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Dollar Shave Club Lands $12 Million to Dramatically Expand Product Portfolio

38 points by jabo 13y ago

evo_9 13y ago
I wish these guys offered a Safety Razor and/or blades but it's probably not possible to make money off those. Which is too bad, I like the company, like the service but at the end of the day you simply can't beat safety razors; they are cheaper and they actually work better. That's the only reason I stopped using this service.
- mtalantikite 13y ago
  Yeah, agreed -- a year's supply of blades for a safety razor really only costs maybe $20. Gillette's marketing has really worked over the years. A more expensive, inferior product beating out everything else.
- wonderyak 13y ago
  FWIW - You can get safety razors from DSC's supplier - http://www.dorcousa.com/ http://www.dorcousa.com/ I was looking at DSC for a long time and ended up trying Harry's. Was very disappointed with Harry's blades. Next time I order anything it will be from Dorco.
  - tghw 13y ago
    I tried all three of their offerings, didn't like any of them. Then I tried Dorco's three blade and love it.
  - paddy_m 13y ago
    I use Dorco too. I think I might give razors as Christmas presents. It's nice to not be nickled and dimed. I started with DSC, I like what they are doing, but I don't think they are building a very defensible business model.
  - _JamesA_ 13y ago
    I went down this road too. A long time Gillette Mach/Fusion/whatever is the top end of the year. I tried DSC and they were ok. I canceled and bought in bulk from Dorco. Exact same shave. Not quite a Gillette but at 20% of the price I could live with that. As I was about to order another bulk set of blades I decided to try the old fashioned double edge shaver for the hell of it. Amazon has a Merkur 180 for less than $35 and a can of Barbasol is $1.25 at Target. The DE shave is far better than the Gillette Fusion and much cheaper than DSC, Dorco, etc. Even as a complete novice I've had no issues with nicks or cuts and actually look forward to shaving again.
- dfrey 13y ago
  Why though? You can already buy sampler packs of DE blades online. If you know which blade you want to stick with, you can but 100 packs of blades which range in price from about $0.10 to $0.50 per blade.
brianbreslin 13y ago
I am a huge fan of DSC and their biz model. I'm a subscriber, their products aren't anything amazing, but I think of it as foothold into first bathroom products, later other consumables. I bet they come out with a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair gel, toothpaste/mouthwash, toothbrushes, moisturizer, deodorant(s). Think anything axe/old-spice do now.
- smacktoward 13y ago
  So the appeal of a service that provides admittedly mediocre products is that someday they might provide even more types of mediocre products? I don't get it. But then I've never really gotten the appeal of DSC, beyond the well-done launch video.
  - diminoten 13y ago
    What's not appealing about no longer having to think about purchasing any of these things? When you're low, new items appear magically on your doorstep. Frankly, I wish most of my replenishables were like this.
    - smacktoward 13y ago
      I've just never had a moment where I felt it was a particular hassle to buy razor blades. You're at the grocery store anyway, you buy a box of blades, zero thought required. If you're worried about running out, buy three. Or if you're picky about your shave, order in bulk online and you're set for years with blades that are better quality for less money than the ones DSC sells you. If the pitch were that DSC blades were dramatically better than the ones I'm buying now, that might be interesting -- it'd save me the time of looking for a better blade. But even DSC doesn't claim their blades are better, except for silly marketing copy like "this blade comes from the future and lives in outer space," which is more about setting an irreverent tone than about actually arguing with a straight face that they're better than the competition.
      - auctiontheory 13y ago
padobson 13y ago
I haven't thought about buying razors or blades since I became a DSC member. Any service that frees my brain up to think about other things can count on me as a subscriber. Here's to their success, and to the surplus brain power we'll all enjoy because of it.
- zippergz 13y ago
  I feel exactly the same way. Could I save a bit of money by buying somewhere else? Sure. But it's not enough of a difference to matter in the scheme of things, and it's one less thing to have to worry about.
dkhenry 13y ago
I don't wish to lament anyone's success, but honestly why is anyone buying blades from these people. http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B0032Q41LS/ref=pd_sbs_bt_23 http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B00... $13 dollars you have at least a years worth of blades for even the thickest beards. Also you will get a shave that is worlds better then the one from DSC.
- makeset 13y ago
  Are "safety" razors as safe as the fancier stuff when you're barely awake and in a hurry?
  - derekp7 13y ago
    It all depends on the razor. For myself, I use a Merkur adjustable -- when my beard is really thick, I open up the gap a bit more. For normal shaves, I keep it tightened down. Also, it works best when you use a good shave soap and brush. The main reason I started using a DE razor is I've found having a single blade is much more comfortable than the double / triple blades. And you can get just as good of a shave, but you need to take two - three passes (once with the grain, once cross grain, and a final one against the grain).
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - dingaling 13y ago
    Shave at night! Not only slower and safer, but you wake-up with a lovely smooth face. Feels good to start the day smooth.
    - makeset 13y ago
      Wish I could, but I'd have to shave again in the morning. Keratin shoots out of my face like meat from a grinder.
- diminoten 13y ago
adrr 13y ago
Wow quite surprised this made hacker news. Glad people find it newsworthy. Want to mention that Dollar Shave Club is hiring for the following positions: Senior Frontend Engineer Senior Full Stack Engineer Our tech stack: RoR, Node.js, Angularjs, Redis, Resque, MySQL, Python, NTLK, AWS Email todd@dollarshaveclub.com for more information and the full job descriptions.
kilroy123 13y ago
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only man in the world who uses an electric shaver everyday. I don't think I know a single other guy.
- avree 13y ago
  Electric shavers are awful for getting any sort of reasonable shave, which is probably why they aren't used much.
  - pionar 13y ago
    Yeah, the few times I used one, I still had a 5 o'clock shadow.
- mikestew 13y ago
  They just don't work for me. I'm an easy customer, too, as I can't grow a beard that doesn't look like fruit you let sit too long. Takes the same time as a razor, and gives a crap shave. I've tried several at various price levels, too. I'd be curious to know what characteristics make electrics work for some, but (apparently) not for most. They work great on a certain kind of face, or is it that those who love electrics just don't care as much about a close shave?
- mike_esspe 13y ago
  Several years ago, I switched to electric and never looked back. Less irritation, no cuts, no need for cream, faster. Shaving is not as close, but if you think it's a problem, ask your friends if they can see the difference :)
sdfjkl 13y ago
I've spent some time researching shaving and tried out everything from cutthroat razors to electric ones, and my conclusions are these: If you are using cartridge razors, you are being ripped off. Learn to use a double edged razor, shave at a cost of pennies per month (do get the platinum coated blades though), get a better shave and produce so much less waste. Pro tip: For most skin types, bar soap works equally well or better than any shaving cream/butter. For the rest, shaving oil will do the trick.
- auctiontheory 13y ago
  I went through a phase of thinking as you are. And then I realized that in the big scheme of my life, I was spending way too much time focusing on a very insignificant piece of my day. I could get much better return applying the same time and energy to choices that have bigger impact. And ... did I really want to shave with blades that could slice me up?
  - drunken_thor 13y ago
    I don't think you gave it enough practice, I have been using a double edge for years and shave faster than I did with cartridge because I only need one pass. Feather blades and olive oil are the only thing I use. Also double edges were originally called safety razors for a reason.

