Truefitt & Hill US Distribution

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:54 pm

In another thread, there has been some speculation about Truefitt & Hill cutting the product lineup available through its U.S. operation.

Just today, Truefitt's Chicago marketing spokesperson told me...

* The lineup you now see on the web site (www.truefittandhill.com) is the U.S. product line; they've already made their changes. Products that show as backordered are just that -- backordered, not phasing out.

* Luxury shaving soap (both wooden bowl and refills) WILL continue to be available through U.S. distribution.

* Product reductions were mainly limited to after shave splashes and fragranced soaps.

On a totally personal note, I'll observe that it's all about turning over product. Stuff sitting around in a warehouse is bad news for retailers. So any product line reductions are essentially a reflection of what we're buying (or not buying). So vote with your pocketbooks!

(I knew that journalism degree would come in handy someday!)

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:58 pm

Some good news Doug, thanks. I just recently stocked up on the shaving soap and the Rose cream just in case, oh well, it won't go bad.

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:59 pm

In ancient Shavonia, it was customary to reward the bearer of good news with any extra product.

Post by **Sam** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:09 pm

DEF wrote:In ancient Shavonia, it was customary to reward the bearer of good news with any extra product.

Hey, you gotta be choosy who you pimp for, lol

Sam

themonkey · Post by **themonkey** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:23 pm

DEF wrote:In ancient Shavonia, it was customary to reward the bearer of good news with any extra product.

Where did you hear this nonsense? Let me set the record straight:

I believe you refer to the swag donation, a common feature of much Shavonian tradition, and usually involves the giving of gifts by long-time Shavonian residents to newcomers as a form of welcome.

Traditionally this gift takes the form of shaving supplies, although cash and whisky are also sometimes offered as swag to newcomers with simian names or nicknames. Strange but true!

(

)

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:33 pm

Why not! I saw your other post; PM me your mailing address, and I'll send you whatever Merkur and Feather blades I've got left. (Probably only 2 or 3 pkgs.) I've got a box of 100 Israelis coming in any day now and may as well make a clean break.

msandoval858 · Post by **msandoval858** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:39 pm

Good thing I have a three pack of my Grafton Luxary Soap left

themonkey · Post by **themonkey** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:56 pm

DEF wrote:Why not! I saw your other post; PM me your mailing address, and I'll send you whatever Merkur and Feather blades I've got left. (Probably only 2 or 3 pkgs.) I've got a box of 100 Israelis coming in any day now and may as well make a clean break.

Could I? Okay th-- no. No, I couldn't. You're sure? Well, okay then, you got PM.

Speaking of such donations, I want to send some of my T&H Lavender and C&E Almond to DaveF in the mail, but I couldn't find any little screw-top jars. Anyone have a suggestion?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Wed May 31, 2006 3:12 pm

themonkey wrote:
DEF wrote:Why not! I saw your other post; PM me your mailing address, and I'll send you whatever Merkur and Feather blades I've got left. (Probably only 2 or 3 pkgs.) I've got a box of 100 Israelis coming in any day now and may as well make a clean break.
Could I? Okay th-- no. No, I couldn't. You're sure? Well, okay then, you got PM.

Speaking of such donations, I want to send some of my T&H Lavender and C&E Almond to DaveF in the mail, but I couldn't find any little screw-top jars. Anyone have a suggestion?

If you have a Hobby Lobby or Michaels in your township, they have nice little jars.

themonkey · Post by **themonkey** » Wed May 31, 2006 3:26 pm

Austin wrote:If you have a Hobby Lobby or Michaels in your township, they have nice little jars.

Perfect -- I have a Michael's.

And sorry about the

.

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:48 pm

I'm glad that they are keeping the luxury shave soap, not that you can't just get it from TGS, it's just nice to know other gents are enjoying it and it isn't a "low turnover" product.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:40 pm

Doug, Yes, but last time I checked their website, not only were the splashes and bath soaps gone, but also the Rose and Sandalwood creams, and the Classic Aftershave Balm, and some of the traditional hair care products as well. Of course, on the T&H UK site, all this stuff is still there. See, one of the things about these old upper crust firms that I like, is that they continue to stock products that some of their customers favor, even if they aren't the most popular. A member of Wetshavers recently shared about how Gumps dept. store in SF continued to carry some D R Harris's products, because they had a few regular customers who wanted them. Personally, I'm not that interested in doing business with companies that are only willing to sell me what THEY want to sell me, and the hell with what I want. From T&H, what I want is their Lavender and Rose shave creams ( and the shave soap ). If T&H NA won't provide them, then I'll find someone who will. I'm not going to buy their Ultra Comfort line just because that's what THEY want me to buy.
Regards,
Gordon

