Grocery store math

~ V

I had to buy razor blades. I’ve needed razor blades for a while but I have been putting it off because I find them to be so dang expensive that I hate buying them.

Anyone else think that razor blades cost way more than they should? Just me?

So, tonight I made a run for the grocery store just ten minutes before it was to close in hopes that would make for less people in the store. (Totally viable strategy by the way)

The hygiene aisle. Oh, the hygiene aisle is a bad place to be.

This is going to sound very whiny of me, but I’ll just put it out there… shit marketed towards women is ALWAYS more expensive than the counterpart marketing towards women. It just is. That’s actually another reason why I hate buying razor blades.

You can buy a totally bomb razor from the men’s side of the aisle for $10. Four refill cartridges cost between $10-15. You can buy an average razor on the women’s side of the aisle for anywhere from $16-22. If you want a good razor, it’s likely going to cost $25 or more. And cartridges for those… oh the cartridges…

I went to the grocery store to buy refill cartridges for my razor. I already have the razor. I don’t need a new razor. How many more times can I say razor in the same paragraph? Stop me, please… I’m in a sarcastic asshole kind of mood and I could probably go all night.

Four refill cartridges for my razor at the grocery store were priced at $25.99 (and that is on sale, they are regular $28.99… three dollars off… whoop-dee-do). Five refill cartridges plus the razor, the value pack, was priced at $22.99. (three dollars less… whoop-dee-do)

Wait a minute.

I can buy four cartridges for $25.99, or I can buy five cartridges and the razor for $22.99?

I DON’T UNDERSTAND.

It seems like a no-brainer to me. Buy the one with five cartridges. Five cartridges is three dollars less so the obvious move is to throw out my current razor and let it sit in the landfill for the next 400 years. Yeah, that’s overdramatic, I know. But it’s the truth.

Truth is men’s razors are often better anyway.

Truth: most products geared towards men are cheaper. It’s actually a practice that’s been coined in economics as the pink tax. Example:

Women’s 74g deodorant for $5.97 at Walmart
Men’s 85g deodorant for $5.27 at Walmart

The price difference is small. So small that people don’t often notice it. But the truth is, over a year… hell, even over a lifetime these differences add up.

These deodorants are priced at Walmart in the nearest town. They’re made by the same brand, likely in the same manufacturing plant (though that’s just speculation) and one is marketing towards Women and one is marketed towards men. The difference in prices varies more when you look at differing brands. As a whole, men’s deodorant is much cheaper.

Why does the women’s deodorant cost more? These products serve one purpose and it’s the same purpose for men and women.

I’m just ranting right now. The moral of this whole story is that razors are expensive and if you want to go to the store when it’s emptiest, pick ten minutes before closing.

Okay, bye.

Published by V

Overly sentimental, heel-loathing introvert, problem solver and lover of the night.

54 thoughts on “Grocery store math”

    1. I already own a men’s razor, TBH. And the razor blades for it last a lot longer than the women’s blades last. But no, I didn’t buy the men’s one tonight.

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      1. I’m guessing it was some kinda issue with it bothering your skin or something. Instead of you wanting a more feminine colour lol

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      2. This is probably more information than you’re looking for but in the summer/warm months I shave my legs a whole lot more because I wear shorts and skirts and dresses a whole lot more. Using the female razor cartridges with the moisturizing soap around the blades just helps to keep your skin from getting all dry and crocodile scaley…

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      3. Wow. For men’s razors all they do is add a little strip of plastic to keep it from bothering the skin, which… doesn’t help, but costs more. I guess the different color WAS probably worth it!

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    1. Some men’s deodorant can definitely be unisex scents, but some men’s deodorant is like… no woman could wear that. We’ll have to find a happy medium somewhere. lol

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    1. I use men’s razors most of the time but in the summertime with how often I shave my legs so that I can wear shorts/skirts/dresses, I like to get those fancy razor cartridges that have the moisturizing soap surrounding them. I don’t know if it really helps, but I just feel like I’m contributing to not getting crocodile skin. I agree though, we should all boycott. I’d do it for the cause.

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  4. Good insight, never thought about this like this?? You are onto something here. If I think about this in the bigger picture, we can see yet another pattern to put women down. There is so much marketing done in behalf of beauty product for women, and we are so programmed to believe that we are only attractive WHEN we are pure, clean and basically perfect. In a way, this prize difference is patriarchy in its finest. Thank you for your rant, I appreciated it a lot!!

