Varlet is moving to Order Form

It is amazing how James is inundated with order yet I exchanged over 10 LENGTHY email with him
and he replied back day of or next day at the latest.

James is not only an amazing craftsman but an astute and sensitive businessman....the way he has read
the market and responded to it has been a pleasure to watch....this guy seems to have got
most of it wrong. The sense I am getting is that we are entering a phase of economic uncertainty
so the days of a $500 brush are not looking like an idea you can take to the bank.

Interesting that during the financial crisis of 2009, the sale of ultra-luxury goods did not tank because the people that could afford them, were still able to afford them.

I hate to say this once more but the value of his product vs the price increase is nearly non-existent. I wanted to put my money where my mouth is and checked on the state of his customer service. I have sent him over 5 forms between the second day it was available and now. I also used multiple email address in case mine is leaked and he had prejudice against my feedback on this new marketing strategy. Although I used my name for each order so that might of gave it away seeing as I hardly know any other Henery spelled this way but I. I can say, however, that I have not been contacted by time once. My last form basically was statement this form is an serious inquiry for a purchase and I will throw my money at you and yet still no reply.

It is amazing how James is inundated with order yet I exchanged over 10 LENGTHY email with him and he replied back day of or next day at the latest. The newer customer service is non-existent so am interested in what we are paying for. Because if it is the easy of getting the product typically a greater supply with the same demand typically means a decrease and not an increase in said price. Only the lord knows such an answer I guess.

Most unfortunate to hear, although I'm not really surprised.  I got lucky enough to catch a K2 on a drop.  I paid for the brush.  Weeks passed, nothing. I emailed to inquire and was jerked around and lied to for a couple more weeks.  When the brush finally arrived, because of the strife prior, I felt it was bad juju.  Shave goods that bring negativity, for whatever reason, literally into my face every time I use it and in the periphery when I don't...gotsda GO!  I sold it without ever taking it out of the wrapper.

For contrast.  On 03.04.2020 (my anniversary *good juju*) I was lucky enough to order my first Black Eagle in the drop *great juju*. My HT2 is one of 4 on the street at the moment.  It cost me $285 shipped.  It arrived at my door on 03.09.2020 in North Carolina from South Africa. FIVE DAYS! *off the charts juju*.  Now...this is an item that brings positive energy into my life.  There is a whole lot of lessons to be learned here in this paragraph.

Henery, my friend, I think the lack of reply is a hint. Repeat it 4 more times and it becomes a kick in the teeth somewhere along the lines.  My advice is to quit while you are ahead and chase things that will bring good vibes into your world.

Interesting that during the financial crisis of 2009, the sale of ultra-luxury goods did not tank because the people that could afford them, were still able to afford them.

The only reason that occurred is the Fed suspending all price discovery, creating a free credit market for the haves only and leading to one of the greatest asset bubbles in human history - this had absolutely nothing to do with free markets nor earned success aka meritocracy....

There will always be people with the money to buy whatever they please no matter how difficult circumstances are for the average person - and so there will be people selling to those people.  Case in point - I was on the Declaration Grooming website to look at the gallery of perpetually sold out brushes and saw that you can get a made to order brush for $1,000.  Thats almost double what Varlet is asking for a made to order.  I've never used or even touched a DG brush, however, I have read lots of positive comments on them.  Can they really be that good?  Obviously value is in the eye of the beholder but I know that when I'm using a $20 beautifully broken in Semogue boar brush I don't feel like I'm compromising relative to one of the Thater or Shavemac brushes I have.  As a matter of fact, some of the priciest brushes I have don't perform as well as those boars.  Yes, I know that people are in this for a variety of reasons and having nice, limited production items is one of those reasons the same way having a ridiculous amount of soap is a reason or so many blades  or that amount of aftershave.

In the grand scheme of things, this is so unimportant.

In the grand scheme of things, this is so unimportant.

True indeed - Good Health, family, friends are the important things, but there are a lot of little things that underpin the big things.  I won't discount the significance of tiny joys. A decent shave, a good cup of coffee, a beautiful sunrise.  So many little things go into and enrich a life well lived.

In the grand scheme of things, this is so unimportant.

Still, this IS a shaving forum. And one might say that this type of frivolous distraction in an age of social distancing, is exactly what the doctor ordered for some of us.

There will always be people with the money to buy whatever they please no matter how difficult circumstances are for the average person - and so there will be people selling to those people.  Case in point - I was on the Declaration Grooming website to look at the gallery of perpetually sold out brushes and saw that you can get a made to order brush for $1,000.  Thats almost double what Varlet is asking for a made to order.  I've never used or even touched a DG brush, however, I have read lots of positive comments on them.  Can they really be that good?  Obviously value is in the eye of the beholder but I know that when I'm using a $20 beautifully broken in Semogue boar brush I don't feel like I'm compromising relative to one of the Thater or Shavemac brushes I have.  As a matter of fact, some of the priciest brushes I have don't perform as well as those boars.  Yes, I know that people are in this for a variety of reasons and having nice, limited production items is one of those reasons the same way having a ridiculous amount of soap is a reason or so many blades  or that amount of aftershave.

Apples and oranges to compare Scott's $1000 custom to Aldo's $600 made to order, IMO.

Aldo let's you pick ala carte from a fairly specific list of options. Pick X shape...pick X color...pick X size...pay the man and wait. Maybe an oversimplification but not much,

For Scott's $1000 you specify colors for YOUR pour...and you get 3 attempts to boot. If, after 3 attempts to get a handle to your liking, you are not satisfied, your $1000 gets refunded. I am also pretty certain Scott would do a truly custom handle shape...he would probably tie a bulb knot for you too.

There will always be people with the money to buy whatever they please no matter how difficult circumstances are for the average person - and so there will be people selling to those people.  Case in point - I was on the Declaration Grooming website to look at the gallery of perpetually sold out brushes and saw that you can get a made to order brush for $1,000.  Thats almost double what Varlet is asking for a made to order.  I've never used or even touched a DG brush, however, I have read lots of positive comments on them.  Can they really be that good?  Obviously value is in the eye of the beholder but I know that when I'm using a $20 beautifully broken in Semogue boar brush I don't feel like I'm compromising relative to one of the Thater or Shavemac brushes I have.  As a matter of fact, some of the priciest brushes I have don't perform as well as those boars.  Yes, I know that people are in this for a variety of reasons and having nice, limited production items is one of those reasons the same way having a ridiculous amount of soap is a reason or so many blades  or that amount of aftershave.

Apples and oranges to compare Scott's $1000 custom to Aldo's $600 made to order, IMO.

Aldo let's you pick ala carte from a fairly specific list of options.  Pick X shape...pick X color...pick X size...pay the man and wait.  Maybe an oversimplification but not much,

For Scott's $1000 you specify colors for YOUR pour...and you get 3 attempts to boot.  If, after 3 attempts to get a handle to your liking, you are not satisfied, your $1000 gets refunded.  I am also pretty certain Scott would do a truly custom handle shape...he would probably tie a bulb knot for you too.

Exactly, im planning on buying a Varlet in the near future. Not my brush it is from a user on Reddit but this is an example of what you can get on the Declaration custom order.