A bit of a blatant plug really, with a request for some feedback. A good friend of mine has launched his new website http://www.imperialbuffoon.com/ it is a bit if a change of direction for him after 20 years of working for the post office.

I know that this is a hotbed of traditional shaving enthusiasts so I promised him that I would ask for some feedback on his site. Please be gentle, but honest.

Thanks
Nick

See if he can accept paypal. So much easier than having to enter all your card details and so on each time.

Not the best timing as the current trend of being all beardy has seen a big drop in shaving related sales.

He is doing beard oils and stuff too.

1) Cant find any blades
2) My cream of choice (Taylors shaving shop cream) he sells at exactly the same price as Taylors own online shop does. Not much he can do about that I guess.
3) Im really after a small 3-piece travel safety razor in leather/leatehrette pouch. Ask him to track something down please! 🙂
Like this, only not £60

http://www.shaving-shack.com/merkur-46c-travel-razor.html
EDIT:
actually like this parker £24

Otherwise, it’s a nice looking site. But not much to distinguish it from all the others:

http://www.tayloroldbondst.co.uk/index.html
http://www.theartofshaving.com/
http://www.shaving-shack.com/

Maybe he should think of a womens’ site that does sanitary products in monthly packs, ladyshaves and immac supplies etc 😉

My favourite bit: Buffoon

Is it me or does “gentleman’s shaving” sound like a euphemism for testicle topiary?

I’m loving “Imperial Buffoon” though, that’s the work of genius.

Personally:

I’d lose the word paraphernalia.

Add a phone number in contact details.

Add a ‘gift’ section – offer starter packs and other inspiratuions for those that wish to purchase as a gift but not sure where to start.

Good luck to him.

2nd the paypal addition. I know it’s giving even more money to the big boys but when faced with little sites like this I might well only use once or twice my heart sinks at the thought of typing in invoice, delivery and card details again and I find myself back at amazon seeing if they might have it in stock.

For me I don’t really like the jokey, ‘chap’ type stuff.

Not a wide enough choice of products and needs more than Merkur and Wilkinson blades. Blades should have a separate section as there were hard to find.

The razors don’t have the model in the description so you aren’t sure what product you will get.

For reference I use these guys most of the time. I find the review function on this website useful

http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/

If he wants to get ahead of the game ask him to bring in Queen Charlotte soaps from the US.

where the hell were blades? I couldnt find them.

And I cant stand Merkur blades.

Feathers only for me.

Tell him to change the favicon (Probably to the same green with a crown on?)

On this:

Not the best timing as the current trend of being all beardy has seen a big drop in shaving related sales.

I disagree, he could get some good brand awareness in just before peak beard, and then all the beardy people will want somewhere to buy their razors.

Have Merkur put their prices up recently?

I sure I only paid about £35 for a Futur about 2 years ago?

Now everyone is selling them about £55!

Under the safety razors section Stoner.

I rotate between Feathers, Astra and Gillette yellow. Merkur are rubbish I agree.

Just had a nosey. First impressions, I do like the sense of humour, that comes across well I think, but I’m not a fan of the e-commerce sites that just go “here’s a big long list of near-identical products.”

Taking the DE razors page as an example; there’s, what, fourteen products listed, in some random order. As a customer if I know what I’m looking for then I’ll be searching for say “Merkur 42C” but the code doesn’t appear anywhere on the site that I can see. So I go to look in the Mekur section of the list, there’s half a dozen there, then it starts to list Muhle products. Fair enough, but then it inexplicably goes on to list another bunch of Merkurs, but I’ve already stopped looking.

Alternatively, say I don’t know what I’m looking for. How do I even begin to choose? What’s the difference between them? Who knows. On second thoughts maybe I’ll just stick with my Gillette Mach 37 Turbobastard cartridge razor, it’s much less confusing.

I didn’t even know beard shampoo or oil existed, or moustache wax, I just used hair stuff for both!

Im really after a small 3-piece travel safety razor in leather/leatehrette pouch

He has one here for £32.

The site looks good, but he needs to think more about the ranges of products people will buy together. For example, the cheapest safety razor is £17 but the cheapest shaving mug is £26. For someone just getting into traditional shaving that’s not a combination they’re going to buy, he needs some budget options in all product categories if he’s going to have them in some.

A starter set might be a good idea. Make up a bundle with a cheap razor, brush and soap, “all you need to get started.”

I notice he doesn’t mention who is liable for return postage costs when returning cancelled goods; might be as well to explicitly specify that, if he’s covering the costs both ways then that’s a positive he should be advertising, and if he isn’t then saying so will avoid arguments with people like me who will be throwing Distance Selling Regulations at him because he’s liable as he’s not said that he won’t.

(Oh yeah, and the DSR cancellation period isn’t 14 days, it’s seven working days from receipt of goods.)

Beard oil?!!!! I’ve had a beard for 40 years and it hasn’t gone rusty yet.

On the other hand, there might be practical advantages to having it lubricated.

OP. Site looks very professional and has the right “feel” to it. He might like to look at GEO Trumpers site (he probably has !) link

The only thing I would query and this is not something easily changed is the use of the word Buffoon in the name, I don’t think people want to be associated with bumbling idiots ? If there is a clever story or link he should share it.

I wish him the best with the venture

Guys, thanks for your feedback – just had this from Paul –

Paypal is now on there. Have added the Favicon. Have updated the DSR info with return postage details…though it is 14 days cooling off period now, regs changed in June from 7 days to 14. Am re-naming some of the products to make them more easily identifiable for those who know and like the codes. Have added phone number. The story of the name will be a blog post at some point in the near future and the gift sets idea is in the pipeline. Got to walk before I can run etc
Thanks for the feedback though, much appreciated. Happy for you to let the chaps know that I’ve acted on it. I can’t comment unless registered.
And thank them for their feedback too…very kind of them to take the time to have a butchers for me.
and yes……have had my first order.

though it is 14 days cooling off period now, regs changed in June from 7 days to 14.

Someone needs to tell Which? then, because that’s the site I checked on. (I did actually think it was 14 days, figured I must’ve misremembered.)

I can’t comment unless registered.

That’s easily fixed…

and yes……have had my first order.

… then I can ban him for making trade posts. (-:

Wow.
I thought the reason I have had a beard for 35 years was because it needed no attention.

Pedals backwards rapidly. I do now trim as the wife doesn’t like the Taliban look I had at 18.