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    1. This happens with soo many different products, not just in the beauty and hygiene industry. So the brand ‘Champion’, their hoodies are all the craze right now. At clothing stores, the Men’s Champion hoodies are $68 while the Women’s Champion hoodies are $80. Why? The Pink Tax exists in sooo many facets of life and people just treat it as though ‘that’s life’…

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  5. May be the five cartridge pack has less number of blades or it may be low in quality. I am just assuming. Companies market products and their prices in such a way that they never remain in loss.

    Women’s products are expensive because women are more beauty conscious as compared to women, that is why you will see a price difference in beauty products, clothes, jewellery, etc of men and women. The advantage women have is that there is a huge variety available in products for them as compared to men’s products.

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    2. The five cartridge pack had the razor in it as well, it was the same razor blades as the four cartridges. I only use one razor from the feminine hygiene side of the aisle and I pick it because it has five blade sand the soap on it that makes shaving your legs in summer so much less drying (way to much information, sorry).

      Women’s products are more expensive because they can charge more so they do. Often times men’s products are much better quality – case in point, razors. Sure with some things, there might be more to pick from with respect to women’s products… but the men’s side is catching up. If you walk down the razor aisle at the nearest Walmart, there are A LOT of men’s razors these days. I think marketers are realizing that men want choices too. Ya know what I mean?

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  6. Same, haven’t bought ladies’ razors in years for this reason. I am also considering ditching single-user razors and going for a safety razor instead, to minimise my footprint.

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  7. I feel like it’s only been in the past decade that Canada removed the tax on tampons. You know, because they were obviously a luxury item. “Sorry sweetie, I’ve just got to run out and forage for some leaves!” 😶 And let’s not even get started on the gender pay gap meaning that women pay even more of their paycheque towards these already inflated women’s products.

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    1. Having said that, I’m a marketer’s dream and totally get sucked into packaging and tag lines. I bought a mini travel razor in its own little adorable carry case (with no refill, I should add) for close to $20. Me to corporations, “Just take my money!”

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    2. It was 2015 when Canada stopped charging tax on Tampons/Pads. Which, halle-freaking-lujah. 35 states in the USA tax tampons as ‘Luxury products’. And so many other countries around the world still tax them as well. Because apparently it’s a luxury to have a period…

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  8. I feel like there’s something to say here for gender studies, economics, and sociology.
    Best guess: they get you to buy the razor with a lower price, then, being eco-conscious, you won’t buy it again because you’d have to throw one out.
    Or there’s a surplus of razors and a higher demand for razor heads, which makes sense because one is designed to be replaced.
    Lastly, at least in my industry (wine), many women buy based on looks and it takes money, research, and/or extra materials to figure out and produce what caters to the people buying the product and the cost is passed on to the consumer. We actually have a wine that costs a dollar more than it should because it was designed to be “pretty” and the bottle costs more, and it sells well because it is pretty.
    Just some thoughts….

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  9. This is exactly why in many cases I buy men’s products – razors, deodorant, shave gel, etc. The only thing I don’t is shampoo/conditioner and body wash because their scent can be overpoweringly manly, which I do not want. And there is no men’s color protectant shampoo. But I digress. Most of the time they’re damn near the same product. I remember a number of years ago there was one brand of razor where the men’s blades fit on the “women’s” razor. From there on out we just bought the value pack of 30 at Sam’s and used the same blades – mine on my pink razor and him on his masculine aluminum (or whatever it was) one. It’s total BS.

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    1. Imagine how incredible it could be if the women’s cartridges fit on the men’s razors? The men’s razors are often made with metal or wood whereas the women’s are made with cheap plastic. There could be so much less waste if we could cross use. I wish I had’ve known when the men’s blades fit on the women’s razors. That would’ve been something I got on board with.

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      1. It was nice. Saved a lot of money in the long run. I was so mad when they changed it since the handle was much nicer for leg shaving. I’ve long since switched to a men’s five blade and just pack on the moisturizer in the summer.

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  10. My family used to buy ‘gender neutral’ disposable ones. There’s cheaper and have quite a few in the pack. The women in the family could use them and the men and they did the job. Only problem? Landfill. They’re non-recyclable. Why does being green, being good to the environment cost so much?

