7 ms·

While I agree DSC seems insane, you are looking at it from the wrong end: most customers were used to paying crazy prices at the grocery store. DSC is cheap by

While I agree DSC seems insane, you are looking at it from the wrong end: most customers were used to paying crazy prices at the grocery store. DSC is cheap by comparison, even if you can get the same blades for less elsewhere. Dorco could have run the same business, but DSC figured out how to market it.

iamatworknow 9y ago
You can point directly to marketing for Dollar Shave Club's success, and nothing more. They emerged at around the same time as things like Amazon's subscription service, which offers the same or even greater value (the selection is much greater), with a company that people are already familiar with. But DSC paid for podcast and TV advertisement, so instead of people going from grocery store to finding their own cheaper alternative, they went straight to DSC. From a business standpoint it's a great strategy executed at the right time, even if it does feel icky. Personally I use a stainless steel safety razor for $30 that will last forever, and blades that I got from Amazon at $12 for 100, each lasting about two weeks of every other day shaves as I have fine facial hair. DSC can't beat $12/year.
- dforrestwilson 9y ago
  Bald guy here. Currently using DSC. Can you link that safety razor you bought? Thanks.
  - smacktoward 9y ago
    Can't speak for the parent, but here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-HD-34C-Chrome-Plated/dp/B001LYAQ9E https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-HD-34C-Chrome-Plated/dp/B001LY... You'll want to try a few different brands of blade with it, as there's no one "silver bullet" blade that works best for everybody. Lots of vendors sell sample packs on Amazon containing a few blades each from a bunch of different brands. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/Double-Edge-Razor-Blade-Sample/dp/B01N6EEZ60/ref=pd_sim_194_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N6EEZ60&pd_rd_r=KVSXRZZHTGNKSQ8Y3TA5&pd_rd_w=Z0Zma&pd_rd_wg=VRLe4&psc=1&refRID=KVSXRZZHTGNKSQ8Y3TA5 https://www.amazon.com/Double-Edge-Razor-Blade-Sample/dp/B01... If you want to really nerd out on this subject, the place to be is the Badger & Blade forums: https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/ https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/
  - krakensden 9y ago
    I use the basic safety razor from Maggards: https://www.maggardrazors.com/product/maggard-razors-basic-starter-kit/ https://www.maggardrazors.com/product/maggard-razors-basic-s...
  - KingMob 9y ago
    If you don't need new, you can get perfectly fine vintage razors from eBay for ~$20. I have a Gillette SuperSpeed from the 60's that's served me well for eight years now.
  - iamatworknow 9y ago
    I think the other commenters have answered this question better than I could at this point. I originally bought mine through a "The Art Of Shaving" retail store on a whim when I saw one at a mall. They're overpriced and I wouldn't necessarily buy from them again.
  - fapjacks 9y ago
    It's very late, but I'm here with another recommendation. I use Astra brand safety razors. I get a pack of 100 for less than ten dollars. They always seem to last much longer than any of those disposable blades I used to buy (e.g. Mach 3). A lot longer.
- kylehotchkiss 9y ago
  I did the same! Spent $60 on a nice mercer(?) stainless razor and maybe $20 in the past 5 years for Astra platinum (?) blades. Feels amazing. If only nice shaving cream was as cheap!
  - rats 9y ago
    It's merkur solingen
- drvdevd 9y ago
  I've recently discovered Amazon's subscription service (shopping for cat litter of all things) and since I'm already paying for Prime as well... why not? I can imagine partly for the reasons you just listed, larger established players will ultimately push the DSCs out of the market. Probably Amazon single handedly.
  - iamatworknow 9y ago
    I have yet to pull the trigger on any Amazon subscription purchases myself. Seems perfect for something like cat litter where you kinda know you're definitely going to use x amount everyday, but for most things I feel like I don't have a definite daily usage and subscribing to them will end up with too much coming too soon, or not enough coming too late. But that's a knock on me, not the subscription service. If I kept better track and knew for sure that I use 1/60th of a 12 ounce bottle of shampoo everyday, or whatever, then I'd be more inclined to subscribe to that once every two months.
    - fapjacks 9y ago
      Yeah I drink a consistent amount of Monster every day, and I work out very regularly. I have subscriptions for Monster and for my particular brand of whey. I can't think of anything else -- though cat litter is a perfect example, too -- that I'd sign up for a subscription for. Even my deodorant seems to be used at different rates.
nommm-nommm 9y ago
>DSC figured out how to market it. Viral absurdist ads à la Old Spice.
fapjacks 9y ago
You must not be aware that Dorco actually has started a business just like DSC, for less, selling its own hardware.

