The price of razors and refill cartridges.

[Vanyel]

Since I started shaving all those many years ago, I noticed that buying a new razor with one extra cartridge was and is less expensive than buying the box of refill cartridges.

Does anyone know why that is? Why make the refills more expensive than the actual handle? I've taken to just buying new razors and not the refills. Does it actually make business to do that?

 

[Gepard]

It's called a loss leader business model, and lots of companies do it, not just razors. Basically they lure you in with a product sold at or below cost and then make the real money selling refills, upgrades or supplements. Printer companies and cell phone carriers do it, too. That why you can get a basic color printer at Walmart for thirty bucks but it costs twice that for the ink cartridges alone.

 

[Kestra]

Well, presumably there are multiple cartridges that would last longer?

 

[Canadave]

This is (part) of why I decided to make the switch to a double-edged safety razor. I can get a 100-pack of my favourite blades for about $20.

 

[Marc]

It's called a loss leader business model, and lots of companies do it, not just razors. Basically they lure you in with a product sold at or below cost and then make the real money selling refills, upgrades or supplements. Printer companies and cell phone carriers do it, too. That why you can get a basic color printer at Walmart for thirty bucks but it costs twice that for the ink cartridges alone.

According to the wiki entry (think that was where I read it), the price you pay at the end of the on Fusion blades is something like a 1000% markup but apparent Gillette spent a pretty penny on the r&d.

 

[Roger Wilco]

The razor business is one of the biggest frauds around right now, it's just a huge ripoff.

Pro tip: You can extend the life of the blades enormously if after shaving you wipe down the blade on the leg of your pants (jeans work well especially) in the direction counter to how you'd shave (obviously, but I mention it anyway just to be safe) two or three times. That way you can reuse the blades many weeks longer than if you just let them lay around after usage. The blades stay sharp long after the dumb soap strip is gone already if you do that.

 

[JoeZhang]

This is (part) of why I decided to make the switch to a double-edged safety razor. I can get a 100-pack of my favourite blades for about $20.

I'm a Derby Extra man myself.

According to the wiki entry (think that was where I read it), the price you pay at the end of the on Fusion blades is something like a 1000% markup but apparent Gillette spent a pretty penny on the r&d.

It's nearer 5000% those days.

 

[ed629]

I found that Wilkinson Sword razors last much longer than any other brand, I used a single Wilkinson Sword cartridge for about 3 months before I needed to change it. And that was with daily shaving.

 

[Admiral Shran]

It's called a loss leader business model, and lots of companies do it, not just razors. Basically they lure you in with a product sold at or below cost and then make the real money selling refills, upgrades or supplements. Printer companies and cell phone carriers do it, too. That why you can get a basic color printer at Walmart for thirty bucks but it costs twice that for the ink cartridges alone.

Another reason I enjoy not shaving.

 

[Holdfast]

Since I started shaving all those many years ago, I noticed that buying a new razor with one extra cartridge was and is less expensive than buying the box of refill cartridges.

Does anyone know why that is? Why make the refills more expensive than the actual handle? I've taken to just buying new razors and not the refills. Does it actually make business to do that?

The new packs usually come with 1 cartridge and cost about 2/3rds of the 4-cartrdige refill packs. It's cheaper per cartridge to buy the refill packs, at standard pricing. Sometimes there are special offers and deals that distort the price (eg free 4-cartridge refill pack with a new razor pack), etc, etc but these are usually temporary. Still, it's always best to calculate the "per-cartridge" price every time you need to buy refills in order to spend as little as possible. Sometimes there are really good deals around.

As others have mentioned, the razor itself is priced low to attract new customers, and the real profit is made from the cartridges. However, I don't think it's technically a loss-leader as I think they still make a profit even on the razor pack, as least they do once the product's been around for a while (new models to the market are generally loss leaders though). Of course, you also have to amortise the R&D costs and other intangibles, but even so, it's a pretty decent defensive business.

 

[farmkid]

This is why I use an electric razor. I haven't spent a penny on shaving supplies for several years now.

 

[Canadave]

This is why I use an electric razor. I haven't spent a penny on shaving supplies for several years now.

I used an electric at one point, but it irritated my face like crazy.

This is (part) of why I decided to make the switch to a double-edged safety razor. I can get a 100-pack of my favourite blades for about $20.

I'm a Derby Extra man myself.

Precision is my brand.

 

[RoJoHen]

My razors last a really long time. The most I ever shave is my neck.

 

[Trekker4747]

Since I started shaving all those many years ago, I noticed that buying a new razor with one extra cartridge was and is less expensive than buying the box of refill cartridges.

Does anyone know why that is? Why make the refills more expensive than the actual handle? I've taken to just buying new razors and not the refills. Does it actually make business to do that?

Anyone who has owned a printer for the last 10-15 years knows all about this. The printer I have now was free when I bought my last computer, it ordinarily retailed for around $100. Since I've had it I've had to buy 2 cartridges each of the color one and black one each cart costing about $40. In short, the amount of ink I've bought for my printer has pretty much cost be twice as much as my printer retails(ed) for or infinitely more than what my printer cost me.

 

[MacLeod]

Can be cheaper just to buy a new printer, and sometimes you can even sell our old one for a small amount.

As for Razor's. Generally buy the biggest pack you can afford, it's usually slighlty cheaper. I've actually bought the Razor about 3 times but each time it worked out cheaper to do it that way

Half Price Razor (when I upgraded)
A pack with a Razor + 3 Baldes + Gel was the same retail price as just the blades
A pack with the Razor and 6 blades which was cheaper than just the blades by themselves

As for Toileries, i.e Gels, Balms ec.., stock up on them when they are on deals, i.e. 3 for 2, half price, By One Get One Free.

 

[Guartho]

Pro tip: You can extend the life of the blades enormously if after shaving you wipe down the blade on the leg of your pants (jeans work well especially) in the direction counter to how you'd shave

I change my razor blades about twice a year doing something similar to this. I always shave in the shower. When I'm done I always rinse all the little hairs out by flushing the blade head with the water flowing through the opposite direction of shaving as you suggest.

I never cut myself and I basically only change to a new blade if I want a particularly close shave for some reason. I have no idea what brand I buy as I haven't bought them for a couple of years now.

 

[captcalhoun]

i have to buy a new electric razor every year to 18 months because the blades get blunt and it's cheaper or just the same price for a new electric razor as getting the blades.

 

[Mr. B]

This is (part) of why I decided to make the switch to a double-edged safety razor. I can get a 100-pack of my favourite blades for about $20.

This. It's so much cheaper and better for your skin. There's a bit of an initial investment if you want a nice shaving brush but after that you can easily go a year and not need to spend more than $20 on shaving stuff.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

I agree, well over $30 for a 8 cartridge refill, but only about 10 for a new handle and two cartridge. somebody is getting rich.

 

[Starbreaker]

I'm perfectly happy using the $2 pack of double bladed razors. I can't afford anything else. I had a an electric one that I loved, but it finally gave out on me.