Opinions sought on this new presentation

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I had a few of these made up to solicit feedback on. They are a flask in which we have substituted an authentic cork, added period style roping, and emblazoned the front with our logo etched into the glass. It would replace this item in our store: Vintage Aftershave Flask — Captain's Choice - https://www.captainschoicestore.com/all/vintage-aftershave-flask

The vintage flasks have proven difficult to obtain and we have come up with this as a possible solution. As the current listing shows it comes with two, four ounce bottles of one of our aftershaves. It is yet to be determined but it is possible that the retail price may be a bit lower.

Some observations for you to consider. The prior flasks are used and often had evidence of stains on the interior and normal signs of wear on the outside. They had a small opening which made it hard to fill but convenient when dispensing. The prior flasks had a paper label affixed at the request of the customer depending on which aftershave they chose or once in a while they wanted it left blank. The new one has the company logo and no paper label affixed. The new one is easy to fill and is dispensed by placing a finger or thumb over the opening, so less convenient dispensing.

The one in the picture is actually filled with our Bay Rum. The Cat O' Nine Tails is a similar color, if a bit darker. Lime has a distinct green tint to it from the natural ingredients. Our other aftershaves are, for the most part, are clear with perhaps a slight tint of color one way or the other but slight.

Well, let me hear it. Is this a better look? Which would you choose - the vintage or the new with etched glass? When you weigh the pros and cons of each one tell me which you prefer and why. Would this one be an improvement or not? Please be candid - being transparent is the best way to help out. You aren't going to hurt any feelings here. I have been married for many years, I have thick skin. (KIDDING!!!)

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Definitely a better look, but does it cost a lot more?

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Definitely a better look, but does it cost a lot more?

In the middle of all my gibberish above I mention it may come in a bit less than the current price.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

In the middle of all my gibberish above I mention it may come in a bit less than the current price.

I’m a sight challenged old guy. I had to read it three times before I caught that. I say do it.

 

[Aziraphale]

Personal preference here . . . I kinda like the new flask versus the old one (stylewise anyway) , minus the ropes. The bottle can always be reused if need be, but my aftershaves live in a closet so fancy bottles are a bit of a waste IMHO. I do like the cork better than the "blurper" tops that only dispense a little at a time. I also like the shape of the bottle. It looks like it would be very easy to handle effectively even with wet hands. Few questions about it tho . . . What are the dimensions (roughly is okay) and how much does it hold? Can additional corks be easily had? Can the bottles be purchased empty? Can you show a photo with something else for comparison (like a golf ball for instance )?

Other than myself personally, I think that this is a great idea. I hope you do well with it.
FYI I feel bad I missed your antique pinauds bottle that you sold. My clubman is currently in a plastic bottle and that would have been a nice upgrade.

 

[KeenDogg]

If your going for subtle presentation, you nailed it. If you want it to stand out, I'd try again.

It looks like booze to me, I think I'd try to drink it! Honest.

 

[skibik]

Nice looking bottle but I think you could do without the rope. The cork looks nice but I for one would not like the large opening for pouring though. I seem to pour too much if the opening is too large so I spill or it runs out of my hand and that equals waste. Would I buy one, probably not since your AS already comes in glass bottles.

 

[BigD]

I like it. Looks classy.

 

[ackvil]

Another vote for yes but ditch the rope.

 

[captp]

I don't use aftershave, but I like the look of the new bottle over the vintage, with or without the rope. If you don't like the rope, it looks easy enough to remove; then you get a nice piece of rope.
If it were available by itself, I'd probably get a couple for the few colognes I use.

 

[SgtCrppls]

I like the look of the new versus the old do not mind having to use my thumb when dispensing, it would become habit after a few times, it is something I would leave on my bathroom counter.

 

[gvw755]

The new bottle looks nice, but I fear that without a stopper, it would be hard to control the flow. The old long neck bottle is probably better for controlling the flow. The rope should be kept. It is a nice presentation, and the smart folks will untie it and wrap it around the neck for better grip. The others can just take it off. Ideally, the new bottle with a longer neck would be great.

 

[Atlantic59]

OK, you wanted honesty! I really like the idea of a new bottle that is styled kind of old school. I am more of a functional type person, so the rope strikes me as a gimmick. I would probably accidentally catch the rope on something and smash the bottle to the floor, so I would leave the rope off.

The etching is nice, but it would be better to apply some etching on the edges of the bottle to improve your grip on it. Your logo doesn't need to be etched. In these eco-conscious times, I'd rather see a nice waterproof label that can be fairly easily peeled off when the bottle is empty. That way, the nice looking bottle could be re-used for anything, such as witch hazel, for example. I wouldn't mind having a few of them on my shaving shelf.

One last thing, I don't like the cork too much. I mean, it's nostalgic and all, but aftershave needs to have a flow restrictor and the bottle should seal securely.

 

[emwolf]

Love the bottle design, but the flow restrictor would be a deal breaker. I really don't like the old Avon bottles that don't have them, I wouldn't pony up for a new one without it either.

 

[gwsmallwood]

While it's missing a bit of the vintage feel compared to the original offering, it's still pretty cool. Would you need to change out the cork to be able to reuse it with a different aftershave?

 

[Rhody]

Looks cool
But probably needs a warning label

 

[Jan Sobieski]

It's an attractive bottle to be sure, like the etching, and the rope looks cool, but I would probably take the rope off permanently for ease of use.

The lack of flow restrictor would be a turn-off (at least to me).

I was tempted to buy one of your vintage bottles but so I could decant original Pinaud out of the plastic into it, haha.

You no doubt thought of this but cork would be difficult to ship if the bottles are sent out with the AS already in them, and there's the possible issue of "cork taint" that sometimes happens with wine bottles. Also, I'd be concerned the cork would chip or break from repeated openings and closings (bottle of AS that size would last a good many shaves).

 

[Graydog]

I would have to know the bottom line , since the really important thing to me is inside the bottle

 

[SterFry]

I have one of the vintage bottles and love it, although, I must say, I really like the way this new design looks, too. I like the simplicity of the centered helm a lot. I hate when labels are ruined with excessive text.

Many have suggested dropping the rope... Personally I love the rope... adds to the piracy theme. I'd further argue that anybody who doesn't like the rope can simply take it off themselves whereas the inverse of this is not true.

I must say, though...that broad of a neck with no restrictor would make me very apprehensive. If I were a browsing customer that decided to pass...that would be the reason why.

 

[DocPapi]

I like it too, but like some others, the absence of a flow restrictor would be a deal breaker for me. The AS bottles I have without flow restrictors tend to get used up faster because I spill it everywhere. I would also be one who would take the rope off, but I suggest leaving it on, since some like it. It's easy enough to take it off if you wish.