Most of the article is behind a paywall, but looks like most of the brick and mortar AoS will close down.
P&G closing most Art of Shaving stores
- Thread starter Galaktus
- Start date
- Status
I've been to a few and when you first walk in, it always looks very nice. But from what I hear at a lot of locations, the staff can be rude, won't approach you, aren't properly trained, or the gossip between employees drives people away. That with the high prices when you can choose a better spot for a haircut and cheaper online products are just asking to not make enough money.
It seems like it's hard these days to find proper help that'll treat the customers with respect and really have a sense of urgency to help the customer really find what they need. When you have other cheap options, you won't want to walk into an expensive store just to be ignored or have an employee be rude to you.
Maybe some of you have had great experiences at TAOS, but a lot of people have had similar bad experiences at different locations. But how do you get so many locations to have their employees really care about the business. The bigger you get, the less quality. That's my opinion anyway, maybe I'm wrong. What's your experience at their brick and mortar stores?
It seems like it's hard these days to find proper help that'll treat the customers with respect and really have a sense of urgency to help the customer really find what they need. When you have other cheap options, you won't want to walk into an expensive store just to be ignored or have an employee be rude to you.
Maybe some of you have had great experiences at TAOS, but a lot of people have had similar bad experiences at different locations. But how do you get so many locations to have their employees really care about the business. The bigger you get, the less quality. That's my opinion anyway, maybe I'm wrong. What's your experience at their brick and mortar stores?
I truly never understood their marketing strategy.
The stores and the prices make you think they are targetting the luxury market, but high-end buyers won't choose $150/$250 AoS brushes over Paladin, M&F, Simpson and the other usual suspects.
Who buys them? Maybe the clueless shopper who wants to make a present, not the competent hobbyist.
Also, their instore personnel isn't up to the task to service a luxury clientele.
The stores and the prices make you think they are targetting the luxury market, but high-end buyers won't choose $150/$250 AoS brushes over Paladin, M&F, Simpson and the other usual suspects.
Who buys them? Maybe the clueless shopper who wants to make a present, not the competent hobbyist.
Also, their instore personnel isn't up to the task to service a luxury clientele.
Just heard this on the radio, they have a store here locally. I agree the marketing didn't make sense. All store brand stuff at top price it seemed. The redeeming point here was that they had a barber that also did straight razor shaves. It was a good boost to the masses with wetshaving information as well.
Though I thought their products were ridiculously priced, their products were a high quality. I’ve gone into their stores on several occasions, but I do hate to see them go.
I wonder if this has something to do with Target stores starting to carry AOS stuff.
Went to the one in Stanford and...meh.
This. Been to two, NOLA and Mall of America ... They were at least popularizing what we do. Products were very good, somebody with deep pockets gave me some. Prefer six cent blades to $45 soaps, myself.
AA
only able to see the headline, so i'll wait to read full article as the news spreads.
if true, not totally surprising or unexpected.
high retail costs for a small (and gradually narrowing?!) market niche...not a p&g style move.
actually i was somewhat amazed that p&g bought them in the first place.
but sad, since AOS and then P&G did make a yeoman effort and the products were excellent overall.
i suspect that p&g are trying to cut the bleeding, so to speak.
if so, perhaps retain the brand, a dozen or so profitable stores and a limited internet presence.
be on the look out for some big clearance sales!
ps...just found similar article in another cincy paper, here.
if true, not totally surprising or unexpected.
high retail costs for a small (and gradually narrowing?!) market niche...not a p&g style move.
actually i was somewhat amazed that p&g bought them in the first place.
but sad, since AOS and then P&G did make a yeoman effort and the products were excellent overall.
i suspect that p&g are trying to cut the bleeding, so to speak.
if so, perhaps retain the brand, a dozen or so profitable stores and a limited internet presence.
be on the look out for some big clearance sales!
ps...just found similar article in another cincy paper, here.
My guess is that this is part of a larger plan to streamline the P&G men’s grooming line-up.
Still sad to see AoS go because they helped popularize ’traditional’ wet shaving!
Still sad to see AoS go because they helped popularize ’traditional’ wet shaving!
