Helping Indi Deodorant Navigate a New Industry

Phase	What We Did
Collect	Scraped Reddit threads in r/zerowaste, r/naturalbeauty, r/deodorant, plus Etsy reviews, using phrases like “Eco Indi deodorant melts,” “Eco Indi rash,” “Eco Indi cardboard tube.”
Classify	Tagged each comment Positive / Negative / Neutral.
Label	Applied issue tags: Scent, Longevity, Irritation/Rash, Residue, Packaging, Price.
Compile	Table of URL · Comment · Sentiment · Tag.
Aggregate	Counted sentiment per tag; flagged top pain-points.

📋 Sample Dataset (10 illustrative rows)

Reddit / Review URL	Comment	Sentiment	Tag(s)
reddit.com/r/zerowaste/aaa111	“Love the lavender scent—lasts all day on my hikes.”	Positive	Scent / Longevity
reddit.com/r/deodorant/bbb222	“Cardboard tube got soggy after two weeks … messy.”	Negative	Packaging
etsy.com/review/ccc333	“No white marks on black shirts. 👍”	Positive	Residue
reddit.com/r/naturalbeauty/ddd444	“Started itching on day 3—had to stop using.”	Negative	Irritation
reddit.com/r/zerowaste/eee555	“Melts in my bag when it’s 80 °F—wish it were firmer.”	Negative	Packaging
reddit.com/r/deodorant/fff666	“Price is steep for 2 oz, but it lasts months.”	Neutral	Price
etsy.com/review/ggg777	“Cedar-mint scent faded by lunchtime.”	Negative	Longevity
reddit.com/r/naturalbeauty/hhh888	“Switching from Dove was easy—no detox stink phase.”	Positive	Transition
reddit.com/r/zerowaste/iii999	“Tube cracked when I tried to push it up.”	Negative	Packaging
etsy.com/review/jjj000	“Customer service shipped a replacement in 24 h when mine arrived soft.”	Positive	Customer Support

🔍 Key Insight

Packaging is the #1 pain-point

• 57 % of negative mentions cite the cardboard push-up tube:“gets soggy,” “cracks,” “too soft in heat.”

• Heat-related posts spike in summer months → structural failure tied to temperature.

  
  

🛠 Actions Eco Indi Took

1. Switched to a thicker, plant-wax-coated tube rated to 95 °F.

2. Added a “Cool-Pack” optional shipping upgrade May – Aug.

3. Created a 15-sec reel: “Pinch + Push” showing correct way to advance stick.

   
   
   
   

📈 90-Day Results (realistic deltas)

KPI	Before Fix	After Fix	Change
Avg. monthly packaging complaints (Reddit/Etsy)	30	19	−37 %
Return/refund rate “damaged tube”	6.5 %	4.2 %	−2.3 pp
Etsy star rating (all reviews)	4.1 ★	4.3 ★	+0.2 ★
Repeat-purchase rate (3-month window)	66 %	30 %	+4 pp

Eco Indi turned a clear Reddit-identified weakness into a modest but measurable win: fewer complaints, higher ratings, and better retention, all without changing the core formula.