Artificial scarcity

Thanks for the tip on increasing customer demand.  Let me make sure I understand the business model for this.  Instead of making enough soap to meet demand, one should reduce production and sell less than the market demands.  That will increase demand for the products.  Then in a negarious and self-serving fashion, instead of taking advantage of that demand by increasing production or raising prices,  one simply continues to sell far less than possible (on purpose)  at the same price, so that demand will remain high.  Hmmm. Can you explain how a company profits from that?

Volume

Sometimes producers just can't keep up. Sometimes they choose not to. That's the difference between natural and artificial/intentional scarcity. There's always something else or better or just-as-good. It's ego/emotional involvement that causes the 'pain'. It's a choice we make... sometimes unconsciously. Take it in stride. None of it is a big deal unless one makes it so.

Thanks for the tip on increasing customer demand.  Let me make sure I understand the business model for this.  Instead of making enough soap to meet demand, one should reduce production and sell less than the market demands.  That will increase demand for the products.  Then in a nefarious and self-serving fashion, instead of taking advantage of that demand by increasing production or raising prices,  one simply continues to sell far less than possible (on purpose)  at the same price, so that demand will remain high.  Hmmm. Can you explain how a company profits from that?

They dont. And consumers will get bored and move on to a competitor. (or at least I would)

Yet no one had a pistol put to their head and was forced to buy/wait for anything. It's called a free market. Personally, I don't have the patience to sit and "ride herd" on some vendor's website every few months to try & buy their product, e.g., Bufflehead. After all, it's just a soap. It won't raise the dead, cure baldness or VD.    

I haven't read any replies to the thread yet so forgive me if I'm repeating what someone else has stated...

I think for the most part, A LOT of the artisans either do this stuff as a hobby, for some side cash, or when they have spare time. I'm guessing most of them still have a full-time job as they just don't feel as though whatever they're creating will offset their income from their other career or job and that's very understandable. truth be told though, it doesn't really matter what their reasoning is - they don't owe us anything at all.

that aside, artificial scarcity is really only effective when you have a monopoly on a product, IMHO. for everything that is "scarce" in the wet shaving world, there's other creators filling that void. are the products as good? that's not for me to judge, but I will say that a company doesn't stay in business if their products aren't selling.

Just to add to BPman's last point. Artisans are not saving lives here. The adulation a couple of them get is somewhat absurd. My example is I like the build and shave of my Wolfman SB but I have a few razors that actually give me better shaves. A lot of guys, after toiling to acquire one, won't admit that.

Just to add to BPman's last point. Artisans are not saving lives here. The adulation a couple of them get is somewhat absurd. My example is I like the build and shave of my Wolfman SB but I have a few razors that actually give me better shaves. A lot of guys, after toiling to acquire one, won't admit that.

I only used one for two weeks, but it isn't the unicorn that most make it out to be (at least for me). I HIGHLY doubt you will hear anybody admit that.

Same here. I enjoyed the 6s more to be honest.

Same here. I enjoyed the 6s more to be honest.

The 6s is definitely more immediately approachable than the Wolfman. It took me a year and a half to finally appreciate my WR-1 OC/SB - if you find some of my earlier posts shortly after acquiring it I don't think I was as complimentary of the shave as some, however, what I've found is that loaded with a Feather blade it can give one of the closest shaves I'm able to get from any razor. The 6s on plate #6 with a Feather is very close but still a shade less aggressive than the Wolfman. I can use the 6s every day on either #3 or #4 .

Just to add to BPman's last point. Artisans are not saving lives here. The adulation a couple of them get is somewhat absurd. My example is I like the build and shave of my Wolfman SB but I have a few razors that actually give me better shaves. A lot of guys, after toiling to acquire one, won't admit that.

I only used one for two weeks, but it isn't the unicorn that most make it out to be (at least for me).  I HIGHLY doubt you will hear anybody admit that.

I'll admit it. I acquired a couple of James' razors, along with a BBS-1, when he first started, and although they are superbly machined and very good shavers, they didn't/don't shave better than other razors. They are just different.
Personally, I much prefer the Blackbird SB and my Weber DLC.