Is It Just Me?

[Steve Bowles]

Or does there seem to be a higher-than-normal profit margin on the shaving supplies we're all shelling out hundreds of pounds on ever year?

What makes a shaving balm cost £50 for 100ml? Or a shaving soap for 190 grams selling for £40+? The new SS razors going for £200+ I can grudgingly admit that the investors have to make their initial costs back, but after a few months you'd think they would have been reimbursed.

I'm not saying we're being screwed, but at least they could buy us dinner before making us bend over.

 

[Missoni]

Or does there seem to be a higher-than-normal profit margin on the shaving supplies we're all shelling out hundreds of pounds on ever year?

What makes a shaving balm cost £50 for 100ml? Or a shaving soap for 190 grams selling for £40+? The new SS razors going for £200+ I can grudgingly admit that the investors have to make their initial costs back, but after a few months you'd think they would have been reimbursed.

I'm not saying we're being screwed, but at least they could buy us dinner before making us bend over.

...I think it is called "charging what the market will bear"... I thought a working margin was about 5 -10 x cost, but if you look at luxury brands that sell sweaters for £1200 GBP, Handbags for 25,000GBP or indeed Apple's margins then I guess it is par for the course with shaving products. Indeed anything sold in a supermarket or on the high street (with the exception of Aldi and Lidl) requires huge margins...

 

[Burgundy]

That says it all really.

 

[TobyC]

Or does there seem to be a higher-than-normal profit margin on the shaving supplies we're all shelling out hundreds of pounds on ever year?

What makes a shaving balm cost £50 for 100ml? Or a shaving soap for 190 grams selling for £40+? The new SS razors going for £200+ I can grudgingly admit that the investors have to make their initial costs back, but after a few months you'd think they would have been reimbursed.

I'm not saying we're being screwed, but at least they could buy us dinner before making us bend over.

Quick money.

Stop paying ridiculous prices for things and they will stop trying to rip everybody a new one.

Shaving doesn't have to be expensive.

 

[JonnyBGood]

Something that gets me is that some of these manufacturer start ups go down the crowd funding route!

If I’m going to invest in a startup or new product I want more than the final product being offered - just like any normal backer would. It’s just a cheap way out to me - so many seem to have problems coming to market or with QC

 

[Deleted member 30]

Or does there seem to be a higher-than-normal profit margin on the shaving supplies we're all shelling out hundreds of pounds on ever year?

What makes a shaving balm cost £50 for 100ml? Or a shaving soap for 190 grams selling for £40+? The new SS razors going for £200+ I can grudgingly admit that the investors have to make their initial costs back, but after a few months you'd think they would have been reimbursed.

I'm not saying we're being screwed, but at least they could buy us dinner before making us bend over.

I can't speak for all but it's not just these companies hiking prices. Since I launched my shave soap 1912, my ingredient suppliers have upped their prices, postal companies have upped their prices, my web hosting has upped their prices and the packaging companies have upped their prices. My printers made me laugh, not only did they up their price, but they also reduced the number of labels I get in an order now. I felt like I got slapped in the face twice with a returning backhander!

I was only talking to Mem on Friday about the recent group buy and how Wickham has struggled to brake even. Thanks to the printing company dropping their double whammy on me after we announced the group buy and set prices. This is clearly not good business, especially if I want to stay in business. I do totally agree with everyone above; and it's this reaction that scares me to increase my prices. I don't want to be seen to be taking the Michael and lose the good reputation and customers that has taken a long time to build.

The only way around this I can see is to become creative. I'm therefore planning to keep my prices the same, and address two issues at the same time. Lose the plastic containers and offer slightly less soap and balm. All done in the hope that none of the aforementioned suppliers further increase their prices, or I will be reluctantly forced to follow suit.

Sales have dropped drastically since October 2018 to date compared to the same period 2017 to May 2018. I've talked to other businesses and this has been the same for them too; and I think we might be on the cusp of seeing some businesses disappearing as a result. I guess that is business, there are winners and there are losers, but ultimately it's the consumers who decide.

 

[R181]

I can't speak for all but it's not just these companies hiking prices. Since I launched my shave soap 1912, my ingredient suppliers have upped their prices, postal companies have upped their prices, my web hosting has upped their prices and the packaging companies have upped their prices. My printers made me laugh, not only did they up their price, but they also reduced the number of labels I get in an order now. I felt like I got slapped in the face twice with a returning backhander!

I was only talking to Mem on Friday about the recent group buy and how Wickham has struggled to brake even. Thanks to the printing company dropping their double whammy on me after we announced the group buy and set prices. This is clearly not good business, especially if I want to stay in business. I do totally agree with everyone above; and it's this reaction that scares me to increase my prices. I don't want to be seen to be taking the Michael and lose the good reputation and customers that has taken a long time to build.