Sad to see their closings come about. I was treated with courtesy at every store I visited. Perhaps they targeted a higher income clientele than the shoppers walking into their stores. I visited the store in the Galleria Mall in Dallas recently, a shaving brush was priced at $120 (USD). I can get by with a less pricey but good brush from WSC, for example.
We have one here locally, and it's quite nice. My son and his girlfriend bought me a container of the lemon shave cream for Father's Day last year, and I enjoyed it. I've also purchased hair gel from AoS in the more distant past.
I know some people have had bad experiences there, but at our local shop the people who work there were interested, kind, and appropriate. My wife thought about getting me one of their Thiers-Issard straight razors, but I explained to her that although I appreciated the thought, if I wanted a quality new straight razor there were lots of places I could get one for a lot less coin.
I know some people have had bad experiences there, but at our local shop the people who work there were interested, kind, and appropriate. My wife thought about getting me one of their Thiers-Issard straight razors, but I explained to her that although I appreciated the thought, if I wanted a quality new straight razor there were lots of places I could get one for a lot less coin.
I think it's another example of retail being unable to complete with Internet shopping. They could not or did not choose to sell any less expensive gear. Trying to position shaving as a luxury activity has very narrow appeal.
1.31.2020.
Sellers that provide a poor customer experience will not receive my money. Part of the customer experience is buying goods; part of the experience is wanting to give your money to that seller. Buyers have many choices. YMMV.
Sellers that provide a poor customer experience will not receive my money. Part of the customer experience is buying goods; part of the experience is wanting to give your money to that seller. Buyers have many choices. YMMV.
You can also read about it here.
P&G eyes cutting back Art of Shaving stores
P&G officials said they are rethinking the brand's retail scope but not whether to keep the brand.
www.cincinnati.com
In a word: Yes. It's no accident this stuff is showing up at Target. As noted in the article, it's all associated with the decline of brick-and-mortar retail in general and shopping malls specifically.
AoS products themselves aren't disappearing, though I imagine that anything not carried by Target probably won't be found anywhere except online and discount/closeout retail (i.e. TJMaxx/Burlington). I don't know whether P&G is going to push to sell the product in other chain retail stores, or if Target has an exclusive with them for brick-and-mortar.
This is too bad. My introduction to wet shaving was thanks to an AOS gift from my wife. Back then, they weren’t owned by P&G and I felt prices were reasonable for the quality. Creams were only a couple dollars more than ToBS at the time and it’s still my favorite sandalwood cream. Even today, it’s still cheaper than other premium creams like Castle Forbes.
Once P&G bought them prices went up and they started featuring premium Fusion handles all over the store while DE razors took a back seat. And for some reason most of the employees started sporting full beards, which I found odd for a shaving store. I don’t know who was making the brushes back then, but my AoS Badger is still my favorite brush and has held up extremely well.
Once P&G bought them prices went up and they started featuring premium Fusion handles all over the store while DE razors took a back seat. And for some reason most of the employees started sporting full beards, which I found odd for a shaving store. I don’t know who was making the brushes back then, but my AoS Badger is still my favorite brush and has held up extremely well.
It's too bad they're closing, but not unexpected.
While most people on forums such as this may not shop there due to their pricing, the stores were nice to have in terms of raising awareness of an alternative way to shave. The one near me did do a good job of making traditional shaving seem like a more luxurious way to shave, so I'm sure their stores were a gateway for a lot of people.
I do like their stores even though I don't visit them very often. They always look nice and it's just fun to be able to handle the products.
While most people on forums such as this may not shop there due to their pricing, the stores were nice to have in terms of raising awareness of an alternative way to shave. The one near me did do a good job of making traditional shaving seem like a more luxurious way to shave, so I'm sure their stores were a gateway for a lot of people.
I do like their stores even though I don't visit them very often. They always look nice and it's just fun to be able to handle the products.
I hardly see it mentioned, but landlords are going to have to expect less if retail is to survive. Since the number of people who shop in bricks and mortar has significantly declined since the 80s and 90s, retailers can't afford the high rents that landlords exacted then.
- Status
Similar threads
