Gillette to release NEW DE razor for the holidays

[naughtilus]

I'm going for the Full Monty when my Gillette Heritage arrives:
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For some reason I don't see the Pure cream around my local shops. Luckily CoolWave is readily available and I always restock.

 

[Raven Koenes]

For some reason I don't see the Pure cream around my local shops. Luckily CoolWave is readily available and I always restock.

Awesome! I love the Cool Wave. I think the Pure Cream is new to the market. It may be a minute before it gets to your neck of the woods. Gillette has an advertisement of it with a brush, and by all reports it works better with one.

 

[Macduff]

As a college student this is everyday for me...

Absolutely loved college but i don’t envy anyone there right now. Strange times we live in.

 

[Macduff]

Also just wanted to share that after 2 years of trying to get my dad to try out DE shaving, this is the product that did it. I heavily considered getting this razor myself but ended up going with the Homelike START razor instead. So i sent my dad the link on amazon and he bought it immediately. I think the looks of the razor, the 5 blades, the case and the price are all perfectly suited to get people into DE shaving.

It’s just a very well packaged product sold for a price that’s not intimidating. If it was on shelves next to the van der hagens i don’t think it would even be a contest as to what people would buy.

I’m not Gillette’s biggest fan by any means, but i think they definitely packaged a great “test the market” product and i for one think it’s a good sign for DE shaving in general. Sure, it’s not a beautiful all brass razor but to me, it really does check all the boxes for an entry back into the market for Gillette. My only real gripe is it’s not stamped and dated like the old ones. I think that’s a miss for collectability and cool factor. Otherwise, i think it’s a spot on first try for them.

 

[cmbcne]

First, there’s not as much profit in DE shaving. Non proprietary blades that can be used in anyone’s razors... so very non-Gillette.

I'd like to observe that, right now P&G are making very little on DE shaving (a few razor blades from Russia). If they start selling DE razors as well, while also continuing to flog their cartridge crap, it's just expanding one of their markets, so they will make more than they are making now.

Second, it requires proper technique. For the majority of people, cartridges are easier to use without irritation or cuts.

Again, if someone will buy from them, I'm sure they don't give a $%*& whether someone cuts themselves. It's a business decision rather than a public service gesture.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I'd like to observe that, right now P&G are making very little on DE shaving (a few razor blades from Russia). If they start selling DE razors as well, while also continuing to flog their cartridge crap, it's just expanding one of their markets, so they will make more than they are making now.

There's little market for DE shaving in the West, especially North America. The small DE shaver community is a drop in the bucket and is pretty well served by Amazon, eBay and small specialty shops online.

There's no millions of non-cartridge shavers ready to buy DE blades. Expanding DE market in the West can only be done at the expense of cartridge market. No sane business will deliberately eat into their well established, high profit margin, proprietary product to promote a low profit margin, not well established, non-proprietary product.

Outside of the West, there are hundreds of millions of DE shavers because DEs are cheap and that's all they can afford. This is whom the factories in Russia are primarily targeting. If they can be persuaded to buy cartridges, this would be the end of DE shaving - all we'd have left would be either very cheap, very crappy blades, or very expensive blades.

Again, if someone will buy from them, I'm sure they don't give a $%*& whether someone cuts themselves. It's a business decision rather than a public service gesture.

So where would these millions of Western shavers ready to spend money to cut themselves are going to come from, if not from the existing cartridge users ? Why would Gillette market their $0.40 per month shaving solution that many new users would cut themselves with and dislike, and in the process reduce the sales of their $4 per month shaving solution that works well enough for the vast majority of users?

 

[cmbcne]

There's little market for DE shaving in the West, especially North America. SNIP

Outside of the West, there are hundreds of millions of DE shavers because DEs are cheap and that's all they can afford. This is whom the factories in Russia are primarily targeting. SNIP

So where would these millions of Western shavers ready to spend money to cut themselves are going to come from, if not from the existing cartridge users ? Why would Gillette market their $0.40 per month shaving solution that many new users would cut themselves with and dislike, and in the process reduce the sales of their $4 per month shaving solution that works well enough for the vast majority of users?

I concede -- your points are quite valid.

