
Gillette's New Razor Could Overturn Its 100-Year-Old Business Model - ethana
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-18/gillettes-new-razor-could-overturn-its-100-year-old-business-model
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andykellr
"But here’s the true innovation: Gillette’s new razor will use P&G’s current
blades"

I'm confused. A new handle that let's you keep using existing $4 blades
doesn't sound like a new business model. It just sounds like an iteration on
the handle that will encourage people to buy their handle over the
competitions' handles and thus sell more $4 blades.

What am I missing?

~~~
dave5104
It sounds like the "innovation" is that the new razor handle will use blades
from existing P&G blades, as opposed to them using blades designed
specifically for this handle.

Feels like another example of this would be HP making a new printer model that
can use the same shaped ink cartridges from an older model.

~~~
andykellr
They'd still be selling a cheap printer with expensive ink. That wouldn't make
it a new business model and neither does Gillette selling a new handle with
(existing) expensive blades.

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gamegoblin
About a year ago I switched to a straight razor with disposable single edge
blades. I can get a pack of 100 Shark Stainless Steel blades for just over $5,
and I usually change them out every 3 shaves or so. I skip a day every now and
then, so all of my shaving needs are taken care of for $5/year.

After a week of practice, the straight razor is just about as fast as any
typical razor, much closer shave, and less irritated skin.

~~~
techsupporter
I envy those of you who can make that work since I manage to cut myself around
twice a week, on average, using a "safety" razor. If I switched to anything
more basic, my bathroom would look like a crime scene.

~~~
jonknee
It's also not possible to fly with which cuts it out for a lot of people.

~~~
dhruvmittal
In my experience, they let you fly with one blade if it's loaded in the razor
itself. They did, however, make me throw out my spares when they told me this.
I've found that if I'm not checking a bag, the trip is usually short enough
that I don't _really_ need more than one blade.

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subpixel
I recently realized I've been using the same $8 razor blade for the last 18+
months. Before every shave, I rub the dry blades against my bicep - obviously
not in the cutting direction. It keeps the blade damn sharp. Someone told me
about it at a bar, I tried it, and so far I haven't had a shave that's made me
think about changing blades.

~~~
shitlord
I read somewhere that storing the blade in baby oil also helps it last longer.
Something about oxidation...

~~~
unclebucknasty
Years ago a product came out that was supposed to preserve your blades. It was
oil/liquid-based and you'd store the blade in the solution between shaves.

Not sure what ever happened to it but their rationale was that, contrary to
popular belief, it's not the hair that dulls the blade over repeat shaves;
it's the oxidation.

Since then, I made sure to always dry my blades after use and noticed a
significant difference in their lifespan.

~~~
WalterSear
It's just cheap mineral oil. Works much better than drying them.

~~~
unclebucknasty
Makes sense, if not a little messy. Also wonder how easy it is to avoid
gunking up the blades I use, which have minimal spacing. I have to avoid using
some creams for that reason: just too hard to rinse out.

Anyway, feeling a little less lazy today and came across this:

[http://lifehacker.com/5362103/keep-razors-sharp-with-
mineral...](http://lifehacker.com/5362103/keep-razors-sharp-with-mineral-oil)

So, in addition to oxidation, mineral oil is also supposed to help prevent
mineral-buildup from tap water.

On another note, it's hard to read the article and comments I referenced
without wanting to try a safety razor.

~~~
WalterSear
Do it. You won't turn back.

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Nk26
I've been using a Double Edge safety razor for over 10 years. I can't imagine
going back to a Mach 3 style razor. I can buy a 100 pack of Astra's for $11
shipped.

~~~
iends
Can you provide a link to the model you use?

~~~
sandmansandine
You can also grab a Merkur pretty cheap, which is one of the pretty standard
DE's at this point. I like the Feather blades instead of the Astras but that's
really all just preferences. [http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-
Safety-Razor/dp/B0...](http://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-
Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397962128&sr=8-1&keywords=merkur+safety+razor)

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diziet
It makes no sense to spend any serious amount of time saving money on razor
blades -- at total cost of ownership per year in the $100~200 range, the thing
to maximize for is comfort and safety. If you get your blades for free but
have a small chance of cutting yourself / someone else when you dispose of
them, that's a terrible tradeoff.

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artursapek
There's a lot of talk in this thread about double-edge safety razors and
straight razors. They truly are amazing - I switched to using a DE about a
year ago and I'm never going back to using those stupid overpriced cartridges.

For anyone who wants to learn more, I highly recommend /r/wicked_edge. It's a
great little community that has compiled a lot of resources for people who are
keen on learning more about all this. That's where I originally did my
research when I was starting out.

[http://reddit.com/r/wicked_edge](http://reddit.com/r/wicked_edge)

People who know what they're doing shave this way; people who don't think
twice about it use cartridges. I want to encourage everyone to explore this
because it's really superior in a lot of ways. It saddens me how many people
have the impression that "Mach3Turbo" is the only way one can shave because
it's all CVS carries.

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Balgair
[http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/04/gillettes-
razor...](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/04/gillettes-razor-
everything-wrong-with-america.html)

Hmm, a razor costing 12 for just the handle is high tech and high cost.
Depending on your hair and the cost of a new fence of razors/razor head,
you're looking at a dollar a week(3$ a fence/head, 3 weeks per fence/head)
Dollar shave club advertises at a dollar a month. If you have to shave a lot,
dollar shave club is simple and easy and thoughtless. As the linked article
above discusses, Gilette is for the James Bond type guy now. That's a niche
market, but the dollar shave club is more, I dunno, hungover basic grooming
guy which has broader appeal.

