(06-05-2020, 10:27 PM)LOOT Wrote:You're right ,vendors dont get shielded from the less than flattering comments.(06-05-2020, 09:35 PM)Fargo Wrote:I was actually being somewhat smarta** with the slow/adjustable thing. Should put some smiles or a wink. Ha!(06-05-2020, 09:01 PM)LOOT Wrote: Too bad it took him so long to figure this model out. He must be a slow learner....which may also explain why there is no adjustable option?
I am of the opinion that things would be much worse without the latest ordering mode. Imagine having to wait again so much time for these drops. Checking the site all day. People with very limited time can't do that. I think he reacted wisely to the excessive demand for his products and managed to control the secondary market prices with great success. Older wet shavers remember that the second a listing in a forum was going up, you knew that it was already sold. If you weren't notified by a close friend prior to uploading his listing, you had 99% no chance to get it. Many Wolfman razors changed hands only through the PM feature. Friends to friends. If you didn't have the right friends and had no time to check the site all day, you had absolutely no chance to get a Wolfman. Today it's possible to acquire one, but again you have to wait. It's more straighforward and fair to all people. There is no worse thing than having the money to buy something and not be able to make it happen due to the very limited supply and the bad ordering system.
I don't think he's a slow learner though. If he were, he would have made many mistakes all these years in order to find the best solution by trial and error. I don't think this is the case. There are other manufacturers that constantly make mistakes (not available yet you can buy it which is inexcusable, collecting funds and delivering a product of sub-par quality etc.).
One thing I really like about the James business model all these years he is in the business is that he doesn't participate in any forum, under his name and identity at least. He doesn't need to drive the demand. He lets his product and the outstanding quality speak for themselves. You know that the QC is the best, you will receive a perfect product. I really dislike it when I see makers making so many comments about their razors, I don't read forums to see their ads. We need them, but sometimes they have to take a step back. After a point it gets annoying. At least this is how I feel about the makers' presence in forums. What they suggest or comment about is not 100% objective anyway.
True what you say about friends, drops, and the old days. While plugging into the wetshaving underground can reap the rewards of a lot of eyes refreshing a website, you also get plugged into the seedy underbelly...which comes with it's own issues. Some people just suck.
I disagree with you somewhat on artisan involvement. While there is really no upside for DuFour to participate, I think it's good for upstarts to get there products in hands via passarounds. Positive reviews can go a long way to help them sell products. And I like having participation from vendors that's one thing that separates DFS. Vendors dont get shielded from less than flattering comments.
I've personally felt a little bad for the vendors, at times, feeling like maybe they got a little abused, but I guess that's the real deal