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After Warby Parker, a clean shave with Harry's
Part of the Harry's Shave Set.
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Harry's co-founders Andy Katz-Mayfield and Jeff Raider.
Most people probably don't stop to consider their razor blades during a morning shave. It's a chore, and a rather tedious one at that.
But Jeff Raider would like you to consider your shave a little more closely. And maybe even buy your shaving equipment from him, online. Jeff helped start Warby Parker, the company that sells eyeglasses online at lower prices than competitors. Shaving's his new thing, at a website called "Harry's."
Raider says the idea for Harry's started when a friend of his had a bad experience buying razor blades and shaving cream at a drug store. The service was terrible and the bill too high. That friend, Andy Katz-Mayfield, became his co-founder and co-CEO at the shaving company they launched earlier this month.
The two spent time designing ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing razor handles and long-lasting blades. They also came up with a line of moisturizer-laden shaving cream. That's the full extent of what you can buy at Harry's.
Raider's not worried about the competition he'll face from more established players in the shaving industry. "Lots of the dynamics that we saw at Warby Parker exists here. It's a big market, it's dominated by a couple of companies, they make huge products and they charge lots and lots of money for products that are difficult to make." But Raider says he can make and sell those products for less than the big boys charge.
So does this make Raider a serial entrepreneur? Raider says he wants to stay focused on his continuing work at Warby Parker and his new gig at Harry's for now.
You're right...shaving isn't something I think about much. It's just something that I do. But I have noticed lately that my Gillette Mach III cartridges are 1) continually climbing in price, 2) dropping in quality (the lubrication strips sometimes break off like brittle soap), and 3) made in Brazil. What's wrong with this picture?? Kudos on the article and to the other posters. I'm off to put the free market to good use.
From the segment lead in on the show today thought it was going to be on www.dollarshaveclub.com . Stumbled across dollarshaveclub while monitoring new startup ventures on angel list.
Both Harry's and dollar shave club are targeting the same market opportunity but kinda like the guerrilla marketing / subscription model taken by the dollar shave club. In my mind kinda leverages the social media aspect of the internet.
The Harry's product offering is elegant and definitely think it may make an exceptional gift, but hard to beat the price of dollar shave club.
In any event with exceptional alternatives moving at internet speed, traditional dogmatic manufacturing and sales will be in for a rough ride going forward ......
No no no no! Harry's isn't offering razorblades, they're offering cartridges. Cartridges are awful.
If you have any decent amount of hair growth, cartridges get clogged and no matter how sharp the blades, the cartridge is useless. If you use a double-edged razor or straight razor, just rinse the blade and keep shaving.
Cartridge razor shaving is wasteful and silly--especially if you don't shave daily.
On their site they tout "the cost of one razor blade" and theirs is $2. (again, they are not selling blades, they're selling those goofy cartridges) A true, single, double-edged razor is around 50 cents.
Wet shaving is where it's at!
"Most people probably don't stop to consider their razor blades during a morning shave. It's a chore, and a rather tedious one at that." Speak for yourself, you Trac II using fool. Get an antique or modern double-edge razor holder, buy the (much much more affordable) double-edge blades (less plastic waste, BTW), get an economical badger shave brush and holder from Tweezerman, some luxurious shave cream from Taylor of Bond St, Caswell-Massey, Crabtree & Evelyn or many others ... and then stop the tedium. Using the tried and true web blade system with old-fashioned accoutrements can be quick and effective, or a daily reminder that indulging in some nice smelling lather and a close, gentle shave can be a pleasure. Don't believe the marketing FUD, you don't need those wasteful, plastic fantastic 16-blade wonders to get a good, comfortable shave.
Oh, and don't forget to soothe and moisturize after with a tonic after shave and some balm/lotion, after handfuls of warm water to rinse off the lather.
