The $200 plastic box opportunity

If you ever needed an example of the increasing importance of personal brands in the AI era, I’ve got a whopper. 

Over the past few months, I’ve noticed something that construction professionals and jewelry makers on Etsy have in common: they’re always looking out for better ways to sort and store their small parts. This seems to be a universal struggle for anyone who makes or repairs things — whether it’s their job or hobby.

You would think this is a solved problem by now. It’s just a plastic box with plastic boxes inside of it. You can go into a big box store and find small parts organizers for as low as $5 on sale. 

If you want one that’s made from materials that won’t eat away at your parts over time, you may pay around $20. 

If you want one that will survive years of working under harsh conditions at outdoor job sites, you’ll pay $50 to $70.

But if you want the Adam Savage signature model box, it’ll cost you $120 plus shipping — if it’s in stock.

Often, it’s out of stock and eBay sellers list it for around $200. It sells out fast at both prices. This is why you are limited to 10 boxes when ordering at Adam’s website. He’s trying to discourage resellers.

Adam has spent decades cultivating an audience. These days he makes YouTube videos in his personal workshop, where he makes stuff — anything he feels like at the moment. His videos are not flashy. He speaks openly and honestly about life, career, hobbies, failures, successes, and parenting.

This has built so much trust with his audience over the years, that he can command up to $200 for a plastic box.

This is extraordinary when you consider the needs of 90% of his audience could likely be met by a $5-$20 box from a big corporate brand, without limitations on order size and without added shipping charges.

This is why personal brands are not only a real thing, they are the realest thing right now.

People pay for a narrative. People pay based on trust and relationships. 

The biggest companies on Earth are trying desperately to automate this kind of trust into existence right now, under faceless brands. How do you think that’s going to turn out?