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Gillette compares disposable cartridges to a straight razor on their website.

we all know the truth, we all know a cartridge is just that, and it will never a DE and or as good as a straight when properly used........why even get bothered by Gillette's wild claims........they are in business to sell.

The thing is, they need not have bothered. Straights require skill that takes time to master, and casual users won't do that. As for DE razors, some years ago, when I was a cartridge razor shaver who did not care at all about shaving except as a chore to be gotten through as quickly as possible, I tried a DE razor, out of curiosity. I applied Edge gel to my dry face, and ran the thing across my cheek.

OUCH! This DE shaving thing is for the birds! Modern cartridges are obviously much better than this!!!

Sometimes, it pays to trust in natural processes.
 

linty1

My wallet cries.
If you had your fortune sunk into the paper plate business, you'd try to make the same comparison to those nasty china plates your mom used.

Advantages of Paper Plates​

Some advantages that can make using paper plates an attractive option for your business include:
  • Convenience: Compared to reusable plates that you have to wash and dry after each use, paper plates can save you time and hassle in your office. You can simply toss your used paper plate in the trash and return to work.

  • Safety: Unlike glass and ceramic plates that you can drop and break, paper plates are much safer. You won't have to worry about yourself or anybody else getting cut from sharp remnants due to a fallen plate.

  • Hygiene: Since they're designed for one-time use, paper plates come with the benefit of hygiene. When only one person touches and eats off the plate, there's less of a chance for bacteria to grow or sickness to spread.

  • Ease of transport: Since paper plates are thin and compact, you can easily transport a large stack around the office or to business events. Reusable plates made of other materials like ceramic can weigh much more and come with a risk of damage during transit. You'll also need much less space to store the paper plates and can simply carry them easily in a bag or box when needed.

  • Cost (in cases of light use): If you only use plates occasionally in the office for meals, you can find paper plates a more affordable option than buying more expensive dinnerware. You can also save money since you won't need to use water to wash the plates or have an employee use their time to wash dishes.

  • Biodegradable options: While you'll usually pay more, you can find paper plates made from recycled materials. This can provide a sustainable option that has less of a negative impact on the environment.

  • Microwavable: While you can find microwave-safe plates made of other materials, this feature, along with the other benefits of paper plates, can make them the most appealing option for use during employee lunches and parties.

Time to start an online forum:


Who's in for the first paper plate grume?

(ps, I just made up that website, If it -actually- leads to a website, it is pure coincidence).
 
Gillette claim;" With one Fusion5 cartridge, you can shave comfortably up to 20 times." They also assume the daily shave is not typical and generally estimate on 4 shaves a week. That is their marketing strategy.

Does anyone believe this? :thumbdown

My experience was that a cart lasted about as long as a quality DE blade.
 
That’s about right but when I used a cart, I would stretch them out because of the cost. Now I use a straight razor where a single blade will last several lifetimes.
I used to put almost as much time maintaining a cart (unclogging mainly but also inspecting for chips or cracked casing) than I do for my straights.
 
I stumbled on this 'article' on Gillette's US website titled "Is A Straight Razor Right For You?". It was a predictably informative read, concluding with: "Considering switching to a straight razor? We’ll help you make the right choice", followed by a table comparing and contrasting their
'ProGlide Shield™ lubrication and FlexBall™ technology' with straight razor shaving.

I found it amusing if nothing else, but sort of begs the question: why does Gillette feel compelled to include something like this on their website at all? SR shaving couldn't possibly be seen as a significant threat to their market share.

Any thoughts?
Paupers will be paupers.
Gillette obviously understands which shaving represents class.
 

Dave himself

Wee Words of Wisdom
I guess they forgot to tell Wilkinson
20211102_130135.jpg
 
When I shaved every day with a cartridge razor, I don't remember how many shaves I got from each cartridge; my guess is about 20 shaves/one a month--I didn't say enjoyable shaves, I hated shaving. I kept a beard for 8 years after I retired from active duty--okay, truth be told I wanted a goatee, but I couldn't keep straight lines with that stupid floppy cartridge thingee so I just let it grow. I used an electric trimmer every two weeks to maintain a somewhat straight line and keep the neck beard short and every couple of days I used the "Mach 3 or 5" to dry shave the stubble and keep it under control. Was it Ignorance or Apathy that caused me to use the same cartridge to dry shave my neck for 8 years? I don't know, and I don't really care, but that's how it went. When I shaved the beard I bought a pack of cartridges (sticker shock!) and between the cost and the tugging and pull (yes, I used gel), I remembered why I kept the beard. After realizing that cartridges couldn't possibly be the best a man could get, I tried DE, SE and SRs, I realized I didn't hate shaving, I hated cartridges. Nothing Gillette can say will change my mind about cartridges, but I'm not their target audience.
 
