A sign of wet shaving starting to penetrate the mainstream?

[CptBlueBear]

Hi,

had the misfortune to find myself in a Target* this morning and, as you do, I had a quick squizz at there shaving section.

First surprise - they had one, KMart has one shelf these days. It was tacked on the end of the cosmetics and perfume section, but they'd allowed four shelf bays.

First was full of Nivea, Gillette and their ilk.

The second held the scents. CK being the most sophistocated. They had English Blazer and Blue Stratos cheap, but this is the sort of place where they put the Adidias and Playboy in a locked cabinet.

The third had electrics and clippers.

On the fourth were gift packs and the biggest not only included a pot of shaving cream in a tin but a boar brush! The brand, that I've never heard of, is Da Vinci and yes one of the packs was called "code". They were asking about $30 where the wet packs (scrub, canned goo and aftershave) where pitched at $20.

Now, I assume it's crap but I find it interesting that somewhere as down market as Target are stocking such a thing. It shows that, at least at the department store buyer level, the demand is perceived to be there. I may go back closer to Christmas (what the feck and I saying!) and see if the stock levels have dropped

Anyone else noticed even token stock in otherwise odd places this Christmas?

*A note for those not in Aus: Target is very downmarket here. Ten years ago they pitched themselves as slightly better than KMart or BigW. Even trying to become a bit of a "label" at one poiint. Now they chase the same bottom of the market crowd as the other two.

 

[Leche]

Target used to carry Proraso but now it's pretty much only junk. The Everyman Jack has a pretty good face wash and balm though.

 

[BCatl]

+1 Target is definitely leaving money on the table with their shaving section and their cologne section.

I also agree that it is hilarious that they lock some of this stuff up. I can't decide how they determine what goes under lock and key and what doesn't. Maybe they let the floor employee decide. It's very haphazard.

The whole Target health and beauty section has gone down hill in my opinion. The shaving section in my store is an embarassment. They offer fewer and fewer choices. I'm starting to notice this in a lot of brick and mortar stores.

 

[Drubbing]

Anyone else noticed even token stock in otherwise odd places this Christmas?

*A note for those not in Aus: Target is very downmarket here. Ten years ago they pitched themselves as slightly better than KMart or BigW. Even trying to become a bit of a "label" at one poiint. Now they chase the same bottom of the market crowd as the other two.

I doubt it's a sign of mainstreaming in the big stores, these will never be fast turnover items for them. Local forums like Whirlpool has a steady influx of interested new blokes though, most of whom end up dropping coin at local vendors. It's a trickle, and we're under the stream as it were, so we see it happening.

A pharmacy I drop into here in Perth has started to stock Conk stuff, Astras and a few brushes, which is always good. If they don't shift them though, I doubt they'll restock, but they did sell out of Conk Bay Rum.

 

[BladeDE40]

Target has also been carrying a pretty decent Shea Moisture badger brush for about $10 USD....I guess Targets a bit different here in the States.

Do you have any Walmarts in Aus.? Just curious what you think of those...now that's one place I try to avoid at all costs!

 

[CptBlueBear]

Target used to carry Proraso but now it's pretty much only junk. The Everyman Jack has a pretty good face wash and balm though.

I remeber those days - the stacks of green pots on the shelf. This Target is in a seriously Italian area, mind.

I also agree that it is hilarious that they lock some of this stuff up. I can't decide how they determine what goes under lock and key and what doesn't. Maybe they let the floor employee decide. It's very haphazard.

Oh, there was nothing haphazard about this: anything over $10 a bottle was under lock and key!

The shaving section in my store is an embarassment. They offer fewer and fewer choices. I'm starting to notice this in a lot of brick and mortar stores.

There's no choice out here: Gillette and Nivea are it for this end of the market.

I doubt it's a sign of mainstreaming in the big stores, these will never be fast turnover items for them. Local forums like Whirlpool has a steady influx of interested new blokes though, most of whom end up dropping coin at local vendors. It's a trickle, and we're under the stream as it were, so we see it happening.

Agreed, it's never going to be mainstream and never going to shift enough volume for these stores to take it seriously, but I find it interesting that these things turn up now and again. Like there's someone in buying who thinks this stuff is going to sell one day and is testing the waters every now and again. Like BigW and the Col Conk last year(?)

This package is clearly aimed at women buying for young men for Christmas. It's just a little bit classier than the other stuff they have

A pharmacy I drop into here in Perth has started to stock Conk stuff, Astras and a few brushes, which is always good. If they don't shift them though, I doubt they'll restock, but they did sell out of Conk Bay Rum.

That reminds me, I was in a Chemist t'other day and they had a Tabac wet pack bundle. A balistic nylon bag containing aftershave, talc and shaving foam. Foam!? FOAM!

Still, I might pick one up 'cause it was only $27 and the bag looked good.

 

[BCatl]

Blade, I am in the states, and your Target has mine beat. I've never seen a shaving brush at my store. In fact, if I were to sneeze I'd miss our entire shave section.

However, you should see the floor space they have devoted to pet food and toys for pets!

 

[CptBlueBear]

Target has also been carrying a pretty decent Shea Moisture badger brush for about $10 USD....I guess Targets a bit different here in the States.

Do you have any Walmarts in Au.? Just curious what you think of those...now that's one place I try to avoid at all costs!

