Shaving is, for many, a necessity, but unfortunately, it also can be expensive.
In recent years, many cost-saving options have cropped up to help reduce this cost. One such option is the Dollar Shave Club.
How Does Dollar Shave Club Work?
The Dollar Shave Club is a company that delivers razors and other grooming products every month or on a preferred delivery schedule.
It provides three different packages to choose from, a two-blade kit, a four-blade kit, and a six-blade kit. The kits cost $1, $6, and $9, respectively.
The first kit requires you pay shipping costs, but for any of the other choices, shipping is included in the price. The starter pack deal signs you up for the Dollar Shave Membership, and after a month, you can renew monthly. This kit will come with the executive razor.
When you sign up for the Dollar Shave Club, the company sends you a starter set with various essentials. Apart from the essentials, there are also extra items included for convenience. Clients can change their shipment details at any time at no additional cost.
Products Available
Dollar Shave Club kits contain products depending on the type of package signed up for. The shave starter set includes:
- Cartridge razor heads to last at least one month. The gaps between the blades make it easier to navigate the contours of the face.
- Razor Blade Handle with a good grip.
- Shave Butter made from natural ingredients and recommended for people with sensitive skin.
- A face cleanser that is part of the essential products
- The extras include three disposable wipes and anti-perspiration deodorants, a monthly publication from Dollar Shave Club, and a handbook that gives product and company overviews.
There is also a shower set that has a body cleanser, a face cleanser, and a shampoo. In addition to these, the company also provides an oral care starter set.
Hair products by Dollar Shave Club include:
- Gels
- Hair pomade
- Hair cream
- Hair fiber
- Hair paste
To top it all off, they have great smelling colognes. So you can carry this grooming experience wherever you go, there is even a high-quality travel bag.
Pricing
Generally, razors are expensive. At Dollar Shave Club, you can get a starter kit for as low as $1, making it a very popular choice for clients.
Even the other kits that cost $6 and $9 are a worthy investment given the convenience that comes with the packages. They deliver at your doorstep.
The price of their razors is the primary reason why the Dollar Shave Club packages are popular. Other than the prices, though, they also had a YouTube video go viral, making the razors even more popular. This reason also compliments the cost of the packages.
Dollar Shave Club provides discounts when you top up on products. The more you buy, the more you save. Introducing other people to join the club as members earn you credits as well.
Is Dollar Shave Club Legit?
Yes, Dollar Shave Club is a legitimate way to purchase your razors and shaving accessories.
The company now boasts more than 3.2 million subscribers from the United States, Britain, Australia, and Canada.
Company History
Founded by guys whose inspiration was brought about by frustration with the cost of razor blades, Dollar Shave Club began in January 2011, but the website was launched in April 2011.
Mark Levine and Michael Dubin started the company with their own money and investments in Michael’s apartment.
Dollar Shave Club mainly delivers razors by mail monthly. Dorco in South Korea makes these razors. Initially, distribution was handled in the house, but later it was outsourced to a company in Kentucky.
They were backed by other investors and venture capitalists in later years.
The company is famously known for a marketing video made by Michael Dubin that went viral and made Dollar Shave Club a household name. The video has more than 26 million views to date.
Mark and Michael transformed their company from a razor delivery service to one that provides men with a variety of toiletries and other grooming products.
Currently, the company is based in Venice, California. In 2012, the company expanded and opened in Canada and Australia.
Later in 2018, the company launched its program in the United Kingdom. In terms of market share, when Dollar Shave Club was started, Gillette claimed 72 percent of the razor market.
The aim was to undercut these big companies on razors first. Then later, build on the popularity of razors to spread to other lifestyle and wellness brands.
Unilever acquired Dollar Shave Club in 2016 for $1 billion, five years after its inception. By this time, the company’s sales had topped $225 million. Dollar Shave Club has created a unique customer experience.
Lower prices and the convenience of having blades delivered gave the company an edge, and in a short while, it ended up taking a razor blade market share of 10 percent.
It is a vibrant, exciting, and playful brand that allows clients not only to sign up for cheap razors but also for the delightful experience that comes with it.
Its CEO also created a promotional strategy that reached a lot of customers using a minimal budget and in a conversational manner.
By signing to the club, clients also get to belong to a group of like-minded individuals. Dollar Shave Club doesn’t make it just about buying blades but retaining the customers as well by increasing customer lifetime value.
Another interesting fact is that 20 percent of the company’s clients are women even though it mostly markets its products to men. The company’s strategies have ensured that it has been able to sustain its exponential growth over the years.
Alternatives
Harry’s – Cutting costs and improving quality by being their own distributor, Harry’s Shave Club has become a huge player for selling razors.
Gillette On Demand – Gillette wasn’t going to let these upstarts eat its lunch. They started their Gillette on Demand service to compete with the companies eating up their market share.
Billie – Catering specifically to women, Billie razors are custom made for a women’s shaving needs.
Dollar Shave Club Review Final Thoughts
Although Dollar Shave Club provides blades as low as $1, clients tend to spend more and get the other two packages that cost more.
When given the option to choose from three prices, consumers will more often than not choose the middle or highest price option. Therefore, Dollar Shave Club gets consumers to spend more than the name implies.
Michael Dubin says that in as much as delivering razors to the doorsteps is essential to the company’s success, so is humor.
He believes this is why the company boasts of more than 1.7 million subscribed customers who pay $10 every month for their services—and that’s no joke.
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