I guess time will tell what their marketing strategy is. We'll just have to wait and see.

BTW: I just placed my order for one.

 

[CzechCzar]

My guess is that Gillette thinks cartridge users will supplement rather than substitute.

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[Umma2gumma]

My guess is that Gillette thinks cartridge users will supplement rather than substitute.

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Respectfully, I disagree.

Most people wouldn’t use both carts and blades. And there’s too much risk that a percentage of users that do that would like it enough to abandon carts altogether. Remember, blades are 10 times cheaper and don’t have to come from Gillette. It would take at least a handful of converts from DE to make up for one lost cart user’s money.

More likely, they are just trying to make some money off of the small DE shavers community in the West. Making razors requires a whole lot less investment than making blades, so even in a niche market you can make some profit. That’s why theres so many boutique razors but no boutique DE blades.

 

[CzechCzar]

Respectfully, I disagree.

Most people wouldn’t use both carts and blades. And there’s too much risk that a percentage of users that do that would like it enough to abandon carts altogether. Remember, blades are 10 times cheaper and don’t have to come from Gillette. It would take at least a handful of converts from DE to make up for one lost cart user’s money.

More likely, they are just trying to make some money off of the small DE shavers community in the West. Making razors requires a whole lot less investment than making blades, so even in a niche market you can make some profit. That’s why theres so many boutique razors but no boutique DE blades.

Well, yes, most wouldn't. Most would just stick with carts. I am guessing that of those who try a Gillette DE, 90% will switch back to carts and leave the DE in the bin after a month. Only a relatively few will make the switch to DEs on a permanent basis.

All the above just equals temporary sales for Gillette.

 

[ackvil]

From Gillette's twitter feed:

 

[CzechCzar]

From Gillette's twitter feed:

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lol. bit different from "you men should hate yourselves. be ashamed, be very ashamed!"

 

[FireDragon76]

There's little market for DE shaving in the West, especially North America. The small DE shaver community is a drop in the bucket and is pretty well served by Amazon, eBay and small specialty shops online.

There's no millions of non-cartridge shavers ready to buy DE blades. Expanding DE market in the West can only be done at the expense of cartridge market. No sane business will deliberately eat into their well established, high profit margin, proprietary product to promote a low profit margin, not well established, non-proprietary product.

Gillette's market-share for disposable and cartridge razors is actually not as great as it was decades ago. They've been willing to diversify, such as with their Treo razor, so I really wouldn't put it past them to brand more low-tech, traditional shave products if it means more sales to dedicated, nostalgic hobbyists who can appreciate the limitations of shaving with simpler razors.

 

[FireDragon76]

Awesome! I love the Cool Wave. I think the Pure Cream is new to the market. It may be a minute before it gets to your neck of the woods. Gillette has an advertisement of it with a brush, and by all reports it works better with one.

I have seen Pure at the larger Target in downtown Orlando. I have no urge to snatch it up, however, because there are so many good shaving creams out there that I already own or plan to buy, and Gillette's Pure product just doesn't look interesting enough ,it's very conventional and safe as far as shaving creams go.

 

[miguel]

Mantic59 got his pre-sale razor today. He says he will post details later today.

 

[GaryTha]

Mantic59 got his pre-sale razor today. He says he will post details later today.

Wow, the front of the pamphlet is personally signed by King Gillette!

 

[Jim99]

From Gillette's twitter feed:

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Wait a minute! Does tweet actually say the razor head is mad of brass? Am I reading that correctly? As far as the handle goes, isn’t the combination of copper and zinc brass? I’m confused.

 

[gLet]

Wait a minute! Does tweet actually say the razor head is mad of brass? Am I reading that correctly? As far as the handle goes, isn’t the combination of copper and zinc brass? I’m confused.

Are we sure it’s a brass head ?


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[Jim99]

Are we sure it’s a brass head ?


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That’s what the tweet from Gillette says. Gillette wouldn’t lie, would they?

 

[gLet]

That’s what the tweet from Gillette says. Gillette wouldn’t lie, would they?

I am just surprised because it has a DE89 head profile with it being curved at the baseplate like R89/DE89.

Maybe they have it mixed up with the handle being brass and head being zinc.

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