Build story · United States · 2011–2016
Dollar Shave Club: a $4,500 video and a $1 billion exit
Michael Dubin's funny launch video, made for about $4,500, brought 12,000 orders in two days. Four years later Unilever bought the razor subscription company for about $1 billion.
By Shivam Bhandari · Reviewed 31 October 2026 · How we write
by the numbers
- Launch video cost
- about $4,500
- Orders in first 48 hours
- about 12,000
- Starting price
- about $1 a month plus shipping
- Unilever acquisition (2016)
- about $1 billion
What happened
Razor blades were expensive and locked behind store counters, with prices set by a few big brands. Michael Dubin launched Dollar Shave Club to send affordable razors by monthly subscription, starting at about $1 a month plus shipping.
In March 2012 he released a launch video, reportedly made for about $4,500, in which he walked through a warehouse delivering deadpan jokes about overpriced razors. It went viral, bringing about 12,000 orders in the first 48 hours and crashing the website.
Dollar Shave Club expanded into other grooming products. In July 2016 Unilever bought it for about $1 billion in cash, a landmark for direct-to-consumer brands.
Timeline
- 2011
Company founded.
- 2012
Viral launch video.
- 2016
Acquired by Unilever.
what made it work
- Attacked a clear customer frustration (overpriced blades).
- Humour made the message memorable and shareable.
- Subscription removed the hassle of buying.
the lesson
A clear enemy, a simple offer, and a memorable message can launch a brand without a big budget.
Apply it to your business
- 1Name the frustration your product fixes.
- 2Use humour and personality in your marketing.
- 3Make repeat purchase automatic.
Laws at work in this story
Figures are rounded and drawn from public reports, company filings and widely cited coverage at the time. Check the company's latest filings before relying on any number.