Declining sales at the, "Three T's?"

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I refer to Trumper, Trufitt & Hill, and TOBS of course. A year ago I was in conversation with the owner of a large online men's shaving site. It is well known here on the forum. He noted that when he evaluated sales trends over the prior five years that there was a marked decline in him ordering product from the Three T's as I call them. In their place and growing much faster are the existing as well as emerging artisan makers of men's products.

What about your purchasing habits? Do you go with heritage brands like these three as well as MWF, Cella, La Toja, Tabac or do you buy artisan products because they are new and offer a wide variety of scents?

 

[DCRIII]

I prefer using artisan soap since a truck load of NOS Old Spice shaving soap probably won't be delivered to my place anytime soon.

 

[Aldwyn]

I may try and an artesian occasionally, if it is a local company or have something that intrigues me, but the old school stuff is still where I go to. I can do without all the artesian... but you can take my MdC and La Toja Creme from my cold dead hands!

 

[JoeLr]

I tend to stick to the traditional artisans, with a heavy favoring of Italian soap-makers (SV in particular). By "stick to" I mean repeat buying. I have had many new wave artisan stuff roll through over the years, but those tend to get passed along to a couple shaving buddies or sold, and the only "new artisan" soap I have re-purchased is B&M Le Grand Chypre.

I can't speak specifically about TOBS, though I currently have a tub of Peppermint on hand. I don't either dislike nor feel any particular loyalty to that brand.

 

[Adam18]

I like to mix it up. I always have "heritage brands" like TOBS and Proraso on hand,
and also really enjoy "artisan brands" like Stirling, Ariana & Evans, and Barrister & Mann.

 

[alla2465]

I don't use artisan soaps. It's not for me.
of the 3 T's I only use TOBS, and not very often tbh.
I mostly use Arko and MDC, sometimes proraso too.

 

[Timeclo]

I enjoy some of the heritage brands like Cella and TOBS but I prefer some of the artisan options more. For example, Stirling sells amazing products for great value and have simple ingredients that work well with my skin. I haven't found a must-have heritage brands so far but I'll still incorporate them into my rotation.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I place great value on heritage and tradition so I should be a customer of the Three T's. I have used TOBS products and liked them although their creams were better than their soaps. I thought the product performance was average but that they were overpriced and I am still finishing a Jermyn Street cream. In recent years I believe the products may have been outsourced or reformulated, and the performance has declined especially in the hard soap. I have settled on MWF, Tabac, and Cella and would no longer consider purchasing the Three T's as I believe they are trading on their name and history, but have cut costs and are now producing an inferior product. I have zero interest in artisan products especially those with a version number or special 'base' which is rendered obsolete by a new version made from albino unicorn milk.

 

[dladuke]

I have never used any of the heritage brands. I have tried a lot of different artisan products. Recently I have narrowed down the number of favorite artisans and most of my purchases are within those 3-4.

 

[FarmerTan]

Is there an artisan version of Arko? That would be a great seller I'd bet!

 

[Earcutter]

I remember about a decade or so ago when straight razors were more trendy. The forum Straight Razor Place (SRP) was hopping, and it’s sister store Straight Razor Designs (SRD) was seemingly doing a good business. They if I recall (the forum & the store), both pushed the “Three T’s” as you refer to them.

Forums like this are driving forces behind sales. YouTube, Reddit etc., etc. And back then SRP did a good job of moving old mainstays. But those days ended as B&B got more popular, and with it, stores like West Coast Shaving. As B&B took over the forum throne from SRP, and SRD eventually going dark, the artisan soaps had overcome all mainstay soaps.

Today I hear grumblings on this forum as to the “artisan discontent.” Vendors dropping people’s favorite scent, QC, yadda, yadda. Who knows, maybe the the big three will come back into dominance. Actually, I’m sure they will if they continue to operate. Everything is cyclical, and in America everything repeats itself. I know I’ve moved from 100% artisan, to 50/50 artisan/mainstays.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I enjoy both the ‘old‘ and the ’new’.

 

[Badgerstate36]

I tend to prefer heritage brands, although I will go with something new if it catches my eye.

 

[Davidkimberly]

Although I have and use TOBS and consider it to be a fine product, I won't use Trufitt and Hill or Trumper (DR Harris also). They happen to be some of the only traditional shaving products available locally but the one merchant that sells them is very elitist and overpriced. They refuse to sell TOBS as they consider it to be beneath them. I won't tolerate being treated like crap even if it means I'll have to shop online.
That to me is the difference between shopping for one of the old line products and the "artisan" products--The Artisan and the service, professional and personal that they provide.

 

[JCarr]

I enjoy both the ‘old‘ and the ’new’.

Me too! Just received two TOBS soaps along with several newer artisan ones. Took the Proraso plunge last week.

 

[BigJ]

I tend to order more ‘traditional’ soaps, but not the 3 Ts!

So, MWF, Cella, Haslinger’s, etc, with an occasional ‘artisan’ (however you define that)!

 

[dan86]

To date I’ve yet to try a soap from the 3T’s (not to be confused with the 90s group of the same name).
I own creams from each though.

A big reason why is I remember others saying the performance of Trumper’s soaps (and the other two) were not as good after reformulations a few years back, so I stuck to the creams.
I am due to try a D R Harris soap soon though.

I like them as much as other manufacturers.

 

[jesseix]

I have some of these (TOBS, Cella, La Toja, Tabac), so they will slooowly get used up in my soap rotation but they're probably not items I will re-buy when they're gone.
To the Captain's original post though, it doesn't surprise me that retailers are reporting sales on these going down over the years, as more good artisan alternatives keep coming out.

 

[geneaut]

Well I love Trumper GFT so I’ll keep buying it as I use it up. I also like the Rose products from TOBS and Trumper so I usually have at least one of those. That said I also purchase Stirling products as well. Stirling may be more of a daily driver but my TOBS and Trumper products get pulled out for special events like a treat.

 

[k2clones29]

My den is 70/30 artisan to traditional. I like Trumper soaps, especially Eucris. I also enjoy D.R. Harris soaps, Proraso, and Cella. I have a strong preference towards artisan soaps, though.