New CRSW ceramic bowl

Where'd the CRSW Bowl Thread go?

I think @"Bruce" has a point here, so the last thing I will say on the subject of samples is that I honestly don't know whether Maggard makes money on them or not, but I hope so. They're hard work.

Anyway, back to the original topic, I think that bowl is gorgeous and hope that it works out for Larry.

Barrister_N_Mann I guess I sometimes just buy soaps based on rep, wink, wink, lol.....no sample necessary.

I haven't fully followed this thread with regards to samples, but I can't stand samples.

They are usually too small, don't show the full potential of the product performance and scent, they are costly and time consuming for the artisan.

I am 100% find with vendors and artisans NOT offering samples. I would also prefer to NOT see vendors selling non-authorized samples of products.

I couldn't disagree more with this. I love samples and think the pros far outweigh the "cons". I don't think artisans should have to offer them, but I am grateful for vendors like Maggard Razors for making them available. I mean, why wouldn't you want to try something out before committing to a full tub/bottle? I sure wish I could've tried a sample of the RR Tuscan Oud AS before I bought it or else I wouldn't have. It's just not for me. Now I have a nearly full bottle of AS that I'm never going to use. Just my 2 cents...

I agree with this...it's especially useful when you're ordering a few other items from a vendor and want to put everything together in 1 purchase to save on shipping costs.

Actually, our samples were labor-intensive enough that we were DEFINITELY not making money on them (you're ignoring the labor cost in your price calculation), which is why we decided to start shipping them to Maggard.

Fair enough. Maggards sells about 160 hand packed samples (I tried to count them). You've outsource the work to Maggards (effectively). Do you think Maggards is making money on this or is it a loss leader to get people to sample and then buy tubs from them?

upfront they might not be, but if you buy a sample of X soap in Y scent and end up liking it, maybe you'll pick up a full tub the next time you make an order from Maggard's.

andrewjs18 you're spot on with the last point. In fact, my last order of Maggard's contained a sample, but I also added a full sized puck of another soap. If you're paying to get a sample shipped, why not add a full sized product that you'd buy anyway? Makes sense.Also, I am always appreciative of shops that go through the extra trouble of making samples. Maggard's, Old Town Shaving, and our own GiftsAndCare.com will get my repeat business for this reason.

In any case, as a helpful point for those who are thinking of getting the bowl and are new to the brand, you can get a sample from another shaver as I mentioned previously, but make sure you ask about the version of the soap to ensure that what you are buying matches the sample that you have tested. There is a new version (V2) which has different ingredients/performance than V1, and in addition there is a third formula which is made with olive oil (Oliva). The filling of the bowl appears to be flexible from earlier comments, so perhaps if you prefer the V1 or Oliva (for me Oliva is the better of the three, followed by V1, then V2), you can see if the artisan will sell a bowl with those formulas.