I think the post is entirely appropriate. We can all take the information and decide how to use it in our own ways. My AOS products were a gift. The brush is nice, the cream is great, however, now that I've tried Trumpers, I'm not sure I'd go back and buy anything AOS again..
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Yes, America ...don't you know? Land of the slave .... and their masters can do anything to "employees". The law is on the side of the corporation and almost never on the side of the "People". We still believe in executing criminals over here too (and some people are still invited to "witness" the gruesome sight).
This story represents the bad side of America - and there are lots of bad sides, although this is what people do in the name of freedom.
If this guy was within a 90-day probation period, AoS can give him the AMF speech with no warning at all.
Depending on what state he was employed in, they don't even have to worry about that. Many states are "right-to-work" states and can terminate for any reason (other than federally protected reasons like discrimination) at any time. Even then, it's an uphill battle to prove discrimination or other wrongdoing. I was a manager for Best Buy for almost 6 years and can tell you firsthand that the system is HEAVILY weighed in favor of the company and not the employee. To paraphrase Alfred Hitchcock, employees are cattle.
You are welcome to leave anytime you like if you are so displeased.
What if he can't make up his mind? "Should I stay or should I go?"
I kind of look at AoS like Starbucks. They take a nice thing and mix it with fast food style delivery, and the overpriced product doesn't really negate that.
Yes, now we "qualify" competition. The statement was made that there needs to be "real" competition that that there is NO competition. He was talking about another national chain that is backed with significant capital to pose a viable threat to them financially. Target is competition to Wal-Mart, K-Mart is competition to Wal-Mart, No one with any intellectual honesty would say that "Miguels Buy-it-now, with 2 employees and 1500sq ft of retail space, is "REAL" competition to Wal-Mart. Perhaps some day Miguels Buy-it-now will be built into a player on the national level but as of now... NO IT IS NOT.
With that same intellectual honesty applied to this discussion, no most of the (very fine) vendors on B&B are not "Real" competitors to AOS. AOS is not just a retailer, they are not just a producer of goods, they are a subsidiary of a multi-national corporation. They have dozens of Brick and Mortar stores that, in addition to selling products that bare their own brand name, they also provide a physical location to get a shave and a hair cut.
Only one of the vendors here, on that list you linked to, could be considered a competitor to AOS and that is Trufitt and Hill. World wide they have 4 stores only 2 of which are located in the USA.
All that being said, I am a firm believer in the free market and think that if the niche is large enough then another competitor will rise up and take on AOS.
Actually you are slightly incorrect. Right-to-Work laws are laws that restrict the requirements to pay union dues before you can be hired.
You are thinking of "at-will employment" laws, which you described accurately.
I may not agree with what he is saying, but I will fight to the death to protect his right to say it.
Huh?
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Supporting_Vendors#The_Vendors
You mean like all of this competition? Poor hiring and lack of education isn't a market issue.
Please point out the national level shaving stores that are anywhere near AOS's size and geographic coverage.
Thanks so much in advance!
Solid Points. AOS really has no complete competition.
Goes back to my Starbucks comparison above... it's a big chain that took shaving, re-packaged it, and put a big price on it so people would think it's fancy schmancy.
*edit* Also... I like their creams.
Perhaps Trumper's and T&H passed on the opportunity to sell themselves to larger companies. Perhaps not. I still don't buy that competition is based solely on size alone. What are AOS's annual sales figures, excluding the rest of P&G? How do they compare to any of the other large vendors, such as T&H? Simply being backed by a huge name means nothing. Just ask Circuit City, Montgomery Wards, et al.
Also, I'll bet you my entire den that the execs at AOS don't sit around lighting cigars with $100 bills and brag about how they have no competition. You know why Wal-Mart is so huge? Because EVERYONE is competition. When I was with Best Buy, we didn't worry about Wal-Mart for computer repair competition, or Circuit for that matter. We concerned ourselves with mom and pop down the street. Customers vote with their wallets and will go where the best deals and service are. AOS offers neither, deep pockets be damned.
You're right on that one, I stand corrected.
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"The next day, the Head Master barber conveniently forgot that he had work and I was asked to take his appointments. One of his clients came in reeking on marijuana smoke and told me he used to get shaved by the owner of the shop I worked at before hand (who was a former TAOS employee) and that our Head Master Barber had fired him at the old location "because he couldn't stand his arrogance." The Taste I felt in my mouth was foul. It was as if someone were talking about my father (afterall, they were talking about the man who once called me his apprentice). As soon as I finished the shave, i brought this to our manager's attention who did nothing but assure me that she had gotten fired for drawing several terrible reviews on yelp (or so she had heard) and suggested I stay away from him for my own good. I got on the company's computer, Yelped the company's name and location and the guy had nothing but 4 and 5 star reviews.
