Where to buy Russian creams?

Discussion in 'Shave Creams' started by thevez2, Dec 5, 2011.

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  1. thevez2

    thevez2 uses Gillette's new Tarantula Razor - 8 blades!!

    I've tried a few Russian creams (Ctapt, Everest, Tet-A-Tet) and I love them all. Probably the best creams I've used. I have no idea where to get them though. Every one I've had came from a PIF or a Box pass from TSD. Is there a good source for these fine creams?
     
    Asd likes this.
  2. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I love the Tet-A-Tet cream and aftershave balm. I wish there was a local source for them. Unfortunately I've yet to find one that isn't overpriced.
     
  3. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    These creams are treasures. The problem is, unless you are able to travel to Russia or a neighboring country, the chances of you being able to find any are next to impossible. The companies don't usually ship them to North America. :(
     
  4. xCarbonSteelx

    xCarbonSteelx Well-Known Member

  5. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    1 tube: $6.60 + $4.70 shipping = $11.30 total
    2 tubes: $13.19 + $6.51 shipping = $19.70
    3 tubes: $19.79 + $13.96 shipping = $33.75
    4 tubes: $26.40 + $13.96 shipping = $40.36

    This stuff costs about a dollar in Russia. But the vendor has to add in the high dollar Russian shipping charges into his costs which makes his cost per tube about $3 to $4 per tube. And then the customer has to add in shipping costs too and the vendor's markup. Too pricey in the end, which is why I didn't start up the Russian shaving supplies business I had discussed doing a few months ago. It's good stuff but not that good.

    I'm just waiting patiently until one of our awesome TSD members goes on vacation in Russia and is willing to bring back 10 tubes of the cream and 10 tubes of the AS balm. :scared011:
     
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  6. jbraman

    jbraman Member

    Hopefully Spring 2013
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  7. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    Razor blades and more carries them along with Voskhods.
     
  8. Dridecker

    Dridecker Sherlock

    I see that Joe over at Shave A Buck carries some if them now too.
     
  9. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Hopefully even before then. :)
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  10. gman41

    gman41 Member

    What costs a dollar "over there" costs a bit more over here. Factor in the exchange rate if that is not in the USA buyer's favor, and then shipping to the USA and your costs go up compared to the Russian retailers who sell it for that amount. You have to sell it for more to make it profitable or worth the effort to offer them for sale. Salami is only salami in Italy, here it's "imported" salami.
     
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  11. crackstar

    crackstar Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    I agree with you Joe. I have seen Pakistani or Bangladeshi creams which I know for a fact sell for as little as 1,00$ over in Pakistan or Bangladesh. When these same creams are sold here, the prices go up to around 4,00-4,50$ Not a hell of a lot of money, but still more than in those countries.
     
  12. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Yeah, that's pretty much what I said...

    Although I do think $10 a tube before shipping is pricey, even for a USA-based vendor...
     
  13. Neolithium

    Neolithium I am Canadian, eh

    Per tube, I think up to $10 is average here in Canada, shipping is a nonissue as all the vendors I tend to use send it free when you spend over $60 which isn't hard for me to find stuff to hit that mark. We seem to pay a bit more than a lot of other countries for Soaps & Creams. Aftershave & Hardware seems to be on par though, at least that's something.
     
  14. gman41

    gman41 Member

    We live in the free market. If you can sell these cheaper and pay your web hosting, web maintenance when you need it, packaging supplies to ship them, import costs such as when Fedex or UPS hold your shipment up for customs fees, or when you need a customs broker like for the Lea and other large imports I did, general shipping costs to you from say Russia even with no import fees attached, Paypal vig, credit card portal fees and vig and what ever else I left out then I say god bless and good luck with your buisness venture.

    Remember, Russian shave cream is not the first words out of the average guys mouth, your audience is very limited in this as to who will buy these so don't expect volume.
     
  15. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    So I'm curious then, how you can sell Dalan D'men for $1.50 a tube. You didn't incur all those costs importing it from Turkey?
     
  16. gman41

    gman41 Member

    Had I then your cost would be higher. This is what bothers me the most. When I can I offer the products at these prices which is obvious by you're point about dalan. When the retail costs are higher it's an automatic gouging accusation against whoever the retail site is
     
  17. newb

    newb Resident Newb

    Joe, I think you do an excellent service for the shaving community and you offer a fair price. I definitely don't think of you as a vendor who gouges the shave community. But I kind of wonder what Jody said. Is it that the costs to acquire the Russian cream is so much higher and there is less demand so bulk purchase is not a real option for a vendor ? I do remember a time when a pack of Voskod's from vendors would cost around 4$. Then Jody put together a group buy and moved out 24,000 blades, next thing Voskods became more affordable through out the market. Couldn't the same thing be done with Russian creams? I would think that if a Vendor could offer these creams at an affordable price, he would corner the untapped market.
     
  18. jbraman

    jbraman Member

    Would it be cost effective to do a group buy on some of this stuff? If so, I'm in.
     
  19. gman41

    gman41 Member

    Jody is most likely using the USA agent for Voskod who should not be selling to Jody unless he has a tax ID etc That is the only way he can do this group buy so cheaply and as vendors we know what the costs are to us and these costs match ours from the USA agent. So in effect the USA agent has now just killed his buisness since we as vendors will no longer buy from him as we cannot compete with guys like Jody doing this for no profit at all. His credibility is now shot with us. Most other wholesalers, those who are legit at least, will not do this as there is a minimum price point they want to keep for their lines and they are loyal to their stockists.

    Russian items are not easily found here and are imported at a higher shipping cost to us. Taylors has an agent here as do other lines which makes it easier to obtain them. Russian items are only an exotic right now, once they come in full force by a guy like Jody they then become "shave cream" which I can buy at anytime now that I wish. No longer a unique item.

    We are vendors, we do do this for profit. We spend hours forging relationships with wholesalers, and sourcing products which is "our time" and there is a cost for us doing this. Why should a vendor give his time to bring products to you for little or no profit. We do have a website to pay for being built, to pay for being maintained, hosted etc. Jody does not. Jody also is not paying sales tax and other fees of doing buisness. Now that he is importing items or buying from a wholesaler perhaps there is tax implications for him to deal with since these are not for personal use. The wholesaler he is dealing with most likely is just trying to dump these blades since no brick and mortar will buy them and only a limited number of board members are. If you guys want to continue doing group buys then go ahead, it's been done for many years on here as it is. You won't always be able to get the product at wholesale as Jody is now.
     
  20. jbraman

    jbraman Member

    Thanks, we will....
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
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