Article in Chicago Tribune

[OldSaw]

PG is going to be conflicted because lots of us, me included, are loath to support them in any fashion. I wouldn't buy an AoS product under any circumstances (but I do get a small bottle of OS cologne at Walmart every few years).

The problem with AoS is that most guys other than the trendy crowd will get their stuff at the online shops, Amazon, the local Walmart/Walgreens and call it good. $30 soaps? Really?

I don't understand this attitude. P&G is a great company. I am concerned about the reformulations that they may institute, but to say you won't buy a product simply because of P&G is rather petty. P&G makes some of the best products on the planet and they compete in a world market.

P&G has built their entire reputation on finding the sweet spot of quality versus price with nearly every product they have produced. Now, with that in mind, I am sure they will continue to tweak the ingredients of their AOS line, which may cause me to quit buying AOS for that reason, but not simply because P&G owns them.

Remember, P&G is primarily in the market of reaching the largest audience with the best unit of quality for the best unit of price and profit. I was very surprised to see P&G even bother with AOS, as they rarely work with any product that moves less than a million cases a year. So either P&G changed their business strategy, AOS already moves over a million cases a year, or they believe they can get it there.

 

[CSG]

I goofed that one up because I was thinking of Gillette for some reason. Actually, I like P&G and have defended them here regarding OS. I just had a brain fart. I deleted the quoted comment from my original post.

 

[anbu]

Pretty cool article. I for one switch to wetshaving this year, so it must be a growing trend. And with the help of the internet, it might make a comeback.

I was surprise to find out that AoS was acquired by P&G. Didn't know this.

 

[CSG]

When Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. all start loading up with DE supplies again then we'll know it's making a comeback. Until then? I really think it's just a trendy thing for younger men to try. Hopefully, they'll see the light and not take the journey that I did for so many years with an electric. For convenience, doncha know.

 

[OldSaw]

When Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. all start loading up with DE supplies again then we'll know it's making a comeback. Until then? I really think it's just a trendy thing for younger men to try. Hopefully, they'll see the light and not take the journey that I did for so many years with an electric. For convenience, doncha know.

I would agree with that. Until then, we can only dream.

 

[Be-Bop]

It's all good...If more people get involved...I know it was a similar article by Greenberg 3 years ago that made me aware of the fact that you could still buy DE blades and razors....After reading the article I googled DE razors and found you guys....

As far as P&G goes, I love some of their St. Petersburg Blades....I'll keep using Perma-Sharp Supers, and Astras as long as their quality control is this good...

Also if more people get involved then more products should become available or at least the ones we already have will stay available....Whichever way it goes, I don't think it will change how I'm shaving tomorrow.... But it would be nice to still be able to get blades 20 years from now...

 

[TheVeryIdea]

When Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. all start loading up with DE supplies again then we'll know it's making a comeback. Until then? I really think it's just a trendy thing for younger men to try. Hopefully, they'll see the light and not take the journey that I did for so many years with an electric. For convenience, doncha know.

I think our style of shaving is making a comeback based on the traffic this and similar sites get, but without knowing how much inventory DE-related vendors are moving now compared to recent years, it's hard to quantify the comeback. I have to believe our market is growing, but we are still a niche market. I would be stunned and amazed if the big box retailers ever stocked more than Wilkinson blades and styptic pencils just because those shelves are already crowded with multi-blade cartridge "systems" and electric gizmos that sell and sell well.

 

[rajagra]

When Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. all start loading up with DE supplies again then we'll know it's making a comeback.

I'm seeing DE blades on the shelves, there just isn't much choice, and they don't come in ridiculously oversized, technicolor packaging, so they are hard to spot.

Was reading the paper with SWMBO this morning, saw the headline and pointed to it and said "See?!, i'm not crazy!" and read the article with a big smile on my face!

 

[Don Shinchan]

At least you still have a few choices, rajagra. So far I've seen no DE blades available anywhere in Bangkok. I've been searching from local 7-11s to hi-end shopping malls with no luck. Even Gillette Super Thin (which has its label in Thai) couldn't be seen anywhere.

But thanks to the internet and B&B for giving me knowledge about wet shaving as well as where to shop. ; )

 

[htownmmm]

Kinda scary - P & G knows we are spending money elsewhere and want to figure out how to get it back.

Keep making good products that wetshavers like!

I'm seeing DE blades on the shelves, there just isn't much choice, and they don't come in ridiculously oversized, technicolor packaging, so they are hard to spot.

View attachment 207147

Nice!!


marty

 

[the_edski]

+1 million!!! Awesome rajagra! I am saving that picture for posterity! BTW, where did you make that?

I'm seeing DE blades on the shelves, there just isn't much choice, and they don't come in ridiculously oversized, technicolor packaging, so they are hard to spot.

View attachment 207147

 

[BroJohn]

It's great that more men I learning to shave in the better way. However I fear they will pile into AoS and other places they read about in this article and articles like it and pay too much for the products. That will then drive up the prices for all of us as a whole.

I don't care... I have a lifetime supply of EVERYTHING. Buy big, buy now.

-- John Gehman

 

[rajagra]

+1 million!!! Awesome rajagra! I am saving that picture for posterity! BTW, where did you make that?

http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp

 

[ChicagoMoose]

I thought it was a solid article, I think it will encourage folks to give DE a try which can only help the demand for products; which in the long run should make them easier to find. I liked the shout out to State Street Barbers, it's where I get my hair cut and have gotten shaved before. Ask for Maestro, he is at the Old Town location on Wells Street.

The new pop up AOS store in the loop is pretty cool but pretty obvious it's just a spot to sell product over the holidays, hard to see its actually a store I just happened to be in that building for a meeting and saw it. I love the fact that P&G is getting into the retail business (AOS doesnt seem to be the only one) and is elevating men's shaving products, their marketing will bleed over to other products. I think the Brotherhood of Shaving campaign is what got me interested in DE in the first place.

Steve

 

[FonGu]

I liked the article and even linked it to Facebook. Hopefully, it will help bring a few more into the fold!

 

[BrookR1]

I see a lot of similarities between shaving and craft beers.

Back in the early 90s it was craft beer vs. the mega brewers. Small breweries popped up, people started home brewing and the word got out. Today, craft beers still represent a small percentage of the overall market, but they have continued to grow while the mega brewers have lost market share. The mega brewers, in an effort to keep growing, have purchased many smaller breweries, but there are just too many beer makers and brew pubs to keep up.

I see this happening for shaving and am very excited because I think we will see a TON of new shaving products being launched by small manufacturers wanting to get a piece of the growing pie. Of course, this could all be just a passing fad, but shaving is a necessity. It's an activity most men do every day, just like drinking beer. P&G spent a lot of time and effort researching this "fad" and bet a large amount of money that this activity will continue to grow and thrive. Unfortunately, that means the prices of vintage razors will shoot through the roof as people start collecting razors. But overall, this will be very good for shaving in general.

I have nothing against P&G or Gillette. They exist to meet the demands of the market and will put money into our segment. Don't be surprised if Gillette releases new and improved versions of their older DE razors (another version of the Fatboy anyone?) to meet the growing demand.

 

[CSG]

Chinese made Fatboy II's. Oh great...

 

[Maxwell Perkins]

Good that they're publishing articles like this, but it's all over the place. She doesn't really get the distinctions between bogus AoS stuff, straight razors and our beloved vintage DE razors. I wrote a blog post a while back about old Fat Boys on eBay (a little late for Christmas 2011, now):

Gillette Fat Boy

 

[Greyfox]

Thanks for the link.

 

[taylor0150]

soon we will rule the world!