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:09 am

bernards66 wrote:Doug, Yes, but last time I checked their website, not only were the splashes and bath soaps gone, but also the Rose and Sandalwood creams, and the Classic Aftershave Balm, and some of the traditional hair care products as well. Of course, on the T&H UK site, all this stuff is still there. See, one of the things about these old upper crust firms that I like, is that they continue to stock products that some of their customers favor, even if they aren't the most popular. A member of Wetshavers recently shared about how Gumps dept. store in SF continued to carry some D R Harris's products, because they had a few regular customers who wanted them. Personally, I'm not that interested in doing business with companies that are only willing to sell me what THEY want to sell me, and the hell with what I want. From T&H, what I want is their Lavender and Rose shave creams ( and the shave soap ). If T&H NA won't provide them, then I'll find someone who will. I'm not going to buy their Ultra Comfort line just because that's what THEY want me to buy.
Regards,
Gordon

Well said Gordon, I too love the Rose cream and the Luxury soap and if I can't get any more in the future I will go someplace else.
I have stocked up a few of each just in case but with all my other stuff, I don't think I will ever run out.

12345Michael54321 · Post by **12345Michael54321** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:39 am

DEF wrote:In ancient Shavonia, it was customary to reward the bearer of good news with any extra product. :^o

Perhaps this is part of the reason why ancient Shavonia fell, her men taken into slavery and forced to remove the hair from their faces by the application of vibrating, quintuple-bladed tactical beard elimination systems. Their women indoctrinated with the belief that electric wet/dry shavers actually worked. Their children taught that walking around with a 2 day growth of whiskers was attractive and brought them into closer rapport with their gangsta rap artist idols and movie actors.

Oh, there are lessons aplenty to be learned from customs and practices of the ancient Shavonians. Yes, indeed.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:01 am

Gents, I was at Nordstroms today and picked up a tub of Rose shave cream. I asked the sales lady if they were going to stop offering it. She had no clue.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:16 am

Austin wrote:Gents, I was at Nordstroms today and picked up a tub of Rose shave cream. I asked the sales lady if they were going to stop offering it. She had no clue.

About what I would expect from Nordstroms. I bet she tried to wipe your face down with some other product that they are pushing as an exclusive for today only!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:22 am

Gatorade wrote:
Austin wrote:Gents, I was at Nordstroms today and picked up a tub of Rose shave cream. I asked the sales lady if they were going to stop offering it. She had no clue.
About what I would expect from Nordstroms. I bet she tried to wipe your face down with some other product that they are pushing as an exclusive for today only!

Yep. Some cologne they were pushing.

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:56 pm

bernards66 wrote:Doug, Yes, but last time I checked their website, not only were the splashes and bath soaps gone, but also the Rose and Sandalwood creams, and the Classic Aftershave Balm, and some of the traditional hair care products as well. Of course, on the T&H UK site, all this stuff is still there. See, one of the things about these old upper crust firms that I like, is that they continue to stock products that some of their customers favor, even if they aren't the most popular. A member of Wetshavers recently shared about how Gumps dept. store in SF continued to carry some D R Harris's products, because they had a few regular customers who wanted them. Personally, I'm not that interested in doing business with companies that are only willing to sell me what THEY want to sell me, and the hell with what I want. From T&H, what I want is their Lavender and Rose shave creams ( and the shave soap ). If T&H NA won't provide them, then I'll find someone who will. I'm not going to buy their Ultra Comfort line just because that's what THEY want me to buy.
Regards,
Gordon

Hey, Gordon --

I noticed the omission of Rose cream from the site, but not the others. I still have some ground to cover with my product usage!

I'm 99.9% sure that the T&H products sold through places like Nordstrom's and Classic Shaving are sourced through T&H North America. So the question of whether the company is offering a product is tied to the question of how the product is getting to market.