Reading BCatl's post below, I don't think there's that much difference. We have KMart out here, no WalMart. I was under the impression there was a link, but quick Google says they are (or were) competitors in the States. KMart are the bottom of the market in terms of class. They recently tried to improve their image by refitting stores or at least cleaning them

 

[BladeDE40]

Yea Kmart was in my neck of the woods years ahead of Walmart...they are both pretty much the same, except Walmart is a much larger armpit than Kmart. While Target is a value minded store, I do find the store to be much more presentable and the employees to be much more competent and friendly.

 

[Drubbing]

That reminds me, I was in a Chemist t'other day and they had a Tabac wet pack bundle. A balistic nylon bag containing aftershave, talc and shaving foam. Foam!? FOAM!

Still, I might pick one up 'cause it was only $27 and the bag looked good.

Tabac range in pharmacies everywhere here. Everything except the soap. I don't understand that.

 

[Sydney Guy]

Yea Kmart was in my neck of the woods years ahead of Walmart...they are both pretty much the same, except Walmart is a much larger armpit than Kmart. While Target is a value minded store, I do find the store to be much more presentable and the employees to be much more competent and friendly.

A bit of background - Target Australia was part of the Myer dept store company here. I believe it was modelled on the US Target chain but there was never a financial tie-up. The Myer family had a personal connection with the family that ran Target USA's dept store parent co and the two families would send their sons to each other to learn the retail business without the "boss's son" aura.

K-Mart Australia was a joint-venture between Coles and the US Kroger dept store co who owned K-Mart USA, but Kroger sold out about 10-20 years ago when they got into financial trouble. Coles also acquired Target when they bought Myer. There's no reason for the merchandise in the Aussie stores and their US namesakes to be similar other than the fact that it's all made in China.

Just to add to the confusion, the Australian Woolworths chain is not affiliated with F. W. Woolworth in the USA & UK, either.

 

[resj]

Target has also been carrying a pretty decent Shea Moisture badger brush for about $10 USD....I guess Targets a bit different here in the States.

Good brush

 

[CptBlueBear]

A bit of background - Target Australia was part of the Myer dept store company here. I believe it was modelled on the US Target chain but there was never a financial tie-up. The Myer family had a personal connection with the family that ran Target USA's dept store parent co and the two families would send their sons to each other to learn the retail business without the "boss's son" aura.

K-Mart Australia was a joint-venture between Coles and the US Kroger dept store co who owned K-Mart USA, but Kroger sold out about 10-20 years ago when they got into financial trouble. Coles also acquired Target when they bought Myer. There's no reason for the merchandise in the Aussie stores and their US namesakes to be similar other than the fact that it's all made in China.

Just to add to the confusion, the Australian Woolworths chain is not affiliated with F. W. Woolworth in the USA & UK, either.

Thanks for the history lesson, mate. Always interesting to know where these things came from. Is there any retail chain that bloody Coles don't own? I'd have thought that they'd be trying hard to differentiate them and appeal to different market segments, but it seems they're effectively the same store with different logos.

 

[Drubbing]

Thanks for the history lesson, mate. Always interesting to know where these things came from. Is there any retail chain that bloody Coles don't own? I'd have thought that they'd be trying hard to differentiate them and appeal to different market segments, but it seems they're effectively the same store with different logos.

C'mon guys, this is Australia, the land of duopoly and big 4s. You don't need to differentiate, when it's easier to collude.

 

[NewbieRedux]

I have never seen a decent wet shaving product at a Target here in the greater NYC area. However, a local CVS drug store has begun to carry a wet shaving beginner kit under the CVS brand: inexpensive synthetic brush, soap and bowl. While it is probably not of interest to most of us, maybe it's a sign that someone has taken notice that there is an existing interest in wet shaving.

 

[kellicat]

Hi,

had the misfortune to find myself in a Target*

Hey now! (It still made me laugh.)

 

[CptBlueBear]

C'mon guys, this is Australia, the land of duopoly and big 4s. You don't need to differentiate, when it's easier to collude.

There's so little competition around here they don't even have to collude.

Tabac range in pharmacies everywhere here. Everything except the soap. I don't understand that.

I've seen the aftershave and EDC around. Usually at much higher prices. I've not seen the cream or soap

I have never seen a decent wet shaving product at a Target here in the greater NYC area. However, a local CVS drug store has begun to carry a wet shaving beginner kit under the CVS brand: inexpensive synthetic brush, soap and bowl. While it is probably not of interest to most of us, maybe it's a sign that someone has taken notice that there is an existing interest in wet shaving.

Yeah that's the sort of thing I'd describe what I found in at Target - a cheap starter kit.

On a related note: I found a Figaro box with cream and a brush at a chemist this afternoon. At $20 I think I'll get one for a mate I was making a kit up for Christmas.

 

[global_dev]

Perhaps target in the US noticed my whole store inventory buy-out (as well as others) on the Shea moisture brush throughout the summer. probably not though...

 

[Go West Young Man]

I have never seen a decent wet shaving product at a Target here in the greater NYC area. However, a local CVS drug store has begun to carry a wet shaving beginner kit under the CVS brand: inexpensive synthetic brush, soap and bowl. While it is probably not of interest to most of us, maybe it's a sign that someone has taken notice that there is an existing interest in wet shaving.

That's a re-branded Van der Hagen brush and soap kit.

 

[MoabBoy]

They've recently built a new Priceline in my local shopping center. Better shaving selection than most pharamcies. Gaia, Stella + Marco etc. Still lots of Lynx (Axe in the US) though. I dream of a day that teenages don't need to empty all the cans in the middle of the isle to see which ones smells the least like ***.