In short
Fewer than most people think. A young brand grows through one to three products (in categories like make-up, rather one line) that clearly lead and carry the core of the brand. Every additional product needs a role of its own. Otherwise it just takes sales from the others and costs attention, stock and budget.
Why ranges grow too fast
One product works, so the next one follows. A new variant, another scent, a bundle. Each decision makes sense on its own. Together they add up to a range in which no product clearly leads anymore.
For customers the choice gets harder. For your team everything gets more complex: content, stock, purchasing. And for retail it's unclear what you actually want listed.
What makes a hero product
- It carries the brand promise. Whoever uses it understands what you stand for.
- It's the most common entry point for new customers.
- It gets bought again, not just tried once.
- It explains itself without a product page, in the feed and on the shelf.
Your bestseller isn't automatically your hero. Sometimes a product sells well because it's being advertised right now, not because it carries the brand.
In some categories it's not a single product that leads, but a line. In make-up, a line with several shades often carries the brand. The logic stays the same: one line leads, everything else has a clear role.
Give every product a role
A healthy range isn't a shelf full of options, it's a team with positions:
- Hero: carries the brand and brings in most new customers.
- Entry: lowers the barrier to trying you.
- Add-on: completes the routine and raises the basket size.
- Repeat: brings customers back regularly.
If a product has none of these roles, it belongs on the review list.
The cannibalisation test
Take two products from your range and ask: does the same customer buy them, at the same moment, for the same reason? If so, they compete with each other. One of them needs a new job or has to go.
The same applies one level up. If you have several brands in-house, check whether they complement each other or take customers from each other.
Range and retail
Focus pays off at the latest when you move onto the shelf. A retailer rarely lists your whole shop. They want to know which products you want to start with and why exactly these. More on my portfolio strategy page.
Quick check
- You can name your hero product or hero line without hesitating.
- Every product has a role: hero, entry, add-on or repeat.
- No two products target the same customer at the same moment.
- You know which products you would take into retail.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my hero product?
Look at four things: which product do most new customers start with? What gets bought again most often? What do reviews talk about most? And which product explains your brand best? Where the answers overlap, you'll find your hero.
When should you take products out of the range?
When a product has no clear role, takes sales from another product or costs more effort than it gives the brand. A smaller range is often stronger.
Should every product go into retail?
No. For retail you need a dedicated listing range: a few products that work on the shelf and explain your brand quickly. That's often not the same as your online bestseller.
About the author
Martin Kunze is a brand business builder based in Berlin. He has built brands, led portfolios with revenue responsibility and represented both in front of retail, in a global corporation and with start-ups.