Women Dominate No Shave November

Decreased Demand for Women’s Razors Shows Surge in No Shave November Popularity

No Shave November has become increasingly popular among women compared to men — at least, if consumer demand for shaving products is any indication. Last year, the unofficial holiday resulted in a 32.12% decrease in demand for women’s razors compared to just an 8.56% decrease in demand for men’s razors.  ‍

Why it matters: As we approach November 2023, taking a look at last year’s performance can provide a strong indication of what we may expect to see in the consumer landscape this year.  

‍What we’re seeing: Our team used consumer demand to infer the difference in popularity of No Shave November among male and female shoppers, analyzing data for every day of 2022 and 2023 so far. Here’s what the average change in demand for different razor products was during November 2022 compared to the annual average:  

• Women’s Razors experienced a 32.12% decrease in demand during November 2022 compared to the annual average
• Disposable Razors -30.31%
• Women’s Electric Razors -12.46%
• Electric Shaver for Women -8.76%
• Men’s Razors -8.56%

Yes, but: During this same period, men’s electric razors experienced a 18.09% increase in demand. Since many men opt for electric razors to trim and shape their beards, this could explain the sudden surge in demand for electric razors among male shoppers. This theory is further supported by the increased demand for beard oil during this timeframe:

• Demand for Beard Oil increased by 17.32% in November 2022 compared to the annual average
• By contrast, demand for Aftershave decreased by 24.05%, Nair -40.77%, and Waxing Strips -35.37%

More reasons to celebrate: Consumers planning on participating in No Shave November this year will be saving even more money than usual. Most goods have seen a 3.7% increase in price, but razors have seen a slightly steeper price increase year over year:

• Aftershave increased in price by 5.96% from Q3 2022 – Q3 2023
• Men’s Electric Razors +5.45%
• Women’s Razors +4.55%
• Men’s Razors +4.22%

However: Some shaving products are experiencing slightly lower inflation or even inflation reversal in some instances. Here are some of the shaving products that consumers can still find at a fair price:

• Women’s Electric Razors experienced slightly lower inflation with a modest 3.39% increase from Q3 2022 – Q3 2023
• Disposable Razors +0.78%
• Shaving Cream +0.40%
• Beard Oil -3.84%
• Waxing Strips -4.07%

The takeaway: If consumer demand is any indication, women are more eager than ever to participate in No Shave November. And, with inflation increasing the cost of most razors, participation in 2023 could be even higher. Using this information, online retailers can tailor their inventories to meet their consumers’ needs based on fluctuations in their preferences around the unofficial holiday.

• Our data science team analyzed pricing data and consumer demand on Amazon during every day of 2022 and 2023 so far to better understand what consumers can expect from their shopping experience ahead of No Shave November. If you’re interested in using insights like these to drive your ecommerce strategy forward, reach out to our team for more information.