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The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

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Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#31

Post by achow »

Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #23

A thousand times amen to this. At home I share a tube of toothpaste with my wife: if we go on holiday together, we bring the tube with us. If I'm travelling solo, for business or whatever, then the home toothpaste stays at home, so I need to remember to buy a new tube to take with me. It's the only thing I need to expressly purchase other than the hotel room booking. This can't be that unusual a scenario... can it?

For years I had wondered about this toothpaste conundrum; as the author points out it is in fact one of the important toiletry component if not the most important (for me personally actually it is).

I made up a theory that it has to be sourcing problem. Toothpaste is one thing that you don’t hear small supplier making on their own - I get to hear all the time about handcrafted artisan soaps, conditioner, shampoos etc. but not toothpaste. So for hotel industry it is very easy to source small supplies of toiletries other than toothpaste.

And on the other hand name brand toothpaste manufacturer would not be interested in setting up manufacturing lines for small toothpaste tubes (the fact it is a tube, which essentially needs a pumping machine to fill it up supports this line of thinking) for a niche segment where volumes would be minuscule as compared to their traditional channels.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#32

Post by spuz »

The reporter should ask toothpaste manufacturers this question. Surely if anyone cares that hotels supply guests toothpaste, it's the manufacturer who stands to profit from such a deal. I suspect that if you went down that road, you would find your answer.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#34

Post by wodenokoto »

achow wrote: post #31
Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #23

A thousand times amen to this. At home I share a tube of toothpaste with my wife: if we go on holiday together, we bring the tube with us. If I'm travelling solo, for business or whatever, then the home toothpaste stays at home, so I need to remember to buy a new tube to take with me. It's the only thing I need to expressly purchase other than the hotel room booking. This can't be that unusual a scenario... can it?

For years I had wondered about this toothpaste conundrum; as the author points out it is in fact one of the important toiletry component if not the most important (for me personally actually it is). I made up a theory that it has to be sourcing problem. Toothpaste is one thing that you don’t hear small supplier making on their own - I get to hear all the time about handcrafted artisan soaps, conditioner, shampoos etc…

But they have already set up manufacturing for such tubes for Hotels in Europe and Asia, so it should only make sense that they would want to sell more of these.

Emirates also supplies a toothbrush and toothpaste on long flights in a nice little toilet bag, even for economy passengers.

These things are everywhere, except apparently American Hotels.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#36

Post by detaro »

achow wrote: post #31
Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #23

A thousand times amen to this. At home I share a tube of toothpaste with my wife: if we go on holiday together, we bring the tube with us. If I'm travelling solo, for business or whatever, then the home toothpaste stays at home, so I need to remember to buy a new tube to take with me. It's the only thing I need to expressly purchase other than the hotel room booking. This can't be that unusual a scenario... can it?

For years I had wondered about this toothpaste conundrum; as the author points out it is in fact one of the important toiletry component if not the most important (for me personally actually it is). I made up a theory that it has to be sourcing problem. Toothpaste is one thing that you don’t hear small supplier making on their own - I get to hear all the time about handcrafted artisan soaps, conditioner, shampoos etc…

But I'd assume most hotels don't source from small-time shops (at least the big chains surely have one supplier nationwide). And at least here in Germany, toothpaste is easily available in small tubes?

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#37

Post by achow »

wodenokoto wrote: post #34
achow wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For years I had wondered about this toothpaste conundrum; as the author points out it is in fact one of the important toiletry component if not the most important (for me personally actually it is). I made up a theory that it has to be sourcing problem. Toothpaste is one thing that you don’t hear small supplier making on their own - I get to hear all the time about handcrafted artisan soaps, conditioner, shampoos etc…

But they have already set up manufacturing for such tubes for Hotels in Europe and Asia, so it should only make sense that they would want to sell more of these. Emirates also supplies a toothbrush and toothpaste on long flights in a nice little toilet bag, even for economy passengers. These things are everywhere, except apparently American Hotels.

I suspect these 'mini sizing' consumer goods trend is reserved for Asia and I guess now Europe.

In USA the marketing strategies of these companies does not include 'Sachet marketing' or mini sizing. And of course importing these small size containers for a niche market in USA would not make sense at all.

[Edit] This blog writes about how the new trend in Europe is 'Right sizing' of packaging.

Smaller is Better as Global Packaging Growth is Shaped by Variation in Pack Sizes. http://blog.euromonitor.com/2016/06/smaller-is-better-as-glo...

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#38

Post by bostonpete »

caseymarquis wrote: post #26
Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #23

A thousand times amen to this. At home I share a tube of toothpaste with my wife: if we go on holiday together, we bring the tube with us. If I'm travelling solo, for business or whatever, then the home toothpaste stays at home, so I need to remember to buy a new tube to take with me. It's the only thing I need to expressly purchase other than the hotel room booking. This can't be that unusual a scenario... can it?

Nope. Same deal. I'd probably pay about $5 more a night in exchange for toothpaste being provided. I'll be on the hunt for Hyatt now that I know it's standard there.

You'd pay $5 more a night to avoid having to buy an extra tube of toothpaste at the store every once in a while?

Sometimes, I feel like I'm so cavalier about spending money that my depression-era grandparents must be rolling in their graves, but then when I see comments like this, it makes me feel much more frugal. ;-)

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#39

Post by mef »

achow wrote: post #37
wodenokoto wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But they have already set up manufacturing for such tubes for Hotels in Europe and Asia, so it should only make sense that they would want to sell more of these. Emirates also supplies a toothbrush and toothpaste on long flights in a nice little toilet bag, even for economy passengers. These things are everywhere, except apparently American Hotels.

I suspect these 'mini sizing' consumer goods trend is reserved for Asia and I guess now Europe. In USA the marketing strategies of these companies does not include 'Sachet marketing' or mini sizing. And of course importing these small size containers for a niche market in USA would not make sense at all. [Edit] This blog writes about how the new trend in Europe is 'Right sizing' of packaging. Smaller is Better as Glo…

You can buy mini travel-size toothpaste in just about any chain drugstore in the US

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#40

Post by ghaff »

caseymarquis wrote: post #26
Doctor_Fegg wrote: post #23

A thousand times amen to this. At home I share a tube of toothpaste with my wife: if we go on holiday together, we bring the tube with us. If I'm travelling solo, for business or whatever, then the home toothpaste stays at home, so I need to remember to buy a new tube to take with me. It's the only thing I need to expressly purchase other than the hotel room booking. This can't be that unusual a scenario... can it?

Nope. Same deal. I'd probably pay about $5 more a night in exchange for toothpaste being provided. I'll be on the hunt for Hyatt now that I know it's standard there.

I travel over 100 nights a year. So go to the drug store and buy a few travel toothpaste tubes for ~$1 each and stick one in with your travel toiletries when you travel?
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