4 ms·

I never got that razor subscription service. I'm happy enough taking the hit of a couple of bucks and buying only when I need razors.

twblalock 4y ago
I think the point was to undercut Gillette's cartridge prices, but since more than one company can do that, they have to compete with each other too.
- dehrmann 4y ago
  And Gillette can lower its prices if the subscription services ever become a real threat. Unlike taxis, there isn't a blitzscaling story here, either.
- eadmund 4y ago
  Double-edge safety razor blades undercut all of the fancy razor blades: 2¢ apiece or less!
  - adhesive_wombat 4y ago
    Indeed. Even a Rolls-Royce of a DE blade, like a Feather, is well under 50 cents.
Veen 4y ago
Dollar Shave Club goes to show what you can do with a trivial idea and some very clever marketing.
- malborodog 4y ago
  Exactly. Or think Lululemon— “wow, clothing, no moat”. And look at them. 20bn company or something.
  - lotsofpulp 4y ago
    Lululemon was able to figure out how to market a premium product that can fetch far more profit margin than razors to wealthy clientele. The opposite, marketing lower priced items because they have a lower price limits profit potential unless you have some technological advancement that really drives down cost.
    - Ekaros 4y ago
      Actually the model really doesn't make much sense in long run. You are essentially the one starting race to the bottom. And if others join in, you together end up at the bottom. Which I don't think is optimal for anyone participating.
      - justsomehnguy 4y ago
        > Which I don't think is optimal for anyone participating. There are 'visionaries', who want 'to change the world' and there are people who knows what they can start a business, make it profitable and then move on with profits. Hayley Barna moved on in 2015. If your choice is to 'change the world' then of course it's not 'optimal'.
  - afavour 4y ago
    I kind of disagree there. Lululemon make high quality clothing and there’s a lot of quality differentiation in the fashion market. Razor blades on the other hand… meh.
  - HWR_14 4y ago
    Most businesses don't have moats other than execution/logistics/etc. That works out fine for them.
sofixa 4y ago
In a similar vein, buying an electric razor that is more functional (different lengths, can also be used for hair and other grooming) that lasts years. A razor subscription sounds extremely wasteful.
- Eisenstein 4y ago
  What do you groom with an electric razor that isn't hair? I am struggling to think of something...
  - xtirpation 4y ago
    I think they meant to differentiate hair on one's head and hair elsewhere on one's body.
    - Eisenstein 4y ago
      That makes sense I guess.
  - KptMarchewa 4y ago
    Balls.
  - justsomehnguy 4y ago
    Usually it's called a trimmer around here. Because you use it to trim the bushes, hehe. But stupid jokes aside, I used razors (for my face) only in my teens and early twenties, after that I moved to trimmers and occasional 'canadian lumberjack' look out. Trimmer are good enough for the face, armpits and most of the bush. At this rate I measure the lifetime of (disposable BIC) razors in years.
Obscurity4340 4y ago
Or go to Costco
CPLX 4y ago
I thought the idea was great and I subscribed to Harry’s at one point. The premise was that I wouldn’t have to think about razors any more and would always have them. That seemed like a good deal to me. The problem was the razors just sucked.
pmoriarty 4y ago
I bought 200 double edged safety razor blades for $15 three years ago, and I've only used up half of them. Cartridge razors are such an enormous waste of money by comparison, and I can't even imagine needing a subscription for them.
- Fatnino 4y ago
  I haven't spent a cent on razors in over 20 years and my beard is around 6 inches long.
- Semaphor 4y ago
  There's a brand (can't remember the name) that sells for a similar price on Amazon Germany. I can't stand them. Switched to feather hi (more expensive, yet still cheap compared to multi blade razors) and am happy now.
  - pmoriarty 4y ago
    The kind I got were Derby Extra [1], and it looks like I was wrong about using up half of them over 3 years. I only used 1/4 (one-half of two packs), which comes to only a little over $1 per year. They've been great for me, and have been the first and only brand of double-edged safety razor blades I've tried, so I have no point of comparison with other brands. [1] - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Q41LS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Q41LS
    - Semaphor 4y ago
      Yeah, exactly that one. Hated them :D
ReptileMan 4y ago
I have switched to leaf since I wanted to use actual blades and not waste so much plastic. Works quite fine. Unfortunately we in EU pay almost double price compared to the US.

