Gillette fusion claims

**rmac** · 03-22-2009, 09:58 AM

I was in my local branch of boots yesterday and just by chance, whilst comparing blade prices (as you do), I noticed two things. Firstly, the fusion power carts have now gone over the £10 mark (wtf?), but mainly gillette are now claiming that you can get 4-6 MONTHS (yes, that is months people!). Maybe its just me, but when I used the fusion power years ago I found that if I got three days to a week out of a single cartridge I was doing well! So, does this mean that the blades have now been made sharper and will actually last longer, or is this just another false marketing claim to distract us from the already astronomically high price? What do the gentlemen on this board think about this? Anyway, it will take a lot more than claims like this to seperate me from my faithful DE razors!

**mmack66** · 03-22-2009, 10:14 AM

4-6 months for what? They obviously wouldn't state 4-6 months per cartridge, as that would kill their sales.

**Spatterdash** · 03-22-2009, 10:16 AM

By package or cartridge, I consider 4-6 months insane.

As it is, cartridge blades may be sharp for a while, but the roughened edge will be tearing up your face long before the edge won't cut hair. The best blades might hold up to 14 uses at best before they are raking up your skin.

Another reason this claim of 4-6 months is so suspect is that the blades become clogged to the point they can't be cleaned well enough to avoid a rough shave. Sometimes even a toothbrush scrubbing won't clear out all the whisker debris.

So while the blade may be sharp enough to cut to skin after 4-6 months, the edge will be so rough and the cartridge so clogged, it would feel like shaving with sandpaper after a couple of weeks.
And like yourself, most men notice a distinctly uncomfortable shave about 3-5 uses out of the package.

**cooncatbob** · 03-22-2009, 10:37 AM

Why should we care or be surprised by Gillette's lies?
They've been lying to the shaving public at least since the days Of the Trac 2.
1st blade pulls the whisker so the 2nd blade can cut it below skin level.
They were BSing us then and they're still BSing the shaving public today.
5 blades spaced closely together for less pressure and irritation.
Isn't this the reason most of use switched to single blade razors?

**Starfury** · 03-22-2009, 12:13 PM

We simply don't listen to them anymore.

Besides, I stopped at 3 blades (Mach 3) before I went to using 1 (DE).

Cheers.

**SavantStrike** · 03-22-2009, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by cooncatbob

Why should we care or be surprised by Gillette's lies?
They've been lying to the shaving public at least since the days Of the Trac 2.
1st blade pulls the whisker so the 2nd blade can cut it below skin level.
They were BSing us then and they're still BSing the shaving public today.
5 blades spaced closely together for less pressure and irritation.
Isn't this the reason most of use switched to single blade razors?

Yeah, for me it was. I was a M3 user ever since I started shaving and when the Fusion came out I pretty quickly said NO WAY due to the exorbitant price. I got tired of paying a fortune for M3 carts as it was and when I found this site, the rest was history... I got a DE not only for cost but also for something I had hoped would bring excitement to shaving. It DID!

As for 4-6 months, I can answer that question! It's 4-6 months before you decide to stop using a fusion for cost, sanity, and cost reasons.

**amateriat** · 03-22-2009, 01:11 PM

As has been mentioned here before, the big reason for all these claims from Gillette, of late, is desperation. Fewer guys are going for the bait, and paying through the nose for the privilege. (Ever since the Fusion's debut, I've been waiting for Norelco to pounce on Gillette with an ad campaign saying something like "Imagine: if they added a few more blades, they'd have a system that's almost as sophisticated as ours!" Not that I have much love for electrics, mind you...)

Gillette is throwing everything against the wall until something sticks; unfortunately, most everything they've been throwing generally stinks, like a neglected port-a-san.

- Barrett

**SepticTank** · 03-22-2009, 01:16 PM

I've been of the opinion that a good product sells itself, where a poor one needs ubiquitous advertising. It seems to be the same with everything I buy - I can't remember the last time an advert made me even think about positively seeking out a product - usually I see the advert and think "another one to steer clear of"

**in the know** · 03-22-2009, 01:45 PM

Perhaps Gillette assumes blokes only shave once or twice a week.

If that is the case perhaps Gillette should be asking why they only shave once or twice a week.

Surely lower prices + less harsh cartridges = more men shaving more regularly + more blades sold = more profit.

It's not rocket surgery.

**Spatterdash** · 03-22-2009, 02:18 PM

But then, what is rocket surgery?

: )

**in the know** · 03-22-2009, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Spatterdash

But then, what is rocket surgery?

: )

An attempt at humour

**Spatterdash** · 03-22-2009, 02:36 PM

Oh, no worries, I chuckled!

**mmack66** · 03-22-2009, 02:41 PM

what exactly are they claiming in regards to 4-6 months? even P&G wouldn't make such an audacious claim that a cartridge would last 4-6 months. not unless they wanted to stop making money with their gillette division.

**arcman** · 03-22-2009, 04:54 PM

P&G know they're in a tough spot with the Fusion because they need people to buy their blades to recoup any R&D losses on the Fusion and to promote the growth of the company and brand, but they know people are tightening up their spending, meanwhile they're stuck with their flagship product being the most expensive shaving system on the market.

They have to do whatever they can legally get away with in order to make the Fusion sound economical. Even if they have to fudge it with voodoo math, or or counting horribly uncomfortable and ineffective dull shaves toward the full life of the cartridge. You can bet they're very worried people are going to go after the much cheaper disposables, or toward electrics.

Really it's the same scam as that infinity razor on the infomercials that's said to last for a decade or whatever. If you're willing to put up with horribly dull shaves for the rest of your life, it'll definitely last that long.

**mmack66** · 03-22-2009, 05:09 PM

P&G is in a tight spot because if they can't convince folks to use the Fusion, then they are screwed as far as future cartridge razors go. I think they are having a hard time finding people that think the Fusion shaves so much better than the Mach3, that they can justify spending the extra money for the Fusion.

**Audiolab** · 03-22-2009, 08:07 PM

Perhaps it's four to six months for the battery inside the vibrating razor but if you made me save with a 6 month old cartridge razor I would be shaking enough without a battery.

And to think this is the same company that made such superb DE razors.....

**crocto** · 03-22-2009, 08:17 PM

they need to make money. all companies claim absurd stuff to make money. the thing is, i suppose, we know better and most people don't so they get fooled by the marketing BS.

**Sam Harmon** · 03-22-2009, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by amateriat

Gillette is throwing everything against the wall until something sticks; unfortunately, most everything they've been throwing generally stinks, like a neglected port-a-san.

- Barrett

I agree entirely. Their current marketing campaign is downright schizophrenic with two contrasting themes. On the one hand, they're trying to lure people into making the switch to fusions with claims of low cost. At the very same time, they have a parallel campaign aiming to convince you to switch cartridges faster to "get a better shave." Either they are operating on a Mad Men level far above my ability to comprehend or they are in pure panic mode.

BTW, what do you think the odds are that, in this economic downturn, they've reformulated that little blue strip to wear out quicker?

**Sam Harmon** · 03-22-2009, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Audiolab

And to think this is the same company that made such superb DE razors.....

Not really. It's P&G now, and all final decisions are made aboard the Death Star in Cincinnati.

**jcm03c** · 03-22-2009, 10:29 PM

4-6 months, yeah right!! I used to run through a new fusion cartridge in 2 weeks and that's only because they were so damn expensive, ideally I would've like to use a new one every week. That's when shaving used to hurt every morning. God, i'm glad I found this site.