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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryStrategy & FrameworksRazor and Blades Model

Strategy & Frameworks

Razor and Blades Model

Selling a base product cheaply and profiting from recurring consumables or add-ons, an approach popularly associated with Gillette.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The razor and blades model is a business strategy of selling a base product cheaply and profiting from recurring consumables or add-ons. It is popularly associated with Gillette. Printers and ink, and game consoles and games, are often cited examples. It depends on customers being locked into compatible consumables.