given the popularity of these razors on here, why do gillette not produce them now? im new to this site, so if this has been covered before, i apologise.
They want to make money off of the M3/Fusion. Selling Slims, which accept non-proprietary blades would be like cutting off their feet. At least thats the general consensus..
It's more expensive to produce a machined, nickle-plated brass razor, that takes common DE blades, than an injection molded plastic one that takes proprietary cartridges. And the profit margins are higher on the plastic "razor systems".
given the popularity of these razors on here, why do gillette not produce them now?
As I cherish every opportunity to discuss business/economic concepts, I'll take this opportunity to explain:
Current business models are based on a concept known as planned obsolescence (products are designed with the expectation of wearing out) and also the integration of strategies essentially based around forcing a customer to buy a specific brand and model of a certain required part/component for as long as they own the main product.
A perfect example of this would be computer printers: they practically give away (sometimes literally) printers because they know it will tie you to forever purchasing XYZ ink cartridge from them on a regular basis, at whatever price they ask (usually ~$30), and in spite of sometimes decreasing ink quantity, etc. Basically, they have you locked into being their customer-- at a minimum, for years of $30/each ink cartridges, and in many cases for decades as consumers tend to stay with the brand with which they are familiar, resulting in future printers being of that brand, and yet more ink cartridges.
This is exactly what Gillette does with the Mach 3 and other such razors (each brand tries to do this as they make their money on the blade cartridges, etc.) and so it would not benefit them to product a DE razor such as the Fat Boy or Slim Adjustable when those last forever, or at least multiple lifetimes (as we all prove), and so nobody would really have to buy another razor, and additionally (and most importantly), you wouldn't be limited to buying DE blades from Gillette, but rather could buy any brand you wanted (as we all do) and so this minimizes their hold on a consumer and greatly minimizes their market share for a particular product, and by extension, their revenue.
It is an optimal situation and a goal of a business to be in a situation where the customer is forced to buy a product from them, at any price they choose.
Of course, as students of Economics will explain, this leads to gray/black market products of all sorts, cheaper alternatives coming on the market, and (if it goes too far above the equilibrium point on the graph) the potential for a reduced quantity demanded. Gillette has a very solid hold on the cartridge razor market, and so if they were to delve into the DE world again, it most likely would not be cost effective or profitable.
i saw a show about this last week
I think you greatly overestimate the market power of a few antiquarian/collectors/hobbyists/luddites/internet shave geeks.
The number of people who would care enough to buy one of those is a fraction of a sliver of a percentage point of the number of units Gillette would need to produce to make it worth their time.
its not a question of overestimating shave geeks, it just seems to me that there would be a niche market to tap into, in a similar way some major breweries operate micro breweries and produce beers that dont have a wide market.
As I cherish every opportunity to discuss business/economic concepts, I'll take this opportunity to explain:
Current business models are based on a concept known as planned obsolescence (products are designed with the expectation of wearing out) and also the integration of strategies essentially based around forcing a customer to buy a specific brand and model of a certain required part/component for as long as they own the main product.
A microbrewery is a couple guys serving a local market. That already exists in the wetshaving world, small niche outfits that product high quality limited production razors.
The question was "why doesn't Gillette play in this market", and the answer is that Gillette wouldn't bend down to pick up all money in this market if it saw it lying on the street.
its not a question of overestimating shave geeks, it just seems to me that there would be a niche market to tap into, in a similar way some major breweries operate micro breweries and produce beers that dont have a wide market.
Just goes to show how great they are.A modern-day Slim made like they used to would probably be a $300+ razor now.
A modern-day Slim made like they used to would probably be a $300+ razor now.