Jeff Raider and Andy Katz-Mayfield started Harry’s after a despicable shopping experience trying to get a decent pair of razors.  In March 2013 they launched their brand and it’s the best online shopping experience for shaving equipment a man could ever hope to get.  Best of all, their entire product line is clearly topline, and should be in the bathroom cabinet of every man who hopes for a close shave, but was always let down by the largely unsatisfying equipment available at the supermarket—locked behind plastic cases.  The South Asian News travels to New York to get the duo to talk about their cutting-edge creativity in giving men a product beyond compare.  Quite bluntly, here’s what they had to say:

 

How many years did your enterprise take to start off—from working out the model on paper to implementing and creating it in the plant?  Were there any nicks and cuts in the bargain?

Harry’s was born out of Andy’s frustrating experience trying to buy razor blades. He needed to buy shaving supplies, so he walked into a drug store, where he waited ten minutes for a sales clerk to unlock a glass case, and then paid $25 for four blades and a tube of shave cream. The products he was finally able to purchase were over-designed and poorly packaged. It was a poor customer experience, and he truly felt cheated. So Andy called Jeff with the idea for Harry’s and the conviction that “there has to be a better way!” He asked if it would be possible to apply the learning’s from Warby Parker (A US brand and online retailer of sunglasses started by Neil Blumenthal, David Gilboa, Jeffrey Raider and Andrew Hunt) to shaving. Jeff immediately empathized and – after several sleepless nights where all he could do was think about razors – we realized we had to start this company. In March 2013, we launched Harrys.com offering razors and shaving cream.

Any intensive surveys done to understand that the men’s shaving market is dominated by a couple of horribly expensive big time players? Was it time to literally slash the cost per shave into an affordable one for the consumer?

Andy and I tried every shaving product we could get our hands on — for each product we reviewed the purchasing experience, the price and the quality. There was nothing on the market that satisfied all three of these areas for us. We also spent a lot of time talking to anyone and everyone (friends, family, and colleagues) about their shaving habits, and product preferences.  So yes, we learned from the grassroots that there was a huge untapped potential of grouchy unshaven men out there who wanted something far better.

Your shaving blades are exceptional, and I am saying that because I ordered them online and started using them soon after.  The question I have; why isn’t Harry in every Tom, and Dick’s shaving cabinet?

We created Harry’s for guys who are looking for a better shaving experience.  Going forward being in every shaving cabinet is certainly our goal. Our razor blades are engineered in Germany at a factory that has been manufacturing some of the world’s finest blades for more than 90 years. Our razor cartridge has 5 precision-angled blades to spread pressure evenly across the face for maximum ease and comfort, and our flex film allows the blade to contour to your face like a paintbrush. The steel for the blades are ground into a gothic arch, they are strong at the base and sharp at the tip to deliver an exceptional shave.  Having said that it’s now up to every man reading this article to reach out for his android device and order Harry’s!

How are you bridging the gap between selling online and going retail?  That be the case, will you be able to produce both quality and quantity?

We strive to offer our customers a quality experience from the moment they purchase our product to the time they shave. Offline, we try to bring this to life through innovative partnerships and activations. We’re really excited about our recent collaboration with renowned outdoorsman and photographer, Jimmy Chin. The limited-edition collection features four Truman razors inspired by the vibrant colors of mountain climbing gear, comes packaged in custom made boxes. It is neat, travel friendly and made for men who love the great outdoors.

Let’s get some honesty on the entire shaving process when it comes to some of the leading brands available in the market…

Ever since we as grown-up men started shaving, we’ve been faced with a decision between overpriced, over marketed, overly futuristic yet futile razors and low quality, cheap disposables. We couldn’t find the simple, quality shave we wanted and we were left wondering why? The leading brands touted more and more complex razors with louder marketing, charging even-higher prices to reap soaring profits. We felt like we were paying a tax on razors imported from the future. So we created the Harry’s experience as a return to the essential–an exceptional shave at a fair price.

Tell all the men out there who are reading this article about how you are able to offer such a great product at such an affordable price

By selling directly online, we’re able to cut excess costs and offer a great shave at a great price. You know that yourself—when you ordered our product, it was received by you in a timely manner and was well packaged in our stand-out white boxes. (That is true, after I got the Harry’s razor and blades I couldn’t help stop raving to every male friend, family member or colleague about the delightful experience of shaving—and the ‘razor fatigue’ of trying to find the right product over the years had finally come to an end).  Also remember how it all started with 2-3 blades and then 4 and then 5 and then the razors had to be changed, yada, yada, yada.  Multiple product lines were introduced and in the bargain shaving became such a grueling and expensive process.

 

Right off the bat how many customers would you say you currently have and how spread out are they?

We’re humbled every day. We are so happy that we can provide a better shaving experience for guys in the US and Canada. We have hundreds of thousands of customers and the numbers are growing day after day.  We are second guessing that it’s word-of-mouth, and just like women get excited about handbag or shoe sales, the men are excited about Harry’s.

 

Talk to us about developing customer relationships, and follow-ups, smoother shaves and no razor burn

Building a brand that men can relate to is one of our top priorities. Harry’s reflects our shared passions and values: an affinity for simple design, an appreciation of the well-made and a belief that it’s possible to improve people’s lives by genuinely caring and offering great products that they love to use.

Do you have a R&D lab to introduce new products, maybe electric shavers, and new technologies?

We’re focusing on making Harry’s the best that it can possibly be. We develop products that we know is on the wish list of our customers.  We are able to do this because as men we relate to their needs and requirements of other men and have a direct one-to-one relationship with each of them. Having a keen ear attuned to customer feedback is what drives our new product innovation.  Ultimately, we’re excited and humbled to be making products and creating a business that really makes a positive impact on the lives of men all across North America.

 

You must receive feedback from customers about a great shaving experience.  Care to share a few feel good stories of endorsement

We just love it when our customers share their personal experiences (which they do, ever so often). The other day we were able to play a small role and help one of our customers do something special for her teenage son’s birthday.

This particular lady emailed us and asked for a Customer Experience Associate because she had had such a feel-good experience dealing with this person in the past. She knew that if she reached out ahead of time, we could help her get organized for a very special moment in her son’s life — His 14th birthday. She needed an expert suggestion on gifting him his very first shave set. She asked for ideas and we thought that it might be nice to send him a direct email to help him pick out whichever set he’d like to choose from,and that his mom and dad could cover the cost as his birthday present. The opportunity to assist someone pick out their very first shave set and supplies was such a wonderful experience for us.  It’s a cherished extended family memory for Harry’s.

Do you think men are going back to the basics?  Is that why Harry’s started the salon experience—the typical men’s hub?

Harry’s Corner Shop is located in SoHo in New York City, and is within walking distance to our company HQ. We set it up to be a local barbershop, and a place where men from all walks of life can interact with our brand in person. So yes, in a way these are all men who work and live in the precinct of the area. There are two barber chairs, and we offer all the traditional grooming a man desires (cuts, trims, shaves). In addition to these services, we also sell our full product line, alongside other men’s brands that we cherish and admire.

 

Jude Paul Fernandes / jude@thesouthasiannews.com