Thread: HA! Conversation about something shaving related!

Since this post crosses razor, strop, soap, cream, brush, hone boundaries as it could apply to any of them, I decided to post it in the conversation area because I'd like to get the opinions of others.

REGARDING REVIEWS

It's nothing new for me to find myself as a lone man in relation to my approach to logic and my opinions so maybe I'm again standing out by myself here, but through the few years here I've read awesome reviews of shaving related items. I can't recall a review that I thought was bad or not helpful.

Why does it seem the COST of the item being reviewed is often absent from a review? The cost of an item provides much needed context for me. I'd certainly be much more interested in an item I could afford; reading a review about a gold plated diamond encrusted razor that I would later find out to cost $100,000 would seriously be far less interesting to me that reading a review of a $250 razor I could maybe afford. I don't need to me reminded about the things I can't have, you see. I guess I could put this in Brad's grip post just as easily because it's something that irritates me.

So what say you all? Is it something that should be the preference of the individual or should it be something that is collectively decided on to be an expectation when writing a review?

Road & Track, Car & Driver, or any other collector magazine for any type of item for that matter would be far less interesting and IMO have little readership if the MSRPs were not listed along with the reviews of such things. For tangible items, adding the cost to the review makes sense to me. If a review was related to a concept, naturally cost wouldn't factor in.

Chris L

I have to agree with you it is not that I don't like or not interested in the product. But if I can't afford it ,it is only a dream.

I said yes, but my yes only applies to items that can still be bought new (and hence are likely to have fairly static prices). For instance, if I'm reading a review of a vintage razor someone grabbed off ebay, I wouldn't really care what they paid; if I'm reading a review for a current production hone (just an example that popped into my mind after reading a review of a 12K stone), then it would be nice to know the cost without having to go look it up.

I voted Yes, but put it at the end of the review using invisible coloured text so you have to highlight it to reveal it.

Good point. For vintage non-production tonsorial items, the cost paid is largely irrelevant. Someone can score a razor with an approximate market value of hundreds of dollars for five bucks and someone can pay more than market value for something they want.

Chris L

Yes to price for current products.... no for vintage goods. Also, full disclosure of ANY understanding or financial agreements between the manufacturer and/or seller and the reviewer. If you got a break on the price or got it for free then you should be upfront about it.

Yes I think the price and how it has to be acquired (vintage, retail, etc) is vital to the review.

I voted yes, not because I think the review HAS to include it, but because I think it should be included (does that make sense?).

A review by itself is just interesting. But the price immediately allows me to put the item in perspective. For example, if a custom razor is reviewed, then the review is just interesting. But if the price seems great, then I could say 'Hm, I gotta get me some of that '