Hope everyone is having a great summer. I would like to hear from all of you about what conventions you may have attended - Barbie just finished up, and IFDC is quickly approaching. The FR Con is coming this fall, and I will be attending. So in the meantime, fill me in on what's going on in your corner of the world!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Has the Dust Settled?
So, it's been over a week since Integrity Toys unveiled their new lines. The webinar had something for everyone and I think there was some good dolls, some ok dolls and a few that just left me wondering why they even did that doll. My least favorite doll was Perry- I like the idea of seeing Perry in the line up, but I am hoping he is a doll that is much better in real life because I didn't like his promo pics. I am also hoping that some of the dolls do not come stained. A few have hair lines I hope to do not come crooked.
I think that as time has gone on, improvement has come to the preorder process. Newer collectors may not realize that back in the day when FRs were announced, it was just a crazy scramble- there was no official fan club like the W Club to have webinars with confidential time periods in place and where club members can get confidential information before the general public!
I do not think it matters what method of preorder a dealer uses, their allocation can not meet the demand at times, and that is the allure of Integrity Toys. Demand>Supply, pure and simple. In the past few years, IT has broadened their offerings in terms of depth of lines and quantities of items offered. I think this is good, as it gives collectors choices, but I always worry that quality control is suffering due to all the product being produced.
I understand the hunt for the doll is draining. And very frustrating. For everybody. I do not envy current dealers, it is not easy to go thru several hundred emails and try to make everyone happy. Nor is it fun for a collector to wait for word back from dealers they have contacted.
I wish there was a better method but I do not know what would work. I always hear from collectors that dealers need this or that, ie a website with inventory control or more bandwith. Or maybe IT needs to make more dolls. Or maybe IT needs to preview all the dolls and then take orders based on preorders - that would be a nightmare as manufacturers operate on a tight schedule to manufacture product and most companies plan far in advance (it can take a year or more from the initial concept design to finished product).
The bottom line is that the doll collecting arena is truly a game. And I am not making light of that, I say that in true sincerity. There is product offered, and then the hunt is on. For some, it's the thrill of the hunt. Some collectors are successful, while others are not. It is not fair but then again, life is not fair. I hope that once the dolls actually start to arrive that people who did miss out on a preorder can find the doll they want at a reasonable price- keep your eyes open and check the message boards. Some collectors will resell at reasonable prices or even entertain trades.
What are your likes and dislikes in the new lines?
Any characters you wanted to see but they didn't appear in this offering?
I think that as time has gone on, improvement has come to the preorder process. Newer collectors may not realize that back in the day when FRs were announced, it was just a crazy scramble- there was no official fan club like the W Club to have webinars with confidential time periods in place and where club members can get confidential information before the general public!
I do not think it matters what method of preorder a dealer uses, their allocation can not meet the demand at times, and that is the allure of Integrity Toys. Demand>Supply, pure and simple. In the past few years, IT has broadened their offerings in terms of depth of lines and quantities of items offered. I think this is good, as it gives collectors choices, but I always worry that quality control is suffering due to all the product being produced.
I understand the hunt for the doll is draining. And very frustrating. For everybody. I do not envy current dealers, it is not easy to go thru several hundred emails and try to make everyone happy. Nor is it fun for a collector to wait for word back from dealers they have contacted.
I wish there was a better method but I do not know what would work. I always hear from collectors that dealers need this or that, ie a website with inventory control or more bandwith. Or maybe IT needs to make more dolls. Or maybe IT needs to preview all the dolls and then take orders based on preorders - that would be a nightmare as manufacturers operate on a tight schedule to manufacture product and most companies plan far in advance (it can take a year or more from the initial concept design to finished product).
The bottom line is that the doll collecting arena is truly a game. And I am not making light of that, I say that in true sincerity. There is product offered, and then the hunt is on. For some, it's the thrill of the hunt. Some collectors are successful, while others are not. It is not fair but then again, life is not fair. I hope that once the dolls actually start to arrive that people who did miss out on a preorder can find the doll they want at a reasonable price- keep your eyes open and check the message boards. Some collectors will resell at reasonable prices or even entertain trades.
What are your likes and dislikes in the new lines?
Any characters you wanted to see but they didn't appear in this offering?
