Why Most Brands Fail at Retail (and It’s Not the Product)

When brands fail in retail, the product usually gets the blame.

In reality, most failures have nothing to do with formulation, quality, or even branding.

They fail because they weren’t built for retail mechanics.

Common mistakes include pricing that can’t survive margin stacks, packaging that looks good online but disappears on shelf, and SKU strategies that don’t earn space through consistent velocity. Brands also fail when messaging is built for social but not shoppers, and when launch plans assume awareness equals sell-through.

Retail doesn’t reward potential. Retail rewards performance.

Buyers don’t ask whether something is exciting. They ask whether it will move fast enough to justify the space.

Glow builds brands with retail mechanics baked in from day one. Margin, velocity, replenishment, and repeat purchase are not afterthoughts. They are inputs.

That’s the difference between brands that launch and brands that last.