Varlet is moving to Order Form

We shall see if he reduces prices a bit or goes back to his drop method.

Having worked at a very high level in major corps with strategy and pricing responsibility for luxury goods targeting HNWs, can flatly state that a product gets one chance at maximum pricing - if it works, the brand is elevated to another level henceforth (and previous buyers at the lower prices also gain a windfall) BUT if it fails the opportunity to reset lower is virtually nonexistent.  The seller will have alienated those holding residual resentment that the product is not as desirable as previously thought proven in the market by having failed to attain the premium status sought and hence harbor ongoing dissonance regarding acquiring future product even at the original price while the buyers at the premium price will be outwardly hostile in a public manner about having been taken, likely bitter to products already owned even those purchased at the original pricing structure.  One can not help but wonder if Varlet was well advised to pursue this endeavor - one surely wrestles to label it a strategy.

Contrast this with the creeping pricing efforts successfully employed by James duFour at Wolfman - whether intended, he developed a strategy on the fly via incremental tactical market response to address secondary market flipping and the public's sense of fairness.  Declaration Grooming well and truly developed a strategy incrementally adding value thru more intricate designs and inviting guest artisans as the prices crept upward (seemingly nearing parity with the secondary market based on BST offerings becoming available whilst public perception remains high) AND had the wisdom to offer a comprehensively custom niche offering for those wanting something special or willing to jump the line at any cost - doing so without assuming the potentially business model ending risk Varlet has embraced.

Somebody flippantly mentioned that were the badgers differentiated from those generally used for knots, there might be added value.  Truth told, were a manufacturer to undertake a nonlethal harvesting of badger hair using animals raised on farms treated humanely, I would sell my meager stock of brushes and likely pay a significant premium for a socially responsible badger brush but such is not the case here.  Perhaps this is a viable business model for an aspiring premium brush maker.

Stipulated Varlet has a right to sell their goods employing any pricing structure they wish but as a very wise HR executive relayed to me when discussing employee accountability: there is no rule banning defecation during rush hour in the middle of runway 27R at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport BUT if one chooses such an ill advised plan, there are dire consequences.  Fully realize going to be met with pitchforks and torches by the market fundamentalist mob demanding the witch be burned to save the good people from heresy and Supply Side Jesus' wrath but there you have it.

Awesome post and extremely relevant Dan!!


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I cant see how he can walk back this insane price hike back to normal levels without acknowledging
the embarrassment of his hubris....or if he would even care to at this point. At $650 fully loaded, his brushes
are a non-starter...except for subscribers of the Robb Report.

I only hope this misplaced bravado does not contaminate the impending re-launch of the Black Eagle
brush company.

Having worked at a very high level in major corps with strategy and pricing responsibility for luxury goods targeting HNWs, can flatly state that a product gets one chance at maximum pricing - if it works, the brand is elevated to another level henceforth (and previous buyers at the lower prices also gain a windfall) BUT if it fails the opportunity to reset lower is virtually nonexistent.  The seller will have alienated those holding residual resentment that the product is not as desirable as previously thought proven in the market by having failed to attain the premium status sought and hence harbor ongoing dissonance regarding acquiring future product even at the original price while the buyers at the premium price will be outwardly hostile in a public manner about having been taken, likely bitter to products already owned even those purchased at the original pricing structure.  One can not help but wonder if Varlet was well advised to pursue this endeavor - one surely wrestles to label it a strategy.

Contrast this with the creeping pricing efforts successfully employed by James duFour at Wolfman - whether intended, he developed a strategy on the fly via incremental tactical market response to address secondary market flipping and the public's sense of fairness.  Declaration Grooming well and truly developed a strategy incrementally adding value thru more intricate designs and inviting guest artisans as the prices crept upward (seemingly nearing parity with the secondary market based on BST offerings becoming available whilst public perception remains high) AND had the wisdom to offer a comprehensively custom niche offering for those wanting something special or willing to jump the line at any cost - doing so without assuming the potentially business model ending risk Varlet has embraced.

