Old World Popcorn faces a structural pricing disadvantage on Amazon. At $29.99 for a 6 lb bag ($0.31/oz), the product sits significantly above the competitive range for organic popcorn, which clusters between $0.18–$0.21/oz. This gap is contributing to declining sales and limits the effectiveness of paid advertising.
As of November 2025, the decision is to hold the current price while addressing a separate product quality issue (damaged bags) through an upcoming production run.
| Product | Price/oz | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Old World Popcorn | $0.31/oz | $29.99 / 96 oz (6 lb) |
| Amish | $0.19/oz | Competitive benchmark |
| Anthony's | $0.18–$0.21/oz | Competitive benchmark |
| Franklin's | $0.96/oz | Premium outlier; not a direct comp |
Old World is priced roughly 50–70% above the primary competitive set. To match Amish at $0.19/oz, the retail price would need to drop to approximately $18–$19 — a level that was assessed as unprofitable.
Sales are trending flat-to-down. The product appears as a sponsored result in organic popcorn searches but is not converting at the rate of lower-priced competitors.
Two contributing factors were identified:
A price reduction to the competitive range (~$0.19–$0.21/oz) would require dropping below $20, which is not viable given current cost structure.
Rationale:
- A price drop to the competitive range would be unprofitable.
- Reducing to $27.99 ($0.29/oz) provides minimal competitive benefit while compressing margin.
- The damaged-bag issue — a potential conversion drag — will be resolved through a new production run using different packaging.
What was not pursued:
- Offering a smaller (3 lb) SKU at a lower absolute price was briefly considered but not decided upon.
- Coupons are not currently available due to the product having fewer than 4 months of sales history.
Old World Popcorn is a secondary revenue line relative to Doodla Farms core products (Yellow Cornmeal, White Popcorn, Black Beans). Advertising spend should be calibrated to reflect the product's margin constraints and competitive position. Aggressive bid increases are unlikely to overcome a fundamental price disadvantage.
If the new production run resolves the packaging issue and reviews improve, a reassessment of pricing strategy and ad investment would be warranted.