Why the Art of Shaving business/marketing model is such a missed opportunity

[HopChugger]

Every time I shave with an AoS product, a sandalwood soap, a lemon pre-shave oil, aftershave balm, etc...I'm always really impressed by it's performance. They really do top notch products for the most part. Some even exceptional. So then I ask myself, why do I find this company so uninspiring and difficult to champion. Well, the obvious answer is their ridiculous pricing, but I think it goes deeper than that.

If you look at the vibe, they are clearly trying to cultivate the aesthetic of an apothecary one would find on Bond Street or Piccadilly. And I get that. I appreciate a sophisticated look steeped in hundreds of years of tradition. The problem is that if you step back a few feet from your average AoS store, you see it's in a mall sandwiched between a Foot Locker and a Wetzel's Pretzels. So, they're kind of wearing a smoking jacket and jean shorts at the same time, if you get my analogy.

Where AoS misses the mark is that, by being in the malls of America, they should drop the act and start bringing wet shaving to the people. Lose the stuffiness, lose the "luxury pricing" that is so misguided and make wet shaving fun for your average Joe. Then maybe when I pop in for my pre-shave oil, I won't be the only customer in the store time after time.

[Ernie1980]

The pricing is the biggest part, but it would help a lot of they got some truly knowledgable employees.

[Hacker7]

Yes it would be nice to have a place to go to and purchase some items. I don't know their marketing strategy but don't see it changing anytime soon.

[MattCB]

I was talking about this with an individual from Edwin Jagger. They were of the opinion that Proctor and Gamble (who owns them, gillette, and a million others) wasn't interested so much in creating a long lasting brand, but in pumping up the numbers so they could off load it for more money. With the great software (soaps, creams, ect..) and a huge marketing resource they could be doing a LOT more if they wanted to.

[Razorfaust]

I agree to most what was said. I get the feeling the real goal is to sell 25 dollar shave oil and 50 dollar soaps using snob appeal marketing.

[thebigspendur]

The outfit started as a limited low production high end men's grooming line of products and that is their identity. Now that PC owns it they are just continuing the tradition. If they thought they could make a bunch of money they'd turn it any way it suited them.

I assume its profits are on target since they remain.

[Tarkus]

Every time I shave with an AoS product, a sandalwood soap, a lemon pre-shave oil, aftershave balm, etc...I'm always really impressed by it's performance. They really do top notch products for the most part. Some even exceptional. So then I ask myself, why do I find this company so uninspiring and difficult to champion. Well, the obvious answer is their ridiculous pricing, but I think it goes deeper than that.

If you look at the vibe, they are clearly trying to cultivate the aesthetic of an apothecary one would find on Bond Street or Piccadilly. And I get that. I appreciate a sophisticated look steeped in hundreds of years of tradition. The problem is that if you step back a few feet from your average AoS store, you see it's in a mall sandwiched between a Foot Locker and a Wetzel's Pretzels. So, they're kind of wearing a smoking jacket and jean shorts at the same time, if you get my analogy.

Where AoS misses the mark is that, by being in the malls of America, they should drop the act and start bringing wet shaving to the people. Lose the stuffiness, lose the "luxury pricing" that is so misguided and make wet shaving fun for your average Joe. Then maybe when I pop in for my pre-shave oil, I won't be the only customer in the store time after time.

Well said Hop I couldn't agree more.
When I go into an A.O.S. I'm always amazed it still open each time, due to the fact that I'm usually the only one in the store each time, plus I couldn't imagine what the rent is like in a major suburban mall. But as The Big Spendur said if there still open, after all this time I guess there doing something right.
Ive noticed some high end department stores also sell there shaving products such as Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus I guess that doesn't hurt there bottom line either.

[thunderbird47]

I like their products, and they really did introduce me to wet shaving before I'd ever thought about using a straight razor. But now that I've restored many razors and learned about many of the other great products out there (for less $$), I find AoS really uninspiring. I walk in from time to time, hoping to be inspired, hoping they will have something I want to add to my collection, but it's really just boring.

[Razorfaust]

Just curious how many folks in the Wetshave Community started off using their razors and soaps as an entry level purchase. I can raise my hand for a guy that bought a TI from them subsequently banged my head against the wall to try and maintain it and as a result found you guys. And a whole world of possibilities arose from just a mall impulse buy. Sound familiar? I know your out there lol.

[dinnermint]

When I started my first "big-kid" job, I picked up a travel set of their stuff. It was a pretty reasonable quantity of stuff with a brush I still use to this day, it was my second of 3 brushes in my shave-lifetime. It was kind of an impulse buy, new paycheck burning a whole in my pocket and I didn't need my beard so that my face would be warm in the winter. (I worked in a factor by the loading door) So, going from VdH base soap/brush kit to them was a pretty neat experience. Their staff is pretty untrained, I'll give you that. The soaps and such for an impulse buy is fine, albeit pricey. I'm fine paying more for a pleasing scent, especially when I can smell it in person. That is a big selling point for me. However, them selling straight razors is pretty shoddy. Maybe they should pay some of us consulting/honing fees to get their straights up to par?