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Randall Craig Exclusives
One of my first exclusives was a fashion done by Randall Craig. I first came across Randall Craig in 2004. He was a young designer at the time, and he was known for his fabulous knit sweater sets done in a variety of colors. He then began producing his 12" fashion collections and furniture followed too.
In 2007, he did an exclusive fashion for my shop called Retro Flair. It was a limited edition of 150 pieces and retailed for $46.00.
In 2009, Randall did another exclusive fashion for my store, called Lady Day. It was a limited edition of 75 and retailed for $58.00.
Both fashions sold out fairly quickly and I was proud of the work that Randall put into both fashions.
Randall is still producing and manufacturing collections and I believe he will have new items later this year. Please bookmark his site and check it out if you aren't familiar with him. Randall Craig RTW
It has been a pleasure to see Randall continue to grow as a designer over the past several years. I wish him all the best as he continues designing future collections and I look forward to seeing the new things he has in store for collectors.
In 2007, he did an exclusive fashion for my shop called Retro Flair. It was a limited edition of 150 pieces and retailed for $46.00.
In 2009, Randall did another exclusive fashion for my store, called Lady Day. It was a limited edition of 75 and retailed for $58.00.
Both fashions sold out fairly quickly and I was proud of the work that Randall put into both fashions.
Randall is still producing and manufacturing collections and I believe he will have new items later this year. Please bookmark his site and check it out if you aren't familiar with him. Randall Craig RTW
It has been a pleasure to see Randall continue to grow as a designer over the past several years. I wish him all the best as he continues designing future collections and I look forward to seeing the new things he has in store for collectors.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
BFC & WClub & New Dealers
Just a reminder for all BFC(Barbie Fan Club) Members- today is the last day to use your first quarter reward! Head on over to Barbie collector and go shopping if you haven't already done so!
And W Club members, remember today is the day for the unveiling! I know that the Liaisons and Integrity Toys designers do work hard on this presentation and I am looking forward to seeing what else is coming this year.
Also, there were 2 more new IT dealers added this week, and since I have gotten out of selling, IT has added 5 new dealers.
This is MY theory on the addition of new dealers- If IT is expanding their number of dealers then current dealers may be giving back some of their allocations on the less desirable dolls. By adding new dealers, IT is guaranteeing their sales - more dealers equals more wholesale sales. Remember that I stated in a previous post that dealers are the main customers of a company, not necessarily collectors. The chain is usually manufacturer/company >dealer >collector. I believe this is just a pure accounting move on the part of IT to make sales and generate money for themselves. After all, IT has bills to pay. If product is sitting in their warehouses, they are not making any money.
I am wondering what is next though- will we see more dealers added or will we see more direct exclusive sales? Thoughts?
And W Club members, remember today is the day for the unveiling! I know that the Liaisons and Integrity Toys designers do work hard on this presentation and I am looking forward to seeing what else is coming this year.
Also, there were 2 more new IT dealers added this week, and since I have gotten out of selling, IT has added 5 new dealers.
This is MY theory on the addition of new dealers- If IT is expanding their number of dealers then current dealers may be giving back some of their allocations on the less desirable dolls. By adding new dealers, IT is guaranteeing their sales - more dealers equals more wholesale sales. Remember that I stated in a previous post that dealers are the main customers of a company, not necessarily collectors. The chain is usually manufacturer/company >dealer >collector. I believe this is just a pure accounting move on the part of IT to make sales and generate money for themselves. After all, IT has bills to pay. If product is sitting in their warehouses, they are not making any money.
I am wondering what is next though- will we see more dealers added or will we see more direct exclusive sales? Thoughts?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Frustration
I am going thru my dolls I am thinking of selling off as I have some doubles and triples and most of every FR made in the early years. My collection is much bigger than I realized. I had always displayed the first 2 years of dolls so new collectors could see them. They were never touched or handled by the public, never played with. I am grateful I held onto these dolls. Then I really begin examining each doll. Some are display dolls, while others are NRFB and have always been stored in a climate controlled environment, smoke free and pet free.
I have heard stories about cracked necks and splits. My dolls are showing their age and I am frustrated at how carefully I took care of these dolls and just how poorly they have held up these past 10 years. It is sheer frustration I am feeling right now, and I know almost all of you can understand where I am coming from at this moment.
