Thread: Putting prices into perspective

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Just to clarify is it T&H or Scottish Fine soaps?

What would it matter if it were the latter? [It isn't]

Why is everyone fixated on brands? Even if it were Arko, the markup would be remarkable. And that's really the point here.

Regardless of brand, aren’t those who create something and get paid for it through their mark ups entitle to a profit? Otherwise I see us making our own soaps. I build things for a living and sell my labor, experience, and talent to a consumer. Does that mean I don’t deserve to be paid, because I can essentially produce it for free? I fail to follow your logic or motivation for starting this thread given the direction you’ve taken it. It brings nothing to the table.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Considering a puck of T&H sandalwood is £15 without the bowl, 5 for £1.50 and still be in profit is incredible.

Originally Posted by RobinK

What would it matter if it were the latter? [It isn't]

Why is everyone fixated on brands? Even if it were Arko, the markup would be remarkable. And that's really the point here.

Just wondering, not fixated, though I am a sucker for products with a Royal Warrant. Yes the mark up is remarkable (as I said above)

Originally Posted by RobinK

Now think how much jucier your profit gets if you use God-knows-what as ingredients.

I am always tempted by the easy math problems since the hard ones are out of my league so I'll give it a try
£1.90/5=£0.38~$.50ea

I'm not sure what's the bulk price that this store buys them at, so I'll assume half of it (hopefully I'm in the correct order of magnitude), i.e. both T&H and that shop in Scotland are paying £0.20 a puck. (Well may be due to the presumably larger volume T&H may be paying a bit less but then they have the additional cost of the paper box). So T&H has a 17/.20=8500% markup.
Of course, they have more expenses - their retail stores are in more expensive locations, their corporate overhead presumably larger than the Scottish shop and so on.

Of course, in our modern economy a 'brand' has a value - we as consumers apparently value it i.e. we are willing to pay for it and for what we perceive it brings on top of the actual product. Correspondingly the supply side spends money and effort (sometimes considerable) to develop brands and especially our perception of the high value of those brands.

In any case to me it's an interesting aspect of us humans - what is it we value and how we can sometimes extend it beyond what is justifiable and reasonable.

Originally Posted by gugi

In any case to me it's an interesting aspect of us humans - what is it we value and how we can sometimes extend it beyond what is justifiable and reasonable.

Ain't that the truth.

Bob

Other than RobinK bragging about the fact he can find good soap crazy cheap, allegedly, and by comparison we all over pay for our soap, I do not understand what this thread is about. Are we all suppose to praise him for being such a good shopper while he chastises us for buying over priced soap? This is the most pointless thread I have ever read.

Robin,

Did you purchase this bundle on line or from a brick and mortar store? And where? I seem to have missed the source. Either way, you're lucky, my friend, for having such bundled European products are within reach for you.

I hear mentioned the bundle consists of either Scottish Fine Soaps or Truefitt & Hill. I like Truefitt and Hill and not so Scottish Fine Soaps. Either way, that bundle is a fabulous bargain. Indeed, when you think about it, the markup on shaving products is astronomical.

Good show, Robin. Indeed, a good find.

Originally Posted by gugi

In any case to me it's an interesting aspect of us humans - what is it we value and how we can sometimes extend it beyond what is justifiable and reasonable.

This. Human behavior is very interesting and exciting. You see this phenomenon in many areas of life. For instance, you can have the EXACT same product sitting on a shelf right next to each other. One is in a plain package and the other in a package that many might find attractive. Even though the "plain" package is exactly the same product and much cheaper, some will consistently pick the other. Why? For some, one reason is the package (and brand name) is part of the "experience". The price can even part of the "experience". People will report that the fancy packaged, high dollar item is better and they are not totally wrong even though the product is the same. They have a better experience with one over the other simply because the experience they are having is not totally about practicality. It is in part subjective but then again much of our life experiences include subjectivity. I may feel better when I am dressed in a suit whereas someone else may feel better ditching the suit and tie. Either way, our clothing can affect our mood and not necessarily from an objective sense but from, in part, a subjective sense.

Take our hobby of wet shaving. I am not saving money or time and in fact the opposite is true and for what? A BBS shave. Really? I am laughing as I type this. No. My wife thinks I am nuts to spend all this money on razors, soaps, aftershave, strops, etc. to get a BBS shave that most days no one notices and she is wrong. I enjoy it immensely and that is all the justification I need. So, sometimes, value is not always about price. Sometimes, it is about the overall experience. If buying an expensive soap adds to your experience, enjoy it. Enjoy the hell out of it and you don't need anymore justification than that. If buying inexpensive soaps adds to your experience, enjoy it. Enjoy the hell out of it and you don't need anymore justification than that.

I can assure you Robin, that your mark up on the brands you hawk are quite high also. plus what one man pays is his right and if you can afford it why not? I like MDC cause in a blind test I can tell, and its what I like because its the one that does it for me, and as ive said many times its not expensive and the numbers prove that. I compared to that brand you were so high on M&T. its half the amount in the jar and its half the price, so its the same, and you can talk about ingredients all day long, they were no better than Arko. hell maybe because your affiliated with some of these products you are self proclaimed an expert on all the makings of soap or razors or brushes, yet maybe you have and issue with price because you cant afford it. not my fault or anyone else that you always take issue with others and their choices.

why do you even come here any more? troll on by and stir the crap, must be a German thing, Lynn,s the same. but your intitled to your opinion, but you may want to stop acting like your above us all here, I can assure you that your not above me. plus in person you wouldn't get snippy with me. we all like the info here, and yours is welcome, but I for one don't hold it is as much regard as you seem to. that's it and now ive got that off my chest, plus I don't think the soap you advertised is that good. by the way let go of the war man,, we won

Gentlemen,

Let's maintain our civility.

Everyone here on the forum is entitled to his opinion. That includes Robin. I read Robin's opening post, digested it, and then moved on. Agree or disagree with his opinion, I suggest moving on.

In the end, we're talking about shaving soap, not national security. In the wet shaving world, as you well know, opinions are opinions, and everyone is welcome to his opinion. For example, I like Martin de Candre, but some don't. That's fine with me. To each his own.

What's a good price for one shaver may not be for another. So I shrug my shoulders and pour myself another glass of wine.