About a week or so passed by before I was humiliated infront of everyone in the store, including all shoppers, employees and the security office when the head master barber questioned my abilities in the middle of a haircut. It was so frustrating that I had to step to the restroom, let out some steam and then resume my work. My client pulled me aside and told me not to let it get to me (he thought i had went to the restroom to cry). Since the end of the day was near, I packed my stuff and left without acknowleding my so called "boss."
The next day, I called in sick as I considered filing a for harassment. An employee at another store had agreed to partner up if I did follow through as she was written up for not making quotas DESPITE BEING IN THE TOP 10 PERCENTILE OF THE COMPANY! Instead, I ended up getting on my knees and praying to god that I would keep my job.
If you would have told me the next morning that I would be my last day actually working for the company I'd would have called you nuts, but sure enough it was."
LAWL
Great story. I doesn't read like a true story, but it is fairly creative.
About a week or so passed by before I was humiliated infront of everyone in the store, including all shoppers, employees and the security office when the head master barber questioned my abilities in the middle of a haircut. It was so frustrating that I had to step to the restroom, let out some steam and then resume my work. My client pulled me aside and told me not to let it get to me (he thought i had went to the restroom to cry). Since the end of the day was near, I packed my stuff and left without acknowleding my so called "boss."
The next day, I called in sick as I considered filing a for harassment. An employee at another store had agreed to partner up if I did follow through as she was written up for not making quotas DESPITE BEING IN THE TOP 10 PERCENTILE OF THE COMPANY! Instead, I ended up getting on my knees and praying to god that I would keep my job.
If you would have told me the next morning that I would be my last day actually working for the company I'd would have called you nuts, but sure enough it was."
LAWL
Great story. I doesn't read like a true story, but it is fairly creative.
Well, more to the point, we shave geeks not AoS's sole target audience. If we were, stuff like the spinning shave brush would just be crazy...as it is, somebody's got to be the target for that kind of gimmick, along with the overpriced Mach3 handles. There isn't really any competition with AoS for the traditional luxury market (with the exception of some smaller competitors like TwinLuxe).
Exactly. AOS will never sell the majority of men on $300 handles and $200 stands. While their creams, etc are good, there are any number of other vendors that sell equally good or better products with better knowledge and service.
When companies like P&G acquire niche brands like AOS, they usually find that they have no idea what to do with them, and they're either run into the ground by trying so many new ideas that they alienate the business's original core customers, or they leave it alone to wither on the vine.
Not to mention overpriced, KILLER with a pate knife.
This is really awful to read. Although I've never had the "pleasure" of going to AOS, I will definitely not be giving them my business after this post. I can guess that there are some AOS shops that are respectful and are run reputably, but the fact that management and corporate allow such practices is astoundingly offensive.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck with your future as a barber. I hope you find a shop or already have found a shop that respects you for your talents not your appearance/background.
Welcome to B&B. You will find we are a community that understands and listens.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck with your future as a barber. I hope you find a shop or already have found a shop that respects you for your talents not your appearance/background.
Welcome to B&B. You will find we are a community that understands and listens.
It seems the resident skeptics are out in full force. I doubt the guy's lying. He probably doesn't intend to post on this site anymore, but it reads like a venting of frustration to me. Everyone who works retail has similar experiences... I once had a friend who went on a 45-minute tirade about her awful manager at Papyrus. Retail jobs are awful in the United States (can't speak to elsewhere), especially in "right to work" states (a term that means its opposite).
To the OP: I don't really think that B&B is a good place to be airing dirty laundry without contributing something positive as well... and this AoS topic is really played out.
To the OP: I don't really think that B&B is a good place to be airing dirty laundry without contributing something positive as well... and this AoS topic is really played out.
I agree retail sucks. I worked for some time at, of all places, a Build-a-Bear workshop. I actually loved the job, basically I got to play with kids all day and it was quite fun. The problem is, it was never enough for the manager. She would demand we push item X because it has a higher profit margin or item Z because it was seasonal and she wanted to clear them out. I don't know if you have ever tried to convince a 5 or 6 year old that her teddiebear should have cowboy boots instead of ballerina slippers, All while attempting to "not be pushy about it" but let me tell you, its a hard sell.
Also as was pointed out, "right to work" laws concerns the restriction on employers to not demand employees pay union dues before they can start a new job. You are talking about "at-will" employment laws. I am not sure where people get this but it seems to be a very very common mistake.
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