I guess what is getting to me is the fact that after all these years, and all these product changes, the quality control seems to still be waning. Sure the company has addressed QC issues over the years, but only after public outcry reached a fevered pitch. Even then, why can we not see a better manufactured doll body & face? WHY? This is just like anything in life- continually strive to make it better and be the best! I have heard the older replacement bodies have turned color and so now I am wondering when, not if, but when the newest replacement bodies I have in hand will turn. UGH! I do understand the manufacturing process in China, but I don't think many collectors really care about that..it's the end product that customers want and care about and not the means of production.
A few years ago, I remember one collector cutting an FR body open and finding a nut in the middle of the torso. That nut served no purpose other than giving the feeling of weight to the doll. I think back to when the decision was made to articulate the dolls and that was a welcome change. Then the following the year, the dolls were made a bit taller, so another new articulated body was introduced. And then other body types and skin tones were introduced.
I remember CrackGate - when the Pompadour collection was released and the bodies had splits on them. And then it was MoldGate about 2 years ago, when a few dolls arrived and had mold issues. After MoldGate I was pretty upset- even after returning dolls to the manufacturer, I was sent replacement dolls that had slight mold on the shoulder tops of the outfit. It was very discouraging and my husband said that we will just get rid of the moldy dolls and write them off as a loss. And once the news got out about which dolls were found to have mold, it basically killed good sales on those dolls - but what did it matter to the company when they already had my dealer payment? You see, you must pay up front with this company so it's not like I could hold back payment. That is when my private thinking about some things started to really go in another direction, and I really began questioning just where the integrity is in that company.
I guess what is disheartening is what will be left of the dolls I am keeping. It's not like they are going to last long so my daughters can keep them.
Will they just disintegrate?
Does quality control issues affect your collecting? Or do you just get sucked in and buy the doll anyways?
I have heard stories about cracked necks and splits. My dolls are showing their age and I am frustrated at how carefully I took care of these dolls and just how poorly they have held up these past 10 years. It is sheer frustration I am feeling right now, and I know almost all of you can understand where I am coming from at this moment.
I guess what is getting to me is the fact that after all these years, and all these product changes, the quality control seems to still be waning. Sure the company has addressed QC issues over the years, but only after public outcry reached a fevered pitch. Even then, why can we not see a better manufactured doll body & face? WHY? This is just like anything in life- continually strive to make it better and be the best! I have heard the older replacement bodies have turned color and so now I am wondering when, not if, but when the newest replacement bodies I have in hand will turn. UGH! I do understand the manufacturing process in China, but I don't think many collectors really care about that..it's the end product that customers want and care about and not the means of production.
A few years ago, I remember one collector cutting an FR body open and finding a nut in the middle of the torso. That nut served no purpose other than giving the feeling of weight to the doll. I think back to when the decision was made to articulate the dolls and that was a welcome change. Then the following the year, the dolls were made a bit taller, so another new articulated body was introduced. And then other body types and skin tones were introduced.
I remember CrackGate - when the Pompadour collection was released and the bodies had splits on them. And then it was MoldGate about 2 years ago, when a few dolls arrived and had mold issues. After MoldGate I was pretty upset- even after returning dolls to the manufacturer, I was sent replacement dolls that had slight mold on the shoulder tops of the outfit. It was very discouraging and my husband said that we will just get rid of the moldy dolls and write them off as a loss. And once the news got out about which dolls were found to have mold, it basically killed good sales on those dolls - but what did it matter to the company when they already had my dealer payment? You see, you must pay up front with this company so it's not like I could hold back payment. That is when my private thinking about some things started to really go in another direction, and I really began questioning just where the integrity is in that company.
I guess what is disheartening is what will be left of the dolls I am keeping. It's not like they are going to last long so my daughters can keep them.
Will they just disintegrate?
Does quality control issues affect your collecting? Or do you just get sucked in and buy the doll anyways?
Monday, March 19, 2012
In the Beginning
I am a collector by nature... I remember playing with my Barbies while growing up in the early 1970s. As most kids growing up, I put away most of my kid things and they were packed away once I became a teenager. After college it was all about working and making money. I am a trained behavior counselor and spent my time working with girls at a private boarding school for several years. That was fun, but then I got married and wanted to switch gears, so I ended up with a job in a local social service agency working with underprivileged kids, pregnant and parenting teens, and also kids in the juvenile probation system. I did ok, but I started gravitating towards the collector Barbie dolls that Mattel was putting out in the early to mid 1990s. Suddenly that little girl inside of me was awakened and I wanted to play. It was a good stress reliever for me, as social service work is very demanding and draining.
