Bulk Wholesaler Phenomenon

So we're having an in-depth very detailed discussion about something you think might be going on, but since you have no information on any specific artisans or wholesalers, you're not really sure if it's actually going on?

Yeah that’s basically it, or at least it was at the outset. What I was reading in members’ various posts sounded a bit disturbing so I started this thread to discuss and hopefully attract some members and/or soap makers that might actually have facts. I think the thread was successful in that regard as we’ve heard from Barrister and Mann and Wholly Kaw. I grateful for their response and their openness.

I found it tremendously insightful, I appreciate Marko opening the thread, B&M and WK’s insight.

Amen...

I think Marko's main purpose was to get it out of the ethos thread and make it more prominent so folks with direct knowledge could opine.

To those points, I think he was very successful and I echo your appreciation Mike.

So we're having an in-depth very detailed discussion about something you think might be going on, but since you have no information on any specific artisans or wholesalers, you're not really sure if it's actually going on?

Yeah that’s basically it, or at least it was at the outset. What I was reading in members’ various posts sounded a bit disturbing so I started this thread to discuss and hopefully attract some members and/or soap makers that might actually have facts. I think the thread was successful in that regard as we’ve heard from Barrister and Mann and Wholly Kaw. I grateful for their response and their openness.

I found it tremendously insightful, I appreciate Marko opening the thread along with B&M and WK’s communication with the community.

Happy to do this communication!!

I’d like to add to this post my experience in the beginning and where I’m at now. An ill try not to write a book doing so.
How I first found out and was explained was from a vendor of mine. The first conversation was about how he wanted to take an even stronger position with ETHOS as he lost a few brands that were taken away from him. It was a general statement and I simply responded with that’s not good when he explained that losing those brands really hurt his business. In the next conversation is when he mentioned that there was what some would call a middle man who he said was buying in large quantities from manufacturers at good deal lower price than what he was paying for a tub of soap as an example. Then if a vendor wanted the product he had to buy through the middleman and was going to be paying more than he did when he bought directly from the manufacturer. So his position was if I continue to carry the brand then I have to either raise my prices or accept a lower profit margin than I was enjoying when buying directly from the manufacturer. I thought to myself at the time this is not good for vendors and maybe customers as they may be paying more for the product. So at that point I didn’t know who the so called middle man was. The vendor did finally mention where the distributor was based out of and the brands that were onboard with this distributor. Im glad the two soap makers who have come in this thread and explained to everyone why they went with this distributor I can see how this would benefit them. In a more recent discussion with another vendor who was very knowledgeable about this he mentioned that this would not really effect US buyers.

I will say although I can definitely see the advantages to working with this distributor especially in some areas I don’t think I have the manufacturing capability to meet this distributors order requirements. Besides 70 to 75% of my business is through my website. I like my vendors and happy with my business relationship with them. Now that I’ve been explained how this works my conclusion is the owner/manufacture decides how and whom they’d like to run their business and who represents them.

Thought I’d share my experience on this subject.

Kind Regards

This was an interesting read for sure and got me to poke around a few online retailers looking at some pricing. What really stood out to me was that most retailers sell artisan's soap at the same cost as the producers themselves. There are differences sometimes such as sales or trying to move overstock out.
The thing that stood out to me the most was that West Coast Shaving appeared to be more expensive for every item I looked at.

Stirling Soap on their site is $14.25, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.
Soap Commander at their site is $17.50, the same soap at WCS is $18.99.
Catie's Bubbles at their site is $14.00, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.

I'd also note that The Razor Company and Maggard's sells the soap for the same price as the producers. Not sure why West Coast Shaving is so much more expensive for everything I looked at. It was not just the soap, their prices were approximately 10 - 15% higher on everything I looked at.

Obviously WCS has every right to sell items at the prices they set and it's on the customer to decide if the higher prices are worth it. Maybe they have stellar service and shipping speeds to justify the increase of price, but I suspect they feel that the customers do not comparison shop.

Anyways, it was fun...I'll continue buying my supplies from The Razor Company.

<snip>

Anyways, it was fun...I'll continue buying my supplies from The Razor Company.

TRC is hard to beat.  They get the majority of my business.

This was an interesting read for sure and got me to poke around a few online retailers looking at some pricing.  What really stood out to me was that most retailers sell artisan's soap at the same cost as the producers themselves.  There are differences sometimes such as sales or trying to move overstock out. 
The thing that stood out to me the most was that West Coast Shaving appeared to be more expensive for every item I looked at. 

Stirling Soap on their site is $14.25, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.
Soap Commander at their site is $17.50, the same soap at WCS is $18.99.
Catie's Bubbles at their site is $14.00, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.

I'd also note that The Razor Company and Maggard's sells the soap for the same price as the producers.  Not sure why West Coast Shaving is so much more expensive for everything I looked at.  It was not just the soap, their prices were approximately 10 - 15% higher on everything I looked at.

Obviously WCS has every right to sell items at the prices they set and it's on the customer to decide if the higher prices are worth it.  Maybe they have stellar service and shipping speeds to justify the increase of price, but I suspect they feel that the customers do not comparison shop.

Anyways, it was fun...I'll continue buying my supplies from The Razor Company.

WCS is ridiculous. The most disingenuous pricing policies you’ll see in wetshaving… it’s especially funny how when they run “sales,” the “regular” price they list gets even more inflated to where the “sale” price is just getting close to what normal retail is for the item. 
It’s too bad how downhill they went after the old ownership left.

This was an interesting read for sure and got me to poke around a few online retailers looking at some pricing.  What really stood out to me was that most retailers sell artisan's soap at the same cost as the producers themselves.  There are differences sometimes such as sales or trying to move overstock out. 
The thing that stood out to me the most was that West Coast Shaving appeared to be more expensive for every item I looked at. 

Stirling Soap on their site is $14.25, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.
Soap Commander at their site is $17.50, the same soap at WCS is $18.99.
Catie's Bubbles at their site is $14.00, the same soap at WCS is $16.99.

I'd also note that The Razor Company and Maggard's sells the soap for the same price as the producers.  Not sure why West Coast Shaving is so much more expensive for everything I looked at.  It was not just the soap, their prices were approximately 10 - 15% higher on everything I looked at.

Obviously WCS has every right to sell items at the prices they set and it's on the customer to decide if the higher prices are worth it.  Maybe they have stellar service and shipping speeds to justify the increase of price, but I suspect they feel that the customers do not comparison shop.

Anyways, it was fun...I'll continue buying my supplies from The Razor Company.

WCS is ridiculous. The most disingenuous pricing policies you’ll see in wetshaving… it’s especially funny how when they run “sales,” the “regular” price they list gets even more inflated to where the “sale” price is just getting close to what normal retail is for the item. 
It’s too bad how downhill they went after the old ownership left.

Yep, I've refused to use them any more for a long time now.