My supply chain course this spring really drove it home to me that when it comes to sales channels, things play very differently from the consumer side vs. the company side. We are likely to see it that “T&H” isn't offering scented balms, while Classic Shaving is (two, at least). T&H probably would see that it's moving those particular products to market through a retailing partner, while adjusting its direct sales channel (i.e, website) to reflect consumer interest. (I’m speculating that the axed products probably didn’t move very well through the direct website.)

I do think there's a definite wisdom to offering the entire product line through the company direct website, as a matter of customer service and corporate pride, but there are a lot of variables that go into that decision, including inventory turnover and product freshness, sales volumes through retail partners, shipping and warehousing capacity, etc.

It’s a two-edged sword; if you don’t have the product, you disappoint customers, but if you keep it around forever and accidentally ship hinky stock, or stock out when demand unexpectedly spikes, then you disappoint customers just the same. That’s less of a risk for a retailer such as Gumps, because they’re working with smaller lots and more overall product diversity. If you miscalculate at the warehouse level, you’re suddenly looking at a gross of spoilt cream – unless you can liquidate it through discount channels, which takes even more of your attention off your main game and undermines the exclusivity of your brand. That's where Dell's combination of direct sales and a build-to-order strategy hook up so successfully for them. They're not going to have bad inventory, because they're not going to have inventory period.

I don’t think it’s so much a matter of T&H having a marketing agenda to drive; at least I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. A dollar’s profit from CAR cream books just the same as a dollar’s profit from Ultimate Comfort balm. And if you look at the stockouts they have even on the products that they DO carry, I think it’s evidence that they’re still dialing in their distribution.

The more stable and predictable their sales through the web site (or any channel), the better they will be able to stay on top of everything. The recent explosion in demand for wetshaving products can’t have helped their forecasting ability much, either. I recently purchased West Indian Limes cologne directly through T&H, and I figure I'll use that channel as much as possible. I'm going on the theory that the more we use the direct channel, the more reason and ability they'll have to stay in stock on what we want to buy. Maybe someday we can wrangle that around to Rose and Lavender creams again, etc.

(If it seems that I'm unusually sympathetic to T&H on this issue, it's because I've actually been talking to them more than I've let on. I can't explain right now, but hopefully soon I'll be able to tell you about my experience...

)

Post by **Sam** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:17 pm

Doug, if I were a big fan of one line of products, say top to bottom, sure, I would be in contact with the manufacturer directly. They might have "unannounced" specials, or want you to test-market a product, or send out freebies or discounts for loyal patronage. About the closest I get would be Trumpers (Skin Food, creams, a soap here and there, the Hair cream) and Castle Forbes (shave cream, would love to get the balm, try a cologne even).

Yet I have noticed that had I gone to a manufacturer directly for a brush, I might have grossly overpaid. Robert at The Gentlemens Shop was able to sell me a Kent BK8 for much less, over half as I recall, than I could get it Stateside or from Kent. He also uncovered, with help from guys at this forum, that he was being required to sell Simpsons brushes for more than other retailers or even Simpsons itself, which lead to the big price decreases we see from Ems Place, Lees Razor, The Gentlemens Shop, and others.

Now sometimes, we back into or luck into talking to a dealer just because of various factors and forces. I have not used a T & H Soap, but I found the lathers thinner in the creams than the other British Creams, although I could live with the cologne scents. Then comes the formulation changes, now distribution changing, and I quite frankly do not know that I would consider Truefitt as a product. I got a great deal on some West Indian Limes balm, used it once, found it not to my liking and sold it to get a 500ml bottle of Coral Skin Food.

Sam

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:48 pm

Sam,

That's an interesting story about Robert! As often as not, artificial price tinkering like that will bite you in the behind. Good for them getting that out in the open and normalizing the prices.

Regardless of where I buy, I am always keeping an eye on prices, to be sure. A penny saved is a penny toward my Feather AC.

In some ways I'm fortunate to be coming to many of the English products post-reformulation, so I have no basis for comparison. What I don't know won't disappoint me, I suppose. I've heard a lot about Taylor reformulations but not so much about T&H; I'll search the board here. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the Grafton cream and the West Indian Limes cologne. (I like both lime and orange blossom, so the WIL sits pretty well with me.)

One of the most daunting web direct buys has to be Penhaligon's. Well, maybe it's not daunting, but I'm too lazy to sit down and figure out my transatlantic shipping costs and the implications of the postal restrictions, and how long it will take my package to arrive, etc. That is one time it's good to have a domestic source.