Fads

I think that the fad aspect of wetshaving will be found in the slowing of new types of implements, e.g., adjustable stainless steel razors. However, wetshaving will probably not be a fad with respect to the people practicing it. It is just too much of an improvement over the disposable/goo combo.

Now how many artisans have jumped on the bandwagon and left the business and how many new companies selling products started and stopped? The reason is not relevant.

I'll equate this to the number of companies that once sold bread makers and stopped. This is all part of the cycle of a fad.

Now how many artisans have jumped on the bandwagon and left the business and how many new companies selling products started and stopped? The reason is not relevant.

I'll equate this to the number of companies that once sold bread makers and stopped. This is all part of the cycle of a fad.

I still say that bread makers were in a majority of homes though. I don't see a DE or shaving soaps/brushes in a majority homes. A fad, to me, is something that is totally mainstream and almost everybody is into it. I don't see that with traditional wet shaving as of right now.

Now how many artisans have jumped on the bandwagon and left the business and how many new companies selling products started and stopped? The reason is not relevant.

I'll equate this to the number of companies that once sold bread makers and stopped. This is all part of the cycle of a fad.

So grim , just out of curiosity, is this thread just for discussion of if wet shaving is or isn't a fad, or did you have some other point to make? If I accept your premise that wet shaving is a fad, then what? Should we all hoard in expectation of it coming to an end once it runs its course? Or should we expect the market to die off significantly very soon? Just curious if you had another point to make about where the wet shaving market goes from here or if this was merely to be an informative thread?

Collecting troll dolls and beanie babies were fads. So were products such as chia pets, Ginsu knives, the Clap-On, and the Popeil Pocket Fisherman. Barefoot running is a rapidly fading fad, along with the so-called barefoot/minimalist running footwear products aimed at barefoot zealots and wannabes.

Perhaps collecting vast quantities of wet shaving accoutrements (i.e., RAD) is a fad, as is the OC ritualization of the act of wet shaving. The same goes for any short-lived "artisans" who are trying to capitalize on these obsessions. Heck, even the myriad of wet shaving forums might be fads.

But wet shaving, in and of itself, isn't a fad.

I don't think the amount of churn in a particular business space is necessarily indicative of the transient nature of the business. There will always be new businesses starting and those that cease operations for various reasons. Its the nature of capitalism and free enterprise. I think the churn is more indicative of the nature of the business model and the people, i.e., many of the businesses that come and go are essentially hobby businesses. No disrespect intended and many of them produce truly excellent products but, at least initially they are maintaining their day jobs and running their shaving business as a sideline. Most also have families with children, sometimes young children. Thats a lot of plates to keep spinning and thats why you will see apparently successful businesses inexplicably shut down. The most recent example is Badger Shaving Co. - between job, family and hobby business something had to give. I assume an economic analysis was done and decisions made. Nothing to do with fad, more likely its just economics. Too many small businesses all competing for the same market with perfect price transparency provided by the internet. Either somebody starts undercutting on price or there is the free delivery but if everybody does it then you still end up with too many mice fighting for the same crumbs. Having a brick and mortar retail outlet doesn't guarantee you even a local market. Customers will come in to your shop that the vendor pays rent for and speak to a staff member who is either the owner or a paid employee (in either case there is a cost) and look at a product then pull out his infernal device to learn that he can get the same product for $1 cheaper plus free shipping from wherever and walks out. I'm not saying everyone will do that but more than you think will.

Consolidation is one option available to vendors but not so much to artisans whose product is their brand. Small players combine to become bigger players and achieve greater economies of scale. Artisans resort to various strategies to distinguish themselves and compete because lets face it, at the top tier there is pretty much parity as far as quality and performance are concerned. So there are seasonal releases and limited editions using social media all to generate brand buzz. There are also the personal factors, scent, style, image and so forth. Those that are better at it will win and those that aren't either disappear or continue with their hobby business model because they're doing it because they enjoy it and it truly is a hobby for them. Thats not business failure but rather life success.

I think the bread maker analogy is not the best one to use I mean you're comparing shaving to bread. I can get excellent bread more conveniently at a shop. You can't say that about a shave. Sure I can go to one of these barbers who do straight razor shaves, but every day? No, traditional wet shaving is just better in every way. The real barrier to it exploding is the learning curve. We're fighting man's inherent laziness and thats a tough battle. The fact that most men today are still clean shaven is a glimmer of hope however

For what its worth, we still have and use our bread maker, not daily but enough. We mostly used it on the dough cycle to make pizza dough for friday night pizza night when the kids were younger. Good times. I don't think you can blame the decline of bread maker use entirely on the passing of a fad either but rather the Atkins low carb diet "revolution" and the latest gluten free madness. People just aren't eating bread (carbs) the way they used to. Almost every neighbourhood used to have an independent bakery. Not any more. Too bad in my opinion.

