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!
Showing posts with label Fashion Royalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fashion Royalty. Show all posts
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?
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