All things came to a head when I suffered a personal tragedy in early 1998 and I had to take a few months off work. I couldn't go back and do my job right, I was known to deal with the toughest cases, the cases that would make most people cry because these are the kids that society labels and basically wants to throw away... I lost my edge with the kids. I wasn't burned out, but after what had happened to me, my outlook changed. I couldn't go back no matter what the offer was, and so there I was with a few collector Barbies staring at me. I decided I wanted to focus more on dolls. Dolls wouldn't talk back or be disrespectful. Dolls didn't require a treatment plan. Dolls were my escape. Suddenly I found myself wheeling and dealing and was able to buy a few of one doll in order to pay for the doll I really wanted to keep in my collection. I was doing ok, but I wanted more and after many lengthy conversations with my husband, I took the next step and decided I would be a doll dealer. Luckily my husband is a CPA, so he knew what I needed to get started in business. From there, I contacted companies and moved forward. Things just fell into place. I got a website created and I was able to slowly build a customer base.
All of this happened in the mid to late 1990s. It wasn't a quick process.. it took several years to work up to. Also, part of what helped was finding a good retail location... as I lovingly called my place a "hole in the wall"... it was no frills. But it served the purpose because most companies require you to have a commercial retail space and want proof via pictures, copies of a lease, utility bills, etc. In addition, you must provide a copy of your sales tax license from your respective state, and this is that pesky piece of paper which tells me I must collect sales tax on every purchase made in the shop and/or shipped to an address within the state of Pennsylvania.
Early on, a few companies required business references and I was told to go sell other collectibles, even it's their competition, they needed references. It took me awhile, but I did manage to sell most of the main fashion doll lines. I haven't been to Toy Fair in a few years, so I am not sure how companies are signing up new dealers. I am sure things may have changed since I first signed on with different companies.
In the next post, I will mention how things changed over the years......in the meantime, please keep playing dolls, dressing and redressing, and making dioramas. I am grateful that my parents kept my original Barbie airplane, huge motorhome, mod Barbies, and all the home made clothes my cousin made so my dolls would match my outfit back in the day! :-)
All things came to a head when I suffered a personal tragedy in early 1998 and I had to take a few months off work. I couldn't go back and do my job right, I was known to deal with the toughest cases, the cases that would make most people cry because these are the kids that society labels and basically wants to throw away... I lost my edge with the kids. I wasn't burned out, but after what had happened to me, my outlook changed. I couldn't go back no matter what the offer was, and so there I was with a few collector Barbies staring at me. I decided I wanted to focus more on dolls. Dolls wouldn't talk back or be disrespectful. Dolls didn't require a treatment plan. Dolls were my escape. Suddenly I found myself wheeling and dealing and was able to buy a few of one doll in order to pay for the doll I really wanted to keep in my collection. I was doing ok, but I wanted more and after many lengthy conversations with my husband, I took the next step and decided I would be a doll dealer. Luckily my husband is a CPA, so he knew what I needed to get started in business. From there, I contacted companies and moved forward. Things just fell into place. I got a website created and I was able to slowly build a customer base.
All of this happened in the mid to late 1990s. It wasn't a quick process.. it took several years to work up to. Also, part of what helped was finding a good retail location... as I lovingly called my place a "hole in the wall"... it was no frills. But it served the purpose because most companies require you to have a commercial retail space and want proof via pictures, copies of a lease, utility bills, etc. In addition, you must provide a copy of your sales tax license from your respective state, and this is that pesky piece of paper which tells me I must collect sales tax on every purchase made in the shop and/or shipped to an address within the state of Pennsylvania.
Early on, a few companies required business references and I was told to go sell other collectibles, even it's their competition, they needed references. It took me awhile, but I did manage to sell most of the main fashion doll lines. I haven't been to Toy Fair in a few years, so I am not sure how companies are signing up new dealers. I am sure things may have changed since I first signed on with different companies.