Is traditional wet shaving a fad? Its complicated. I'd like to say no, however, I think its best to just wait and see - time will tell. It always does.
Marko

I don't think it's a fad. I know that it isn't with me.

But neither is bread making with me. Sure there are lots of folks who eat the crap in plastic, but there are also people who grind their own wheat and make their own bread as a way of life (not a fad). There is little in common between the real stuff and the supermarket bought version as you wrote. Yes, in the winter I make the majority of our bread, but not daily. I'll make a few loaves and freeze the excess. But when we want dinner rolls I make them fresh, the same with burger buns. Most of the rest of the world knows what real bread is even if they don't personally bake it.

There definitely are the lemmings who follow the fads. I assume you refer to them. BTW, those bread machines were the pits IMO. Yeah, it was fresh bread, but little better than store bought. Maybe that's why not many exist anymore. We were given one and I found it annoying. I gave it away years ago and started to make my own the traditional way. Same way I came to traditional shaving pretty much.

I think I understand the idea behind using the word ‘fad’ in this context.

I started getting into this hobby about five years ago.
• How many of the current artisan shaving soap makers of today were manufacturing products five years ago? Some of them, yes, but not nearly as many as today.
• What was the quality and selection of synthetic shaving brushes five years ago? Quite different than it is today, for the most part.
• And what of stainless steel razor brands? Some have come and gone, others have arrived later.
Those are just a few examples of things that I have observed changing or evolving within a relatively short time period.

Just in the last five years, I would say that the amount of products to select from has almost exploded, especially when it comes to soaps, and it will definitely be interesting to see where we are in another five years.

I think what you outline above displays ways in which it is NOT a fad. For starters, mnost "fads" don;t make it a full 5 years, let alone the 8-10 years since wet shaving re-emerged. Plus, fads don;t typically see a huge amount of product development and ingenuity. The sheer availability of truly improved and unique product designs, from soap bases to brushes to razors and display stands, are all indicative of a market that is larger than the word "fad" would indicate. This rapid evolution of products in a short period of time is indicative of an emerging market, not a disappearing fad. Of course, IMHO...

Now how many artisans have jumped on the bandwagon and left the business and how many new companies selling products started and stopped? The reason is not relevant.

I'll equate this to the number of companies that once sold bread makers and stopped. This is all part of the cycle of a fad.

I disagree. I think the reason is the only aspect that IS relevant.

If companies are going out of business because there is no market or room for profit, this might indicate a decline in popularity, thus indicating a "fad" in it's demise.

However, if businesses are closing because life and the operation of a business is too much for an artisan to keep up with, this would indicate a thriving market that is generating too much business for an individual. This, again, is indicative of the exact opposite of a fad, but rather an emerging and growing market.

Just my humble...

I don't think it's a fad per se; but I definitely think that cream rises to the top... That is, out of the 100+ artisans currently producing soaps and/or aftershaves (for example) will definitely thin out in the not too distant future. Those producing truly top tier products (packaging, performance, value and unique scents) will remain while the lower tiers will drop off as simply "hobbyists" rather than true artisans. Sink or swim, as they say.

I still say that bread makers were in a majority of homes though.  I don't see a DE or shaving soaps/brushes in a majority homes.  A fad, to me, is something that is totally mainstream and almost everybody is into it.  I don't see that with traditional wet shaving as of right now.

Hula hoops and beanie babies were most definitely fads yet they were not in every house. You don't have to have complete market penetration to be a fad.

[
So grim , just out of curiosity, is this thread just for discussion of if wet shaving is or isn't a fad, or did you have some other point to make?  

Its only about the wetshavingtime post https://wetshavingtimes.wordpress.com/20...ust-a-fad/

He is discussing it as a fad and I thought about it and was countering his points. Obviously, his barber thought it a fad. Quote

"I had an interesting discussion with my barber. He told me that he thought that wet shaving was a fad and that it probably would die down in a few years ..."

So that was from someone in the profession who though it a fad. I "expect" those who think it a hobby to think it not a fad. That should be obvious but I also expect others to think about it in a bigger context as it applies to past fads, hence my bread making analogy.