All that is to say, like the article above, beards are cheaper than anything
else.

~~~
vacri
A straight razor handle is low tech and more expensive.

------
clarky07
I switched to electric years ago and I'll never go back. Quicker, easier,
cheaper and just as good as far as I'm concerned without any mess.

~~~
oxplot
So did I. Got a Panasonic ES-LV61-A and now I don't have to worry about
anything. No maintenance, no cuts, no burns, no aftershave. Works dry and wet.
Shaving is no longer a matter of thought for me.

~~~
jrockway
This is basically what I came here to write. With modern wet/dry shavers, you
end up quite smooth, which I didn't think was possible with an electric razor.
Sometimes I use a normal razor for variety (or the electric razor needs to be
charged), and it doesn't do any better.

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sergers
I buy my blades off eBay. Can get under 2$ a blade if you buy in bulk

Since I also shave my head bald daily, I go through a lot of blades Was
thinking about a straightedge/ single blade razor.

The description of the new Gillette handle sounds just like
[http://www.headblade.com](http://www.headblade.com) but with some ball
bearing/big ball system instead of wheels.

I don't see the innovation. I always thought the blade would have been the
innovation, not the blade holding vessel.

The headline caught me off guard. I thought it would have been blade that
lasted a lot longer

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pat2man
I switched to a single blade razor a while back. Blades are like 10¢. It's
amazing.

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eyeareque
I switched to a double sided safety razor a few years back. It was great at
first, I found a way to stop paying 2-3 bucks per blade and got a decent
shave. Fast forward two years and I'm at my parents house sans safety razor. I
used my one of dad's (new of course) generic disposable two blade razor. To my
amazement I had one of the best shaves in two years. Either I've been doing it
wrong or cheap generic razors are better. I just can get as close of a shave
with a safety razor. I've switched back, but part of me wants to give a
straight razor a try.

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jusben1369
Dollar Shave Club is great but let's be clear. 330,000 is a drop in the
bucket. What's really hurting Gillette is that significant uptick of men who
are don't shave (beard) or now shave every 2 - 7 days vs daily. This in of
itself is a fashion trend and like all trends can change relatively quickly.
All those 14 year old boys who want to be different when they come of age will
rebel against the hipsters they see in ads and music videos today and go clean
shaven.

~~~
latch
Opinion or fact? Sounds like BS to me. Is there really a "significant uptick
of men" as you suggest? Or is there merely a significant uptick amongst people
you know?

Have you considered the international market? How big is Gillete there? Is
this trend also present?

~~~
jusben1369
Oh you can just Google for it: [http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-
intelligence/2013/07/31/razor...](http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-
intelligence/2013/07/31/razor-makers-have-a-problem-american-men-are-shaving-
less/)

~~~
latch
That article doesn't make your case.

All it provides is an unsourced "American men are also doing less shaving,
according to a Euromonitor Inc. analyst, as stubble and facial hair becomes
more popular."

Most of the article is focused on _other_ reasons they are seeing declining
sale, including competition. In fact, the only reliable source specifically
says the low end market is growing while the high end market is shrinking,
which doesn't lend itself at all to your fiction-as-fact opinion.

~~~
eurleif
Here's some evidence:
[http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=beard+styles&geo=US](http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=beard+styles&geo=US)

~~~
jusben1369
Thanks eurleif. Latch 27 I've read 3 or 4 articles over the last 12 months
about this impact so made the mistake of assuming it was well known. Anyway
Google "men shaving less" if you want to see some others. I grabbed the WSJ
one because it was first on the list (due to weight of publication
credibility) with a great headline! But maybe the article wasn't the best.

------
goldenkey
I've been using twin blade razors for years now and they are so much cheaper
and effective than this titanium 5 blade guillotine nonsense.

[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002ZZGZ3O/B004D9R9OM...](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002ZZGZ3O/B004D9R9OM-20)

There's no innovation needed for shaving except for the realization that you
can shave for less than $10 a month.

~~~
sergers
I have used those and think they suck compared to what Schick/Gillette offer
in 4 and 5 blade categories.

Maybe its because my hair is a lot thicker/coarse and sometimes let my hair
grow a bit too much.

If u shaved daily or just growing stubble I could see how these work.

~~~
goldenkey
Right, I use a Philips Vacuum Trimmer [0] to keep my facial hair short. Since
a trimmer is a one-off purchase, the combination of both would be good in your
case, just trim then shave?

[0]
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003U8ESI4/B004D9R9OM...](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003U8ESI4/B004D9R9OM-20)

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bhousel
I have a conspiracy theory that the reason they put more blades on razors now
is so that they can get away with using crappier blades. I really believe I
get a better shave the fewer blades there are.

~~~
webwanderings
It is not just a conspiracy theory, it is unethical business.

I was once sent one of those free promotional Gillette razor by mail. It
lasted me for such a long time that I got fooled into believing that they are
worth the extra cost. I went and bought the same kind and those ran out of
their sharpness rather quickly. Obviously, the promotional ones were made to
last long.

This razor business is one big conspiracy.

------
dewitt
"The Wall Street Journal got its hands on some secret documents..."

If a hacker did this someone would be going to jail. But when a newspaper does
it, it's journalism.

Edit: Jonknee's theory below makes sense. I jumped to conclusions and likely
stand corrected.

~~~
jonknee
They were very likely given the documents by someone working for Gillette.
Full page ads in the WSJ are very expensive, what better way to launch a new
shaving product than with an expose in a newspaper read disproportionately by
older white men who shave every day?