38 points by jabo 13y ago

evo_9 13y ago

I wish these guys offered a Safety Razor and/or blades but it's probably not possible to make money off those. Which is too bad, I like the company, like the service but at the end of the day you simply can't beat safety razors; they are cheaper and they actually work better. That's the only reason I stopped using this service.

mtalantikite 13y ago
Yeah, agreed -- a year's supply of blades for a safety razor really only costs maybe $20. Gillette's marketing has really worked over the years. A more expensive, inferior product beating out everything else.
wonderyak 13y ago
FWIW - You can get safety razors from DSC's supplier - http://www.dorcousa.com/ http://www.dorcousa.com/ I was looking at DSC for a long time and ended up trying Harry's. Was very disappointed with Harry's blades. Next time I order anything it will be from Dorco.
- tghw 13y ago
  I tried all three of their offerings, didn't like any of them. Then I tried Dorco's three blade and love it.
- paddy_m 13y ago
  I use Dorco too. I think I might give razors as Christmas presents. It's nice to not be nickled and dimed. I started with DSC, I like what they are doing, but I don't think they are building a very defensible business model.
- _JamesA_ 13y ago
  I went down this road too. A long time Gillette Mach/Fusion/whatever is the top end of the year. I tried DSC and they were ok. I canceled and bought in bulk from Dorco. Exact same shave. Not quite a Gillette but at 20% of the price I could live with that. As I was about to order another bulk set of blades I decided to try the old fashioned double edge shaver for the hell of it. Amazon has a Merkur 180 for less than $35 and a can of Barbasol is $1.25 at Target. The DE shave is far better than the Gillette Fusion and much cheaper than DSC, Dorco, etc. Even as a complete novice I've had no issues with nicks or cuts and actually look forward to shaving again.
dfrey 13y ago
Why though? You can already buy sampler packs of DE blades online. If you know which blade you want to stick with, you can but 100 packs of blades which range in price from about $0.10 to $0.50 per blade.

brianbreslin 13y ago

I am a huge fan of DSC and their biz model. I'm a subscriber, their products aren't anything amazing, but I think of it as foothold into first bathroom products, later other consumables. I bet they come out with a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair gel, toothpaste/mouthwash, toothbrushes, moisturizer, deodorant(s). Think anything axe/old-spice do now.

