Why “Signature Scents” Are Fading

Why “Signature Scents” Are Fading

Fragrance Didn’t Fail, Certainty Did

In this episode of Ecommerce on Tap, we unpack how DedCool rebuilt fragrance by questioning its most basic assumptions. Instead of treating scent as identity, DedCool reframed it as something far more flexible: a system that adapts to mood, environment, and routine. What started as a solo founder experimenting on Instagram quietly became a $25–30M brand by observing how people already used fragrance and designing around that reality instead of forcing new behavior.

Key takeaways from the episode:

1. Smell, like taste, is learned — not objective

2. Gendered fragrance is a retail shortcut, not a universal truth

3. Layering reduces social risk and encourages experimentation

4. Signature scents assume certainty most people don’t feel

5. Staying founder-led longer can allow better ideas to emerge naturally

Catch the full episode to see how DedCool turned observation into strategy.

Base Metals: The Choice New Jewelry Brands Overlook First

When you’re new to jewelry manufacturing, it’s easy to focus on design and gold thickness and miss what’s underneath. Base metals play a major role in how your pieces look, wear, and hold color over time. Two products can launch looking identical and perform very differently simply because of the base metal chosen during manufacturing.

The most common base metals used in gold-plated jewelry:

• Brass – Plates well, has a solid feel, and is commonly used for mid-range jewelry.

• Stainless Steel – Extremely durable, but requires more precise plating processes to avoid issues.

• Zinc Alloy – Lower cost and easy to cast into complex shapes, but less forgiving if plating or prep is done poorly.

A well-plated zinc piece can outperform a poorly plated brass one, but zinc leaves less room for mistakes. For new brands, understanding these tradeoffs early can prevent costly issues later.

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