Here's a question I've been mulling over for quite a while now & I haven't seen any threads related (if they're here, all apologies--my google fu isn't that great): Why doesn't Gillette produce any actual DE razors any more? They put out the blades, they have a helluva following & it seems like a) they'd sell quite a number of them, and b) people might use them more, and they're the name--everyone here talks about the old Gillettes. Kind of bothers me, in a way, that they put out blades and not razors--like their piggybacking Hollywood-style on the $$ but won't pony up on the real goods. Way I see it--& I may be seeing it wrong, I'll grant you--is that Gillette might be afraid of option b above--and they'd lose out on their plastic profit. But still... Just something that's been bothering me lately. Then again, maybe it's like Jordan coming out of retirement--just wouldn't be the same. They'd probably have the quality of a Ming Shi if they came out today (skimping on the cost and all). Maybe some things, like MJ & good quality Gillette SSs, are better left to the past?
Gillette Question
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Im pretty sure Gillette DOES still sell a DE razor in India and Asian markets and you can order it online for little of nothing.
Wp
Wp
It wouldn't be as profitable for Gillette to produce nicer razors with cheap blades, because that's not where they make their money. They make the money on the things you need to keep coming back for, they sell a 15 cent cartridge for 3 bucks and make a mint and you have to keep coming back, that's why they don't make a DE razor anymore.
That and there aren't enough of DE shavers to warrant them even thinking about it. After all, for the 1 guy in 5000 who switches to a DE, there are 1,000 fresh teenagers learning to shave to take his place, and what will they buy? The thing that looks cool, the new fusion.
That and there aren't enough of DE shavers to warrant them even thinking about it. After all, for the 1 guy in 5000 who switches to a DE, there are 1,000 fresh teenagers learning to shave to take his place, and what will they buy? The thing that looks cool, the new fusion.
I can't answer your question but I'd like to add a related question if I may. Is there a legal reason (patents) that other companies aren't reissuing versions of the SuperSpeed and other beloved Gillettes? I guess they wouldn't have to be exact replicas, but it would be nice to have a USA made DE built like the old ones.
If this is considered a thread hijack please let me know and I will remove the offending post. It just seemed related enough to include here.
If this is considered a thread hijack please let me know and I will remove the offending post. It just seemed related enough to include here.
+1
Also there are more than enough old DE's out there for the people like us that still enjoy using them. Given the choice of a brand new Aristocrat or a vintage one, I'd take the vintage one everytime.
Gillette sells high-volume / low cost* mass market and makes enormous profits. The Art of Shaving sells a much smaller amount of product, but at huge markups and makes enormous profits.
No points for guessing that both companies are part of the same corporate family, allowing P+G to have the best of both worlds.
*Gillette markups are large in percentage terms, but in real terms only a few dollars. AOS marks stuff up 10s if not 100s of dollars.
No points for guessing that both companies are part of the same corporate family, allowing P+G to have the best of both worlds.
*Gillette markups are large in percentage terms, but in real terms only a few dollars. AOS marks stuff up 10s if not 100s of dollars.
A little off topic but my major problem with Gillette is that, to me, it is an American icon. The name just oozes classic Americana, almost like Carnegie, and I always see "Gillette" in that light, but they don't. They (and I realize it's P&G) see it strictly in terms of profit margin, and profitability.
I guess I don't really have a point, it just makes me a little sad.
I guess I don't really have a point, it just makes me a little sad.
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It's simple economics. If I recall, I saw a thread here claim that Fusion blades cost Gillette about four cents to manufacture. There are (of course) other costs, but the profit calculus for selling a cheap handle with a proprietary lock-in on pricey blades is a lot higher than selling a quality handle with inexpensive blades.
That's just the economics of the beast. The good news is that you can buy high quality DE razors (new and vintage) that will hold up for decades. It's a shame, but you're better off buying vintage or another brand and DE blades.
That's just the economics of the beast. The good news is that you can buy high quality DE razors (new and vintage) that will hold up for decades. It's a shame, but you're better off buying vintage or another brand and DE blades.
They do, f.i. in India: Gillette 7'O Clock razors.
The Gillette business model only made sense when they were the dominant player. When multiple players entered the scene (making and selling DE blades) it didn't make sense to sell the razor at a loss with the expectation of making it up on blades. I think we can assume that the profit margin on DE blades is much thinner than it was in the early part of the 20th century.
- Chris
- Chris
King C. Gillette's original concept came to him while he was working for a bottle cap company - sell an inexpensive throwaway item thousands of times over and make a huge pile of money in the process.
The razor blade was, in his mind, the real invention and the real source of profits. Once other companies started providing competitive pressure, Gillette had to do more in the way of marketing and promotion to ensure the continuous purchase of the consumable "bottle cap" that provided them with huge profit margins and dollars.
Wilkinson and Schick were both gaining market share in the blade business in the early-to-mid '60s. Gillette then tried to develop something OTHER THAN a new DE bladed product in order to provide another captive market like they enjoyed in past years. The Techmatic didn't take off, but the Trac II did, and the cartridge wars were launched!!
P&G's ownership of Gillette is for one thing and one thing only - profits!! If production of a historical relic were profitable, they would certainly do it!!
While we as a group here aren't big fans of modern cartridge systems, they do hold true to K.C. Gillette's original premise . . . keep the customer coming back for more and more and more and more . . .
The razor blade was, in his mind, the real invention and the real source of profits. Once other companies started providing competitive pressure, Gillette had to do more in the way of marketing and promotion to ensure the continuous purchase of the consumable "bottle cap" that provided them with huge profit margins and dollars.
Wilkinson and Schick were both gaining market share in the blade business in the early-to-mid '60s. Gillette then tried to develop something OTHER THAN a new DE bladed product in order to provide another captive market like they enjoyed in past years. The Techmatic didn't take off, but the Trac II did, and the cartridge wars were launched!!
P&G's ownership of Gillette is for one thing and one thing only - profits!! If production of a historical relic were profitable, they would certainly do it!!
While we as a group here aren't big fans of modern cartridge systems, they do hold true to K.C. Gillette's original premise . . . keep the customer coming back for more and more and more and more . . .
P+G owns Gillette, which makes enormous profits selling large volumes of (relatively) low cost products.
P+G owns The Art of Shaving, which makes enormous profits selling small volumes of extremely high priced products.
They've got the best of both worlds covered, and don't have to dilute either brand competing with each other. Why would they mess with a system that works perfectly?
P+G owns The Art of Shaving, which makes enormous profits selling small volumes of extremely high priced products.
They've got the best of both worlds covered, and don't have to dilute either brand competing with each other. Why would they mess with a system that works perfectly?
You can still purchase Gillette DE blades and many other makes and there are factories still making them to a high quality.
I very good blade Gillette 7 Oclock is made in Russia and similar products in different colour packs come from India.
They are not promoted by Gillette because there is very little money it for them. It certainly has nothing to do with the shave quality which is very good and for me at least better than any of the double, triple or quad blade razors they sell on every street corner all over the world.
Mind you I still think a straight razor is unbeatable.
I very good blade Gillette 7 Oclock is made in Russia and similar products in different colour packs come from India.
They are not promoted by Gillette because there is very little money it for them. It certainly has nothing to do with the shave quality which is very good and for me at least better than any of the double, triple or quad blade razors they sell on every street corner all over the world.
Mind you I still think a straight razor is unbeatable.
Reminds me of when AMF bought Harley-Davidson. They never realized what they had. They skimped on quality and damaged the brand almost to the point of extinction. The only good thing was that AMF kept the company going long enough to allow it to be bought back by its employees and others.
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