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    1. The non-recyclable factor with razors is a bother to me. That’s why I added that comment in about a razor sitting in a landfill for the next 400 years. Why does being green cost so much? Either in money, or your environmental footprint..

      Honestly though, have you noticed that men’s razors are made predominantly with metal? They’re heavy. There’s some plastic on the handle to help people grip it, but as a whole it’s a medal structure. Women’s razors are fully plastic though. I wonder why that is?

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  11. Yup, totally. No need for ‘women’s’ razors though, I think the men’s ones are actually better quality (plus I don’t care for a big fat pink razor that kind of looks like something battery powered that is best kept in the nightstand drawer). My husband and I use the same brand of men’s razor refills (Gillette Mach Turbo Chest Beaters or something like that) and get the refills at Costco. I swear it’s one of the few reasons we have a Costco membership (processed bulk foods aren’t our jam) as it’s like $30 for a dozen or so of them. That being said the thought of going into a Costco right now makes the hair grow on my legs even faster…not to mention piss my husband off if I accidentally use his haha

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    1. hahaha!
      Costco right now would be a nightmare. I don’t think you could get me to go in there even if they told me anything I got would be free.

      I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for the Venus razors – the skinny ones that have the soap on them. They just make your legs so much less dry when you’re shaving your legs all summer long to wear shorts and skirts and whatnot. But I guess I could solve that by lathering myself in moisturizer.

      Why are men’s razors made of metal while women’s razors are cheap plastic? I don’t understand…

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      1. I have always used shampoo lather to shave my legs then good lotion or body butter head to toe after showers. Yeah, plastic vs metal, messed up. I guess we can’t possibly do anything that boys can do unless it’s in pink and purple – don’t get me started on the pink power tools for women…

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  12. Yeah it dont add up. I use menstrual disposable, I know landfill. But then I was, so a razor last ages.

    But prices because of covid 19, are mad and I feel the are all playing games with pricing. And the small shops are being a bit naughty toooo

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      1. Oh there is a bad typo in my earlier reply . It should mend disposable razor and not what it does. Can you edit it. Then you can delete this comment.

        Auto correct annoying

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  13. I went to the grocery store about a half an hour before close a couple weeks ago for alcohol. (Totally valid reason.) I started talking to the cashiers, and they said it normally got really busy just before close, so they were kind of expecting a rush right after I left.

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    1. Ooooooooooh, so there are a lot of people in this world who think like I do… lol

      Also, alcohol is a very valid reason.

      Also, it’s weird to hear someone say they went to the grocery store for alcohol. Grocery stores aren’t allowed to sell alcohol in Canada!

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  14. Do you shop at Costco? Razors are a better deal there but it’s in bulk… like 15 razors. More affordable in the long-run though. I agree that men’s razors are just as good if not better than women’s razors. I started using an electric razor a while ago and haven’t gone back.

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    1. My parents have a Costco membership. I think if the world weren’t shot to hell and there weren’t a permanent line out of costco, I might consider it. Maybe in the future. I love buying like moisturizer and stuff there that comes in two or three packs. I bet razors are a great deal too. No one in this house has been to costco since the first week of March!

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      1. I hear you! 🙋‍♀️There’s like 3 or 4 Costco’s in Calgary and all of them have lines! Nick doesn’t mind waiting in line but I refuse to stand out in the cold for longer than I need to… he also loves running errands so I send him out to get stuff. Honestly, Costco is great if it wasn’t for the coronavirus.

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  17. I’m got curious and for the pictured deodorants you may only on the surface be saving 70 cents (us). If you were to buy one a month for a year, the “Men’s” would save you 8.40$ a year. You could almost buy two more deodorant for that price.

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      1. To me as long as it works I don’t care if it’s labeled “girls pretty pink razor” or “musky man dog hero razor” The best things to remember are •Is it the best price? •Is this the best working?

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  20. Not that you asked or care, but… a couple of years ago I tried a new razor, an online-order subscription thing. First order (razor & two blades) was free, just pay shipping. So about $5. Great razor. My daughters started using it. My wife started using it. Something to be said for the entire household using the same (reasonably-priced!) cartridges. Now we’ve got about six handles, and enough carts arrive in the mail to keep everyone happy for two months.

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