twblalock 4y ago

I think the point was to undercut Gillette's cartridge prices, but since more than one company can do that, they have to compete with each other too.

dehrmann 4y ago
And Gillette can lower its prices if the subscription services ever become a real threat. Unlike taxis, there isn't a blitzscaling story here, either.
eadmund 4y ago
Double-edge safety razor blades undercut all of the fancy razor blades: 2¢ apiece or less!
- adhesive_wombat 4y ago
  Indeed. Even a Rolls-Royce of a DE blade, like a Feather, is well under 50 cents.

Veen 4y ago

Dollar Shave Club goes to show what you can do with a trivial idea and some very clever marketing.

malborodog 4y ago
Exactly. Or think Lululemon— “wow, clothing, no moat”. And look at them. 20bn company or something.
- lotsofpulp 4y ago
  Lululemon was able to figure out how to market a premium product that can fetch far more profit margin than razors to wealthy clientele. The opposite, marketing lower priced items because they have a lower price limits profit potential unless you have some technological advancement that really drives down cost.
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    Actually the model really doesn't make much sense in long run. You are essentially the one starting race to the bottom. And if others join in, you together end up at the bottom. Which I don't think is optimal for anyone participating.
    - justsomehnguy 4y ago
      > Which I don't think is optimal for anyone participating. There are 'visionaries', who want 'to change the world' and there are people who knows what they can start a business, make it profitable and then move on with profits. Hayley Barna moved on in 2015. If your choice is to 'change the world' then of course it's not 'optimal'.
- afavour 4y ago
  I kind of disagree there. Lululemon make high quality clothing and there’s a lot of quality differentiation in the fashion market. Razor blades on the other hand… meh.
- HWR_14 4y ago
  Most businesses don't have moats other than execution/logistics/etc. That works out fine for them.

sofixa 4y ago

In a similar vein, buying an electric razor that is more functional (different lengths, can also be used for hair and other grooming) that lasts years. A razor subscription sounds extremely wasteful.

Eisenstein 4y ago
What do you groom with an electric razor that isn't hair? I am struggling to think of something...
- xtirpation 4y ago
  I think they meant to differentiate hair on one's head and hair elsewhere on one's body.
  - Eisenstein 4y ago
    That makes sense I guess.
- KptMarchewa 4y ago
  Balls.
- justsomehnguy 4y ago
  Usually it's called a trimmer around here. Because you use it to trim the bushes, hehe. But stupid jokes aside, I used razors (for my face) only in my teens and early twenties, after that I moved to trimmers and occasional 'canadian lumberjack' look out. Trimmer are good enough for the face, armpits and most of the bush. At this rate I measure the lifetime of (disposable BIC) razors in years.

Obscurity4340 4y ago

Or go to Costco

CPLX 4y ago

I thought the idea was great and I subscribed to Harry’s at one point. The premise was that I wouldn’t have to think about razors any more and would always have them. That seemed like a good deal to me. The problem was the razors just sucked.

pmoriarty 4y ago

I bought 200 double edged safety razor blades for $15 three years ago, and I've only used up half of them. Cartridge razors are such an enormous waste of money by comparison, and I can't even imagine needing a subscription for them.

Fatnino 4y ago
I haven't spent a cent on razors in over 20 years and my beard is around 6 inches long.
Semaphor 4y ago
There's a brand (can't remember the name) that sells for a similar price on Amazon Germany. I can't stand them. Switched to feather hi (more expensive, yet still cheap compared to multi blade razors) and am happy now.
- pmoriarty 4y ago
  The kind I got were Derby Extra [1], and it looks like I was wrong about using up half of them over 3 years. I only used 1/4 (one-half of two packs), which comes to only a little over $1 per year. They've been great for me, and have been the first and only brand of double-edged safety razor blades I've tried, so I have no point of comparison with other brands. [1] - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Q41LS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Q41LS
  - Semaphor 4y ago
    Yeah, exactly that one. Hated them :D

ReptileMan 4y ago

I have switched to leaf since I wanted to use actual blades and not waste so much plastic. Works quite fine. Unfortunately we in EU pay almost double price compared to the US.