In the next post, I will mention how things changed over the years......in the meantime, please keep playing dolls, dressing and redressing, and making dioramas. I am grateful that my parents kept my original Barbie airplane, huge motorhome, mod Barbies, and all the home made clothes my cousin made so my dolls would match my outfit back in the day! :-)
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Pricing
Many people may not understand that one big factor in retail is the wholesale to retail split, meaning that as a dealer I paid wholesale prices and then sold dolls above that. When I started out, most companies offered a 50/50 split and that was very good. A doll that retailed for $100.00 would cost me $50.00 wholesale. A few years into it, and one company really took off. One day, without much warning, the wholesale split shot up to 70/30. This meant that if a doll had a suggested retail of $100.00, I paid $70.00 wholesale. Not much room for profit, but the dolls were selling and other dealers wanted in on the action. Slowly other manufacturers followed suit and the wholesale pricing has hovered around 70/30.
Over the years I got very tired of hearing customers say that dealers were greedy. We are NOT greedy. Some dealers sold items over MRSP- manufacturers suggested retail price. As a customer, a person has to understand that MRSP is suggested and a manufacturer cannot set a price and force dealers to sell at that price, that would be illegal. It always made me mad to see customers get so angry at paying over suggested retail but never complaining when they paid under suggested retail because the dealer usually lost money on sale prices.
Also, the wholesale pricing does not include shipping from the manufacturer. Then add in the cost of running a retail space which can include rent and/or a mortgage, utilities, business insurance, local fees for having a business license, cost of inventory, packing supplies, etc. Now that wholesale split feels more like a 20% retail discount, doesn't it.
I mention this dry explanation as a way for everyone to gain a better understanding of where things currently are.... not every company is at 70/30, but several are. Please remember that current dealers are being squeezed very badly by certain companies and are being forced to take everything that is offered or risk losing their dealership. There have been veiled threats over the years by manufacturers, of course if you ask anyone at the companies they would deny doing anything like that.
You see, the dealer is the main customer of a doll manufacturer, not the retail customer. Dealers spend alot of money to buy products we think collectors want. We take a risk with hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Some companies allow dealers to order while one company stopped taking orders and started allocating product many years ago. And manufacturers started selling more direct dolls than ever before, almost like cherry picking their own best dolls and keeping all the money for themselves while dealers were stuck taking what was in the regular line while not really being able to speak out.
The bottom line is that current dealers are being squeezed.. please be kind and try to spread your dolly business around to the dealers. They need your support more than ever and I give all current dealers a special shout out as they continue to sell during this tough economic time. Sometimes the pricing is not good and it is not their fault. Dealers will mark up above suggested retail or bundle items together...these are all just tools to help them move inventory and make money to pay their bills and also make a living, not to be greedy or mean to collectors.
What are your thoughts about the pricing?
Over the years I got very tired of hearing customers say that dealers were greedy. We are NOT greedy. Some dealers sold items over MRSP- manufacturers suggested retail price. As a customer, a person has to understand that MRSP is suggested and a manufacturer cannot set a price and force dealers to sell at that price, that would be illegal. It always made me mad to see customers get so angry at paying over suggested retail but never complaining when they paid under suggested retail because the dealer usually lost money on sale prices.
Also, the wholesale pricing does not include shipping from the manufacturer. Then add in the cost of running a retail space which can include rent and/or a mortgage, utilities, business insurance, local fees for having a business license, cost of inventory, packing supplies, etc. Now that wholesale split feels more like a 20% retail discount, doesn't it.
I mention this dry explanation as a way for everyone to gain a better understanding of where things currently are.... not every company is at 70/30, but several are. Please remember that current dealers are being squeezed very badly by certain companies and are being forced to take everything that is offered or risk losing their dealership. There have been veiled threats over the years by manufacturers, of course if you ask anyone at the companies they would deny doing anything like that.
You see, the dealer is the main customer of a doll manufacturer, not the retail customer. Dealers spend alot of money to buy products we think collectors want. We take a risk with hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Some companies allow dealers to order while one company stopped taking orders and started allocating product many years ago. And manufacturers started selling more direct dolls than ever before, almost like cherry picking their own best dolls and keeping all the money for themselves while dealers were stuck taking what was in the regular line while not really being able to speak out.
The bottom line is that current dealers are being squeezed.. please be kind and try to spread your dolly business around to the dealers. They need your support more than ever and I give all current dealers a special shout out as they continue to sell during this tough economic time. Sometimes the pricing is not good and it is not their fault. Dealers will mark up above suggested retail or bundle items together...these are all just tools to help them move inventory and make money to pay their bills and also make a living, not to be greedy or mean to collectors.
What are your thoughts about the pricing?
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