Dollar Shave Club--The Next Evolution of the Razor-and-Blades Business Model

June 28, 2016 by David Marshall

I love Dollar Shave Club. I've been a member since the beginning and have been beyond satisfied with the quality of the razors, especially for the price. As a user of the middle-tier 4X I pay just $6 for 4 cartridges! This is less than half the price of any leading name-brand razors. Suffice it to say I am hooked. Why would I go back to paying more when they conveniently ship me a new pack every other month?

But now the game has changed and DSC appears to be taking a page from its thoroughly disrupted competition's playbook. Wikipedia defines the razor and blades business model as "a business model wherein one item is sold at a low price (or given away for free) in order to increase sales of a complementary good, such as supplies." This namesake business model is in full effect as they continue to add new products in an effort to take over my entire bathroom experience; blades are the new handles, and accessories are the new blades.

The expansion began slowly at first when they rolled out shaving cream and after shave. $8 for a tube of Shave Butter. $9 for the Mangnanimous Post Shave Cream. While not off the charts, these are a far cry from the bargain they reeled me in with. Lately the new products are coming even faster: $7.50 for 2 two bars of soap. $9.50 for a bottle of body wash. $4 for a single lip balm (or just $6 for two, to be fair.)

They're a brand you want to love, and they managed to be affordable without seeming cheap. Now that they have 10 million members they are moving decidedly up-market, which may have been their plan all along. A pretty clever way to beat the competition at their own game.

Re-Re-Designing the Thermostat

June 14, 2016 by David Marshall in What if?

Thermostats ask us what temperature we would like. Maybe that's the wrong question and they should simply ask us if we are warm, cold, or comfortable.

Timing is Everything

June 04, 2016 by David Marshall in Have you ever noticed?

I love my Kindle. When I got it years back it was a revelation. It is a nearly invisible piece of technology, in part because the battery lasts for weeks. But the timing of the low battery warning leaves something to be desired.

The "80/20" Rule, Revisited

May 29, 2016 by David Marshall

I've always loved graphs, as they are so effective at taking complex ideas and conveying them simply. As I was thinking recently about the relationship between the effort I put into something and the output I get as a result, a few different graphs came to mind. the "80/20" rule has been talked about a lot--the idea that there are diminishing returns to your extra efforts. But are all activities like this? I don't think so.

We've Been Warned

May 23, 2016 by David Marshall in Design FInds

Warning signs and labels are everywhere these days, protecting us from ourselves in ways most probably never thought would be necessary. "Careful, the beverage you're about to enjoy is extremely hot" is one of my favorites. Thanks for the heads-up, Starbucks! Because of their ubiquity it's easy to become desensitized and not take them as seriously as perhaps we should.

While on vacation several years ago in Kauai I discovered a few signs that were hard to ignore.

The New New Nutrition Label

May 21, 2016 by David Marshall in Design

At long last the nutrition label is getting a makeover. The new information will be an asset, but the numbers-first design is still uninformative to people who can't visualize what 10 grams looks like. Here is a visual approach to helping people understand what they're eating.

What the world needs now is em pa-thy

May 19, 2016 by David Marshall in Design

I've been thinking lately that government could use a dose of design, namely two concepts: empathy, and prototyping.

The Bottom Button

May 15, 2016 by David Marshall in Have you ever noticed?

Appreciating the finer design details in life, like the orientation of a dress shirt's bottom button hole

‘Diet’ Isn’t a Four Letter Word

April 03, 2016 by David Marshall in Musings

The word "diet" has come to describe what we don't eat, more than what we do eat. Let's flip that around and pay more attention to what we do eat than what we don’t.

Shower Power

May 10, 2015 by David Marshall in Design FInds

A thoughtful shower control making travel just a little bit more comfortable.