(11-05-2016, 04:08 AM)Michael P Wrote: I think grim hit the nail right on the head: While some of us enthusiasts appreciate the shave the razor gives, we're NOT their target market. I'd venture to say that most of the purchasers are the executive type who don't know-or care to know-about the many variations of good razors and blades available today.
Its even deeper than that.
First, the pricing strategy. People LOVE
a bargain.
They WANT and CRAVE to know they got a deal. Two examples
Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Who goes in there without a 20% off coupon? Anyone?
Those prices aren’t the real prices. You KNOW that if you see a Coffee Maker for $40 on Amazon and $50 at some other store, $40 is closer to reality. If you walk into BBY without the coupons they keep sending you, then YOUR mistake.
JC Penny. They killed the coupons. Didn’t work to well for them did it? So they brought the coupons back knowing the prices are inflated.
http://business.time.com/2012/01/26/in-m...ke-prices/
“Less than 1% of J.C. Penney’s revenues come from items bought at full price. By contrast, nearly three-quarters of merchandise sold by the department store chain is discounted by at least 50% off.”
http://business.time.com/2013/05/02/jc-p...of-course/
“… at first glance, it appears as if the sales are back in a big way”
If you are complaining about the prices, then you might want to understand how marketing is done as obviously list price is not the real price. WHEN is the last time anyone bought a car at full Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)? If you did, then they saw you coming in the door. If you paid $299, then you weren’t researching it enough to get the discounts.
Second, is the bundled items. What are they selling? Castle Forbes. Think about this. CF is a strong scent, you know what you are using. And its simple, Lavender, Lime, and Cedar/Sandalwood. The latter is not a pure Mysore sandalwood but mellowed by the cedar. It’s none of this 12 different scent
“walking in the rain in the sping” stuff. It’s SIMPLE and STRONG. Who doesn’t understand Lime? Lavender? Wood? Anyone not know these scents?
Remember the target audience. Shaving cream is shaving cream. Do you really thing their target cares about testing 100 different soaps? Its shaving cream. Duh. So what do they do when they run out? Do they go looking for some internet specialist store focusing on wet shaving? Of course not, the go to Amazon and find … WOW LIME! I like Limes.
And remember, CF is not cheap stuff, but its quality stuff.
Third is the blades everyone complains about. Think about your smart phone. We all know the money isn’t in the hardware but in the service. So they jumped on the convenience. I haven’t got time to go searching and trying different blades. I got stuff to do. Just mail me the right blades every month. It’s no different than your data plan or ANY service you get one on your house (e.g., contracted service plans from gardeners to maids to Air Conditioning service).
Oh wait, you say. WHO HAS A MAID?
Duh. Think about it the target audience. You would be amazed out how many people hire lawn services to mow their lawn and maid companies to clean the house once/a week. LOOK around. They exist. And no you don’t have to be a millionaire to have someone else mow the lawn. Hyperbole.
Last is the concept of buying a lifetime tool. I’ve bought some Sear's tools and will never buy another tool. If it breaks, they give me a new one.
I learned decades ago
you buy ONE thing ONCE, obviously at a higher price, and its CHEAPER than buying 5 things that break over time. Buying a cheaper tool 5 times is a recipe for staying poor.
Now tie that into the last concept of … this is a mundane task. Just get it over with quickly.
1. Lifetime tool
2. Quality Shaving Cream in simple scents
3. Blades contracted to arrive once a month (just like cell phone data)
Done.
THAT is the target audience.
It’s not a hobby to this audience.
It’s not “fun”.
It’s work.
And don’t think “executive” means multimillionaires. I don’t. Its ANYONE who thinks shaving it just a pain, don’t want to be bothered with it, want it simplified, but not use a cartridge, but probably middle-income enough to have disposable income to pay ~ $40/month for consumables. The sunk cost is known and done. Its no different than buying a $100 wallet that lasts 40 years rather than a $20 wallet (rising with inflation) you replace every 4 years and really spent $200. It’s a FALSE economy.
And it’s quite possible, that’s not people like us obsessed with trying 200 soaps (yes guilty
) or own 40 brushes, etc. Its very likely we are NOT their target and therefore the comments really don't apply.
