Nothing makes people panic quite like a shortage. No matter what the product might be, from Irish shamrocks to Eggo waffles, if it’s scarce people will do anything to get it. The most recent scarce product to send devotees scurrying to auction sites is the o.b. tampon, a feminine hygiene product made by Johnson & Johnson. Women are paying up to $25 a pack for o.b. Tampons after a “temporary supply interruption.”
So what’s the difference between one wad of cotton and another type of cotton wad? Well, environmental friendliness, for one. The o.b. tampon is one of the few tampons not to use an applicator, cutting down on waste products and making the product more environmentally friendly. That, combined with brand loyalty, is driving up the price of the tampons on online auction sites like eBay.
“It has been a big deal because it’s one of the only non-applicator tampons you can buy,” said Debbie Stoller, editor-in-chief of feminist magazine BUST. “People who choose to use this are a little bit politicized around it. They feel very strongly about these tampons.”
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