Thread: The Art Of Shaving

We are in a mall for the Apple store, random shopping and lunch, not a bad day until I stepped into The Art Of Shaving. Three people working a store that no one goes into. So black suit steps forward and comments on my interest in the straight razors, about 5 TI's except one just marked Solingen...on the side I saw. The guy was a salesman but knew nothing about what he was selling. Ok, jobs are scarce, I'm not blaming him. I open the rams horn scaled TI, hold it in the position, then close it slowly......the blade closes exactly in the center of one of the scales, not between the scales. Politely, I mention this to him...I think what might happen is someone will close this thing and possible damage the blade....he mentions the tape on the edge and quickly follows up with of course, these are demo's only. Still....I left the store feeling like they were doing a disservice to this worthy pursuit. I don't think they could even be considered a gateway drug (so to speak)......bleak, the whole experience seemed so shallow compared with the richness that I have experienced on this forum.

Its got to do with your perspective, I think. You have educated yourself here at SRP & have way more knowledge to the use & care of those razors than 95% of the salesmen that work at Art of Shaving. Can't really blame the salesman because you are smarter than he is. But, I can see fault in him, if he did not take a moment to enquire how you knew what you did & how you learned about straight razors. By listening to your experience & where you learned it, would have helped him in the long run with other customers.

Sort of like, a member of Jeff Gordan's pit crew walking into a dealership & asking a salesperson , 'How's that Chevy run?"

Demo model or not. Who in there right mind will pick up that T.I. and see that blade crashing into the one scale and say to themselves I want one of those. You don't put on the floor a busted piece of junk and expect to move product. Even with the fact that the general public is handling them in a mall and most wouldn't know the proper handling of such a delicate instrument anyway. Bad business.

I agree,,,,,,,,,,

What's that old saying about a salesman worth his salt could sell you anything whether you want it or not?

When you have some knowledge about something that is when you realize how these people are just there to rip you off. Reminds me of when I took a watch into one of these fast fix places in the mall to replace a battery. It's bad enough they charge you $20 for 3 minutes work and a $3 battery so this guy tells me he's gonna charge me $40 because it's an Omega and these quartz watches require special handling to change the battery. I told him it wasn't a quartz watch and wasn't an Omega Movement and a blind man could change the battery in 3 minutes. He starts arguing with me that I'm misinformed. I told him I've been collecting and working on watches since he's was in diapers. He didn't like that and just said Oh.I walked away.

I don't know. I love that The Art of Shaving provides exposure. Moreover, have you ever bought eye glasses? If you thought the glasses that are on display are what you are going to get, all flimsy and stuff, you would get contacts lol.

As for knowledgeable sales staff... lol, 99% of the time I know more they do. Because I am obsessive and research most things.

I am pretty sure they have done a cost- bennift analysis assessing how much money to spend on training. Unfortunately, like most retail environments, it doesn't pay to train. caveat emptor.

Since they are about the only brick and mortar store around promoting shaving, unless one is in New York City or London, I'm all for them. I don't particularly like the stores myself, but I'll occasionally go into one if I happen to be passing one by in the mall, as I might be able to see hardware or software in person instead of just online. However, I realize that the clerks are probably hourly employees, and I don't expect them to be very knowledgable, at least as compared to my 52 years of wet shaving. Usually, they are nice young people who I usually smile to and tell that I'm only wanting to look around for a few minutes. It is not a store for experienced shavers who would never pay the inflated prices, although many do enjoy their soaps and creams. It is not a store that I would want to engage in a conversation about shaving with a clerk. The store must serve a purpose, or it wouldn't be in business. I'm glad it's there to promote shaving, and for me to snoop in when I have to go to the mall, but I just can't get irritated at the young clerks who work there.

I have been barbering for 20 years and also hold an instructor of barbering license, I went into the AOS near me and lOVED the place and decor BUT hated that the guy running it knew nothing about what he was selling or the history of it. I would love to have a barber shop set up like that and do shaves while selling the products. I think that would be a great combination.

Originally Posted by robscissorhands

I have been barbering for 20 years and also hold an instructor of barbering license, I went into the AOS near me and lOVED the place and decor BUT hated that the guy running it knew nothing about what he was selling or the history of it. I would love to have a barber shop set up like that and do shaves while selling the products. I think that would be a great combination.

Yes, that would be great. Can I be your first customer?

Ive gotten about 7 people into wet shaving in the last 2 months in my barber shop, all have stuck with it so far.