The only way around this I can see is to become creative. I'm therefore planning to keep my prices the same, and address two issues at the same time. Lose the plastic containers and offer slightly less soap and balm. All done in the hope that none of the aforementioned suppliers further increase their prices, or I will be reluctantly forced to follow suit.

Sales have dropped drastically since October 2018 to date compared to the same period 2017 to May 2018. I've talked to other businesses and this has been the same for them too; and I think we might be on the cusp of seeing some businesses disappearing as a result. I guess that is business, there are winners and there are losers, but ultimately it's the consumers who decide.

Thank you for providing a good counter point to that of the consumers view. Seems we are all at the mercy of forces outside of our control.

Bob

 

[Deleted member 30]

Thank you for providing a good counter point to that of the consumers view. Seems we are all at the mercy of forces outside of our control.

Bob

You're welcome Bob, but I feel the same way as you guys when my suppliers put up their prices. I can't help but think they are taking me for a ride and using me as a cash cow. And some probably have inflated their prices to much, which is why I'm constantly shopping around for prices.

 

[MntnMan62]

Very simple. Supply and demand. I set limits for anything I want to buy, shaving or otherwise. Meaning I determine then most I'm willing to pay for an item and if I can't get it for that amount or less, I don't buy it. I have enough stuff so that I can be very happy never buying anything more. If people keep paying silly prices for stuff, that's going to become the norm. Basic microeconomics.

 

[les24preludes]

The only way around this I can see is to become creative. I'm therefore planning to keep my prices the same, and address two issues at the same time. Lose the plastic containers and offer slightly less soap and balm.

I like this thinking. Quite a few European soaps are sold in smaller pucks - Klar Seifen for example. Hard soaps last quite a while, plus the quest for variety means that some soap collectors sell off half used tins on the BST. The other alternative is to sell just the pucks. Creative thinking always throws up ideas.

 

[Wayne]

I remember James from OSP saying something similar, Soap just isn't worth the bother from a pure profit side of things. Traditional shaving is a luxury, let's face it. Yes I know, it doesn't have to be and you can get by with a puck of Haslinger, One brush, a Gillette Tech and a hundred Voskhods and be perfectly happy and smooth shaven for years. Some of us lot on here aren't like that, apart from a few exceptions though and with the exception of blades we tend to buy products from small One Man bands who produce something different and more exclusive. You have to be prepared to pay extra for that. It's just a fact, you have to be prepared to support these Artisans or they will disappear. Anyone can work for nothing, that doesn't mean anyone wants to. I bet you wouldn't believe the work that goes into a Day in the life of @Fox and I don't see many of the Artisans who produce our Soaps, Brushes and Razors showing off their Ferrari's, Mansions and private jets. Barely getting by is more like it.

 

[Shaverrific666]

I'll continue to support Darron @Fox and buy his products..he's a class act and produces an excellent product IMHO. His customer service is excellent and he goes above and beyond to satisfy the customer. Wayne summed it up perfectly in the post above.
It's a niche market and one I am happy to support as best I can. I would rather give my money to people like Darron , and others who work their balls off to do what they do. I have purchased things from big companies (who make big profits by nefarious means ) in the past with way less customer service and satisfaction than I get from small businesses who consider some of their customers as friends.
Sometimes as a rapacious consumer you can forget what time and effort goes in to a certain product.

Also remember Darron's been making soap since 1912 so he knows what he's doing and he doesn't look a day over 21

 

[DamianJ]

I echo the words above, Darron and Wickham have a proven track record in great soaps and customer service. This in itself is worth paying a extra for in my opinion. I would still buy Wickham products if they were the same price and got less soap, or stayed they same amount and payed extra. Smaller soaps is a good idea, then they get finished quicker.

 

[MPH]

@Wayne said:
"
Its just fact you have to be prepared to support these Artisans or they will disappear."

I totally agree, and I suspect we would all support great artisans like @Fox. If a soap has to go up from £15 to £17 then so be it. I would still choose to support them.

However.... there are companies pumping out razors for hundreds of pounds that are no better than those costing half the price. Things just changed with wolfman and suddenly the price doubled.... Presumably because people saw that customers would pay. This is different, and I don't choose to support this.

Each to their own of course, and the more variety the better so I hope they all manage to survive.

 

[Chris]

I don’t blame James at Wolfman for increasing the cost of his razors, demand went rabid and he couldn’t make them fast enough. Still can’t based on the fact that they’re almost always out of stock. What I do take issue with is when another vendor trots out a razor, sees the cost of a Wolfman and decides to price theirs at the same level.