and the owner couldn’t make a sickening look with it. No big deal. After all, that wasn’t his biggest mistake.
Shortly after customers purchased their palettes, they received an email from PayPal, saying that their money was refunded to them because “manny@lunarbeauty.com did not sign up for a PayPal account or did not complete the registration process.” What did this mean? Hundreds of people received an eyeshadow palette for free.
He ended up sending out an email to customers saying that they would be contacting customers who bought the palette with PayPal to return the money that was refunded to them.
How does the brand plan on tracking down customers? What extent can they “make” people return their money? Some might think that it’s his fault and therefore he should pay for his mistake. Others might be honest and pay for the palette.
Who knows, but this mistake was definitely a costly one he won’t be making again.
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