The B&B/Shave my Face Wholesale buyers club!

[rucker3]

To those who sell this stuff, please let us know when you take part in this discussion. Momabear, I know you are a manufacture so this would not hurt you or those like you on the shaving forums. In fact it should help. How many newbie’s come to us saying they are having a hard time getting or affording good shaving supplies?

I recently purchased my first batch of hi-end shaving creams from Amazon and remembered some of the price lists that I received from the manufactures when I asked for samples. The prices I was offered on the wholesale price lists were less than ½ of what we are buying the stuff for!! I found shaving creams that retail for $18 selling for $8 on the wholesale price list!

Alone we have the buying power to approach the big boys as a distributor, and if we teamed up with our sister site I am sure that their sales would increase. The only reason I bought the cream is because I had gift cards from work. How many of our members would love to try more of the good stuff if they could afford it? We could tack a small percentage onto the sales to maintain the order web sight, say 1%, and all products would be drop shipped from the manufacturer. All we need is a gallery with prices and an order page. Amazon dos it. Why not us? Just think of this is an ongoing mass buy.

Mason

[castlecraver]

In principle, this isn't a bad idea, however I doubt many manufacturers would be willing to drop-ship. Its tedious and expensive for both the manufacturer as well as the consumer, who has to receive separate small shipments from each manufacturer he/she orders from. A central distribution point would be required, and I highly doubt overhead, repackaging and shipping costs could really be covered by a small percentage markup. I don't know if any of these such products are designated "fair market," but I do know that many manufacturers are fairly reticent to allow distribution to one entity (unless its a behemoth like WalMart) who consistently sells their product well below MSRP, as they consider it a devaluation of their brand and unfair competition between distributors.

[murchmb]

I believe there might be some group buys in the future. As for common, more run of the mill products ie 3-Ts and such, I don't think it's worth it to compete with some of the fine vendors we deal with. It's one thing to make an organized, bulk purchase one product. It's another to organize a co-op of sorts that will ultimately hurt the vendors that have supported us so well.

[Tony Miller]

In short, everytime a manufacturer or distributor sells to the public at wholesale prices he effectively pulls the rug right out from under his loyal retailers.......and at the same time, does the exact same thing to himself.

If Dovo/Merkur (Rooney, Shavemac, Pinaud's, etc....) sold to us at wholesale pricing, even as a group, what incentive would any of us dealers have to sell their product any longer ?


Tony

[Woknblues]

to window/roofing/waterproofing companies and I can't tell you how pissed we would get when we found our rep'ed manufacturers underselling to the customers that we brought in the door. Our worst disputes came from those dealings.

It is not ethical to offer wholesale pricing to joe public without giving the distributors that you have agreements and "relationships" with the opportunity to sell the same products at competitive prices. I would like to know who these manufacturers are, I would consider not using their products anymore.

I suppose if the regional distributors weren't penetrating enough of the market to satisfy the goals of the distributer, I could see the point from the manufacturer, but generally, the manufacturer will make outrageous expectations that cannot be fulfilled by the distributer, the poor shlub who drives the market entirely, and rarely gets the recognition that they deserve....

/whew! end rant

I am so glad I got out of that business, my BP just peaked out..lol

by the way, my post in no way is directed towards anybody here. just a distributors-sided rant that had been stewing for a couple of years.

[PalmettoB]

Not a bad idea in theory, Mason, but I agree with Pat and Tony. It's not really economically feasable and we have some folks here who do this with a small margin anyway. I mean, I can't imagine Mama Bear or Saint Sue make a WHOLE lot on of each their products, considering the costs of some of the EOs and such. And the big guys like the three Ts are doing just fine as they are.

But I believe there will be other special buys coming up, and folks are pretty good about putting deals up in the "Shopping" forum threads. Besides, as Joel said, we all know EJ bit the bullet for us on the B&B brush! We do already have some bargaining power based on the popularity of the B&B!