Somebody flippantly mentioned that were the badgers differentiated from those generally used for knots, there might be added value.  Truth told, were a manufacturer to undertake a nonlethal harvesting of badger hair using animals raised on farms treated humanely, I would sell my meager stock of brushes and likely pay a significant premium for a socially responsible badger brush but such is not the case here.  Perhaps this is a viable business model for an aspiring premium brush maker.

Stipulated Varlet has a right to sell their goods employing any pricing structure they wish but as a very wise HR executive relayed to me when discussing employee accountability: there is no rule banning defecation during rush hour in the middle of runway 27R at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport BUT if one chooses such an ill advised plan, there are dire consequences.  Fully realize going to be met with pitchforks and torches by the market fundamentalist mob demanding the witch be burned to save the good people from heresy and Supply Side Jesus' wrath but there you have it.

Dan, you really need to change your sig from "Just an old slow fat man" to "Just an old slow erudite/eloquent fat man"

I started hunting for Varlet brushes about six months ago, but failed several times. Having received the letter and having understood the new pricing, it became psychologically unattainable for me. I am not ready to pay so much for a brush that is subject to wear. This is not an investment, it is an unjustified luxury. I reassure myself that the shape of the knot is not my favorite bulb. Varlet is not my brush maker.

I only hope this misplaced bravado does not contaminate the impending re-launch of the Black Eagle
brush company.

I was thinking the same thing about BE.

I only hope this misplaced bravado does not contaminate the impending re-launch of the Black Eagle
brush company.

I was thinking the same thing about BE.

yep - was my first thought, too - hard to imagine it won't have some impact on other artisans, but maybe not...

I cant see how he can walk back this insane price hike back to normal levels without acknowledging
the embarrassment of his hubris....or if he would even care to at this point. At $650 fully loaded, his brushes
are a non-starter...except for subscribers of the Robb Report.

I only hope this misplaced bravado does not contaminate the impending re-launch of the Black Eagle
brush company.

I'd not thought of BE. That last, sit around refreshing on a crashed website for 4 hours on a Saturday thingy he did, kinda soured me. That coming from a guy that prefers random drops too. Speaking of...all the migration to order forms has taken a lot of the fun of the hobby out of it, for me. I really, really miss seeing the look on DuFour's face every time he peeked out the door....and there I am! *Sigh* Dems the good old days I 'spose.

Like everyone else when I got the email from Varlet I rushed over to the website for the drop only to be greeted by the new order structure, which in and of itself is fine but when I saw the pricing I quickly closed the browser.

I commend him for trying to price in line with secondary, but his stated benefit to the purchaser (communication) doesn't justify the price increase. I wish him the best, but I fear he got a bit over his skis with his pricing. Its significantly higher than anything else on the market including Simpson's highest grades M&F, DG etc. etc. etc. many of which can be custom ordered.

Like everyone else when I got the email from Varlet I rushed over to the website for the drop only to be greeted by the new order structure, which in and of itself is fine but when I saw the pricing I quickly closed the browser.

I commend him for trying to price in line with secondary, but his stated benefit to the purchaser (communication) doesn't justify the price increase. I wish him the best, but I fear he got a bit over his skis with his pricing. Its significantly higher than anything else on the market including Simpson's highest grades M&F, DG etc. etc. etc. many of which can be custom ordered.

I don’t see how it’s in line with the secondary market though. Show me an add for a varlet for over $500 that sold.

I was actually choking on the prices of the Black Eagle brushes a while ago when the site was live. By the way, glad they are revamping the website and reopening that! Anyway, the Black Eagle brushes now seem like a bargain compared to the Varlet.
The other thing I do find fascinating and a testament to how good their brushes are is the amount of chatter about the announcement of the custom offerings. Maybe that is exactly what they wanted and are reading the comments and possibly may adjust some pricing......aaaaahhhhh just thinking positively!!


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