smacktoward 13y ago
So the appeal of a service that provides admittedly mediocre products is that someday they might provide even more types of mediocre products? I don't get it. But then I've never really gotten the appeal of DSC, beyond the well-done launch video.
- diminoten 13y ago
  What's not appealing about no longer having to think about purchasing any of these things? When you're low, new items appear magically on your doorstep. Frankly, I wish most of my replenishables were like this.
  - smacktoward 13y ago
    I've just never had a moment where I felt it was a particular hassle to buy razor blades. You're at the grocery store anyway, you buy a box of blades, zero thought required. If you're worried about running out, buy three. Or if you're picky about your shave, order in bulk online and you're set for years with blades that are better quality for less money than the ones DSC sells you. If the pitch were that DSC blades were dramatically better than the ones I'm buying now, that might be interesting -- it'd save me the time of looking for a better blade. But even DSC doesn't claim their blades are better, except for silly marketing copy like "this blade comes from the future and lives in outer space," which is more about setting an irreverent tone than about actually arguing with a straight face that they're better than the competition.
    - auctiontheory 13y ago

padobson 13y ago

I haven't thought about buying razors or blades since I became a DSC member. Any service that frees my brain up to think about other things can count on me as a subscriber. Here's to their success, and to the surplus brain power we'll all enjoy because of it.

zippergz 13y ago
I feel exactly the same way. Could I save a bit of money by buying somewhere else? Sure. But it's not enough of a difference to matter in the scheme of things, and it's one less thing to have to worry about.

dkhenry 13y ago

I don't wish to lament anyone's success, but honestly why is anyone buying blades from these people. http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B0032Q41LS/ref=pd_sbs_bt_23 http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B00... $13 dollars you have at least a years worth of blades for even the thickest beards. Also you will get a shave that is worlds better then the one from DSC.

makeset 13y ago
Are "safety" razors as safe as the fancier stuff when you're barely awake and in a hurry?
- derekp7 13y ago
  It all depends on the razor. For myself, I use a Merkur adjustable -- when my beard is really thick, I open up the gap a bit more. For normal shaves, I keep it tightened down. Also, it works best when you use a good shave soap and brush. The main reason I started using a DE razor is I've found having a single blade is much more comfortable than the double / triple blades. And you can get just as good of a shave, but you need to take two - three passes (once with the grain, once cross grain, and a final one against the grain).
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- dingaling 13y ago
  Shave at night! Not only slower and safer, but you wake-up with a lovely smooth face. Feels good to start the day smooth.
  - makeset 13y ago
    Wish I could, but I'd have to shave again in the morning. Keratin shoots out of my face like meat from a grinder.
diminoten 13y ago

adrr 13y ago

Wow quite surprised this made hacker news. Glad people find it newsworthy. Want to mention that Dollar Shave Club is hiring for the following positions: Senior Frontend Engineer Senior Full Stack Engineer Our tech stack: RoR, Node.js, Angularjs, Redis, Resque, MySQL, Python, NTLK, AWS Email todd@dollarshaveclub.com for more information and the full job descriptions.

kilroy123 13y ago

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only man in the world who uses an electric shaver everyday. I don't think I know a single other guy.

avree 13y ago
Electric shavers are awful for getting any sort of reasonable shave, which is probably why they aren't used much.
- pionar 13y ago
  Yeah, the few times I used one, I still had a 5 o'clock shadow.
mikestew 13y ago
They just don't work for me. I'm an easy customer, too, as I can't grow a beard that doesn't look like fruit you let sit too long. Takes the same time as a razor, and gives a crap shave. I've tried several at various price levels, too. I'd be curious to know what characteristics make electrics work for some, but (apparently) not for most. They work great on a certain kind of face, or is it that those who love electrics just don't care as much about a close shave?
mike_esspe 13y ago
Several years ago, I switched to electric and never looked back. Less irritation, no cuts, no need for cream, faster. Shaving is not as close, but if you think it's a problem, ask your friends if they can see the difference :)

sdfjkl 13y ago

I've spent some time researching shaving and tried out everything from cutthroat razors to electric ones, and my conclusions are these: If you are using cartridge razors, you are being ripped off. Learn to use a double edged razor, shave at a cost of pennies per month (do get the platinum coated blades though), get a better shave and produce so much less waste. Pro tip: For most skin types, bar soap works equally well or better than any shaving cream/butter. For the rest, shaving oil will do the trick.

auctiontheory 13y ago
I went through a phase of thinking as you are. And then I realized that in the big scheme of my life, I was spending way too much time focusing on a very insignificant piece of my day. I could get much better return applying the same time and energy to choices that have bigger impact. And ... did I really want to shave with blades that could slice me up?
- drunken_thor 13y ago
  I don't think you gave it enough practice, I have been using a double edge for years and shave faster than I did with cartridge because I only need one pass. Feather blades and olive oil are the only thing I use. Also double edges were originally called safety razors for a reason.