I stumbled on this 'article' on Gillette's US website titled "Is A Straight Razor Right For You?". It was a predictably informative read, concluding with: "Considering switching to a straight razor? We’ll help you make the right choice", followed by a table comparing and contrasting their
'ProGlide Shield™ lubrication and FlexBall™ technology' with straight razor shaving.

I found it amusing if nothing else, but sort of begs the question: why does Gillette feel compelled to include something like this on their website at all? SR shaving couldn't possibly be seen as a significant threat to their market share.

Any thoughts?
I am guessing that since Gillette markets their razors strictly on manliness, they view DEs and straights as a legitimate threat to that image (which they are). A 5-blade razor does not drip nearly the amount of testosterone as a DE, and definitely not the amount that a straight does. Add that to the difference in price per shave (after setup), and Gillette has reason to worry.
 
Maybe it just offends Gillette that there is a notion that you can get a luxury shave by going to a barber who does straight razor shaves with hot towels and nice brushes and fragrances and stuff. Maybe somebody said that to Gillette’s CEO over dinner and he spent the next day firing angry emails at his marketing team. And they, in turn, decided that deceiving the public was much easier and cheaper than actually making a better product.

How dare people think they get better shaves than with a cartridge? Why won’t some people think what they’re told to think?
 
IMHO...if Gillette(Proctor & Gamble) execs were more open minded they would embrace the straight razor and DE razor trend. It could be an opportunity to create a "Flagship" product that would enhance their image. They have the resources to do it.
DE and SR shaving aren't going away so why fight it ? It's really just a "different strokes for different folks" scenario.
If you can't beat em- join em. Get in the game Gillette !
 
IMHO...if Gillette(Proctor & Gamble) execs were more open minded they would embrace the straight razor and DE razor trend. It could be an opportunity to create a "Flagship" product that would enhance their image. They have the resources to do it.
DE and SR shaving aren't going away so why fight it ? It's really just a "different strokes for different folks" scenario.
If you can't beat em- join em. Get in the game Gillette !
Gillette has released 2 DE's in the past few years, and are still in the DE blade game to quite a large extent internationally. They know the markets.

Doubt they will get into the straight razor game though as their business model revolves around the disposable blade.
 
Gillette claim;" With one Fusion5 cartridge, you can shave comfortably up to 20 times." They also assume the daily shave is not typical and generally estimate on 4 shaves a week. That is their marketing strategy.
The old ads I posted above claims 20-40 shaves per blade, nothing has changed.
 
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I wondered about cartidge longevity myself. I always tossed them after a week. I still use them (Sensor) when I travel. I toss DE blades after 3 shaves. I realize guys use both for longer, but I think life is too short to worry about this stuff. I get better shaves with DE blades, and that's all that counts IMHO. I do, however, occasionally go down the rabbit hole on soaps/creams. As I told Bill Gates in the early 70s, it's the software, not the hardware. Not sure what happened to that guy.
 
I won’t use a Gillette cartridge.
Years ago I briefly tried the Mach 3 and found it comfortable but odd feeling as previously I used the Atra for most of my shaves. I thoroughly enjoy using a DE now for most of my shaves and I won’t look back! Oh BTW, the prices are ridiculously high on modern cartridges, so I’m saving money.
 
I got into DE shaving many years ago because I wasn’t happy with the shaves I was getting from expensive cartridges. It took some time develop proper technique to achieve a high quality DE shave, but I never went back to cartridges and I certainly wouldn’t now. Shaving is a pleasure for me now. Plus, a months supply of fusion carts cost as much as 2 years supply of DE blades.
 
what @Rhody said, plus p&g needed to write down gillettes bookvalue by 8 billion usd two years ago. essentially they simply overpaid when they bought it.
they were imo mentally and verbally very gymnastic about the reasons in last years annual report, stating that, among other things (like changing grooming habits & more competitive market & fx-rates like devaluation relative to usd) that even covid impacted gillettes net sales...like covid impacted mens beard growth but not the beard growth their electrical shaving division (braun for men) or female epilators (venus brand for women) covers. so covid only impacted mens facial hair and even only those of wetshavers. let that sink in. that sounds a bit like desperation to my ears, therfor 'cartridge=sr' makes sense if you try to continue their path gymnastically.

imo they need to cover all bases and that leads to what rhody said in its destilled form.
 
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