I'm not even talking American products. Most of our gear is supplied from other countries you realize? Yes, there are still some products being made here, but Gillette killed the American market, and are trying to kill the market in other countries. It is so recent that so much of what is available online for us now, wasn't just a few years ago. I started in 2006, and there was stuff online, but not like it is now. There was less than a dozen blade brands. Now? There's too many to keep track of. And 2 local available creams have been discontinued in that time; Tom's of Maine and Palmolive. Not to mention the appearance and disappearance of Proraso from Target.
Wow, those are things I haven't really considered. I knew they cornered the market, I didn't think they killed it......(well I should've known better, lol) Yer right though. It stinks! The problem is nobody is competing with Gillette! THere's no competition. GIllette can do what it wants & set & raise & lower the bar because it CAN....there's no competition out there. It stinks!!! You'd think if people like-minded as we would get together & figure a way to put it BACK in the market.
We are. Because we spread the word, and don't let people walk out of the shave aisle in stores and pay Gillette their outrageous prices. All these shaving forums are here to help educate and help people find a better way. And this "hobby" of ours has grown so much in the 5 years I've been around. The number of forums, members, vendors, products, videos...... so much has grown. We create Gillette's competition, even if it means importing Gillettes own products from other countries. :happy097 (Sorry, that's just funny irony right there)
Joanna, My first shave cream was Proraso from Target. It was $6.00 .... just before they discontinued the entire line. Being new to DE shaving I did not think of trying the other Proraso products they were selling (at discount). Big Mistake . Little did I know that I was just about to start down the slippery slope of Menthol addiction . Matt
Gillette's prices are why I switched to Schick Protectors way back when and then went to Quattros. Better shave and longer lasting for me. And oh yea cheaper
One of the main reasons I took up DE shaving was the price of cartridge refills. Joanna it is funny you mention the availability of products online. A few years ago there wasn't much, then there was almost too much to choose from, and now it seems to be trending the other way as more and more products cease production including one or two that have left me gobsmacked as to why they stopped.
With Williams such a polarized soap for who like it and those that hate it , that might just be the end of Williams ..............
I expect the 3, 4, and 5 blade carts to be expensive. That is why I refused to give up my Mach3 when the next big thing came around and why I ultimately gave up on modern razors altogether. But I was at walmart yesterday and I was shocked at something. Their Gillette ATRA and TRAC II carts were $15 for a 10 pack! That is insane! I can buy a 10 pack of ASR carts for $3. Or a 6 pack of Korean made carts (which some argue are the best currently available) for $1.50 from Dollar General. Hmmmm 25 cents each, or $1.50 each? No thanks Gillette. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised since it has the Gillette name on it, but I've been using inexpensive TRAC II and ATRA carts for so long, I couldn't believe they were so much. I seriously checked it over several times to make sure it wasn't a mistake.
Actually, the price of cartridges never entered my mind when I made the switch. I was searching for remedies for ingrowns and razor bumps when I found the boards.
The principle of not willingly letting myself be ripped off in overpaying for plastic junk led me to seeking a shave method which utilizes higher quality and longer lasting implements. The money I spent on extra stuff I didn't need, like dozens of razors, hones, soap & cream, etc was doodad money anyway that I didn't spend elsewhere. My actual shaving budget is almost zero now; I pay for the gallon of water per week or however much it is I use when I shave, and that's it. I may run out of aftershave someday but everything else seems to be covered until that semi truck lays me down to rest
as a frugal guy the wet shave option is quite attractive, not to mention the idea of shave quality being much better sounds like great value to me
Too true in Boots yesterday I counted 7 different Fusion razors (3 vibrating varients, 4 not) but not one brand of DE blades, I have to travel 3 miles to get anything other than 'Safety Blades' (manufacturer unknown) so I've been ordering samples online... catch 22 anyone?
I totally agree about the Fusion carts being ludicrous in price though I have never tried them. There are other off-brand names that sell handles and refills at almost half the price if interested. DE blades. On the other hand, even if you buy them at discount stores they are very cost effective in comparison to the cartridges. I see that the best deals are on the net. Its just a shame that no stores at all sell DE handles. One would think that if DE blades are being sold, AND, to my observation, being sold, at least one company or two could come out with a reasonably priced yet well made handle. If anything, I can see possibly Gillette or Schick down the road, come out with a DE handle that has all sorts of bells and whistles on it, charge an insane price on it touting it something as "Old is NEW again!!" and then charging $10.00 for a pack of DE 10 pack of blades. I can see this as a possibility because it could be seen as new and something different to try for the younger generations. Not trying to be cynical, just a wild guess. Stranger things have happened.
Don't forget the discontinuation of Proraso Wheat Germ cream altogether. Almost every 3 months, another brand of canned gel or foam seems to come out.
I just had a thought (it hurt a little): In the insane world we live in, I wonder if one reason Gillette and the other big razor companies don't make DE razors is for fear of lawsuits. Someone buys a DE, cuts him/herself, goes to the emergency room for stitches, takes them to court. In this day and age I wouldn't rule that out for a second. After all, I could name examples of people buying a product, using it exactly as it was intended, and getting exactly the results the product clearly stated should be expected, filing a lawsuit, and winning :cough:: tobacco companies ::cough:
My goodness, I bought a Parker 22R some years ago, and I cut myself on occasion. Did I sue the company? No way. I just kept on using the razor.
The cost of Trac II carts back in the day is what prodded me to look for a less expensive option. The prices on today's carts are absurd. I recently started using my twin-blade set again, but only because I found some good generic carts at a local grocery store for $3.99 for a 10-pack.
I was paying $25 for a 5 pack of fusion cartridges. 1 cartridge would last me a week shaving every day! Thats $5 aweek not including the cost of goo in the can shaving cream. I can use a DE blade for a week and only pay cents for 1 blade.hmmmmmm....I'm so glad I switched back to a DE razor.