iamatworknow 9y ago

You can point directly to marketing for Dollar Shave Club's success, and nothing more. They emerged at around the same time as things like Amazon's subscription service, which offers the same or even greater value (the selection is much greater), with a company that people are already familiar with. But DSC paid for podcast and TV advertisement, so instead of people going from grocery store to finding their own cheaper alternative, they went straight to DSC. From a business standpoint it's a great strategy executed at the right time, even if it does feel icky. Personally I use a stainless steel safety razor for $30 that will last forever, and blades that I got from Amazon at $12 for 100, each lasting about two weeks of every other day shaves as I have fine facial hair. DSC can't beat $12/year.

dforrestwilson 9y ago
Bald guy here. Currently using DSC. Can you link that safety razor you bought? Thanks.
- smacktoward 9y ago
  Can't speak for the parent, but here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-HD-34C-Chrome-Plated/dp/B001LYAQ9E https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-HD-34C-Chrome-Plated/dp/B001LY... You'll want to try a few different brands of blade with it, as there's no one "silver bullet" blade that works best for everybody. Lots of vendors sell sample packs on Amazon containing a few blades each from a bunch of different brands. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/Double-Edge-Razor-Blade-Sample/dp/B01N6EEZ60/ref=pd_sim_194_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N6EEZ60&pd_rd_r=KVSXRZZHTGNKSQ8Y3TA5&pd_rd_w=Z0Zma&pd_rd_wg=VRLe4&psc=1&refRID=KVSXRZZHTGNKSQ8Y3TA5 https://www.amazon.com/Double-Edge-Razor-Blade-Sample/dp/B01... If you want to really nerd out on this subject, the place to be is the Badger & Blade forums: https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/ https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/
- krakensden 9y ago
  I use the basic safety razor from Maggards: https://www.maggardrazors.com/product/maggard-razors-basic-starter-kit/ https://www.maggardrazors.com/product/maggard-razors-basic-s...
- KingMob 9y ago
  If you don't need new, you can get perfectly fine vintage razors from eBay for ~$20. I have a Gillette SuperSpeed from the 60's that's served me well for eight years now.
- iamatworknow 9y ago
  I think the other commenters have answered this question better than I could at this point. I originally bought mine through a "The Art Of Shaving" retail store on a whim when I saw one at a mall. They're overpriced and I wouldn't necessarily buy from them again.
- fapjacks 9y ago
  It's very late, but I'm here with another recommendation. I use Astra brand safety razors. I get a pack of 100 for less than ten dollars. They always seem to last much longer than any of those disposable blades I used to buy (e.g. Mach 3). A lot longer.
kylehotchkiss 9y ago
I did the same! Spent $60 on a nice mercer(?) stainless razor and maybe $20 in the past 5 years for Astra platinum (?) blades. Feels amazing. If only nice shaving cream was as cheap!
- rats 9y ago
  It's merkur solingen
drvdevd 9y ago
I've recently discovered Amazon's subscription service (shopping for cat litter of all things) and since I'm already paying for Prime as well... why not? I can imagine partly for the reasons you just listed, larger established players will ultimately push the DSCs out of the market. Probably Amazon single handedly.
- iamatworknow 9y ago
  I have yet to pull the trigger on any Amazon subscription purchases myself. Seems perfect for something like cat litter where you kinda know you're definitely going to use x amount everyday, but for most things I feel like I don't have a definite daily usage and subscribing to them will end up with too much coming too soon, or not enough coming too late. But that's a knock on me, not the subscription service. If I kept better track and knew for sure that I use 1/60th of a 12 ounce bottle of shampoo everyday, or whatever, then I'd be more inclined to subscribe to that once every two months.
  - fapjacks 9y ago
    Yeah I drink a consistent amount of Monster every day, and I work out very regularly. I have subscriptions for Monster and for my particular brand of whey. I can't think of anything else -- though cat litter is a perfect example, too -- that I'd sign up for a subscription for. Even my deodorant seems to be used at different rates.

nommm-nommm 9y ago

>DSC figured out how to market it. Viral absurdist ads à la Old Spice.

fapjacks 9y ago

You must not be aware that Dorco actually has started a business just like DSC, for less, selling its own hardware.