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Pam either selecting 5 unicorns from the batch for ebay or auctioning off top picks to help raise costs
I think the selecting 5 from the batch would work better then auctioning picks. UNLESS forum folks are not shown the batch before hand. Then, auction off the picks, let only the winners see the group photo so they can have their pick. After the picks are done, take a second photo and post that as the class picture. That way, those buying from that GB batch at least know their favorite from the picture has a chance of showing up and won’t be gone to the highest bidder before hand. Really it would work about the same as Pam picking five for ebay. Without the ebay fees =)
I just don’t think it is right to be shown a group photo and have a select few taken out before they ship! I only wanna see ones in a class photo that have a chance (however tiny) of showing up in my mailbox lol.I think that’s a pretty good idea, really. Take a class photo, auction off the top picks thing, then take a new class photo before after those are taken out.
Then you don’t even know what you might have missed. 🙂
I think that’s a pretty good idea, really. Take a class photo, auction off the top picks thing, then take a new class photo before after those are taken out.
Then you don’t even know what you might have missed. 🙂
I agree.
Here’s the thing. I kind of think Windstone gets the short end of the stick on grab bags. They are a lot of work. They keep Melody from painting for ebay or sculpting. They are stressful for the service team due to the complications on the site, and they require the packers to put in lots of extra hours to put out a 100 items in the time they might normally ship 20.
This! Guys, when I actively worked for Windstone, I can tell you that I HATED!!!! it when grab bags came out. They are stressful and don’t actually raise the company terribly much money. I know others in the factory disliked it when grab bags came out, too, but I won’t speak for them.
Why do grab bags at all? ‘Cause you guys love them, and as we said in the ‘thank you’ post, Windstone does care about the collectors. A great deal!So you can understand my and Kiya’s frustrations when people seem to be upset at the idea that 5 out of over a hundred unicorns getting picked off of eBay in an effort to offset some critical costs at the factory. Windstone does a lot to help us, why can’t we approve of helping them ONCE? No one said this would happen with every batch, for goodness sakes.
This sort of selflessness by some (NOT ALL!) is one reason I quit as a mod.
/rant.
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comI think that’s a pretty good idea, really. Take a class photo, auction off the top picks thing, then take a new class photo before after those are taken out.
Then you don’t even know what you might have missed. 🙂
+1, I vote for this.
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comFirst I want to say that I am very glad that the camera and monitor are sick, but Pam is OK! The slow pace of items going into ebay and the store had me worried.
I am in favor of Windstone getting the cash they need however is best for them. The suggestion of letting the auction winners see a group photo and make picks before the “official” class photo is taken is a good one. I don’t think it would spoil the grab bag for everybody else. Tastes vary, and experience shows that judging favorites from a group photo isn’t always reliable either!
Melody’s talents could be employed more profitably by painting pieces for ebay and (I think) by creating new sculptures. Grab bags are a bonus for us. They are a sure seller and bring a quick infusion of cash, but getting a bit more income from them would be good for the company.
Melody’s talents could be employed more profitably by painting pieces for ebay and (I think) by creating new sculptures. Grab bags are a bonus for us. They are a sure seller and bring a quick infusion of cash, but getting a bit more income from them would be good for the company.
Grab bags might bring in money (less than you think) but their purpose is actually to give the collectors a fun item, that is unique, painted by Melody, at a price that many of us can afford (instead of sky high auction prices), and trade-able with one another. 🙂
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comSo you can understand my and Kiya’s frustrations when people seem to be upset at the idea that 5 out of over a hundred unicorns getting picked off of eBay in an effort to offset some critical costs at the factory. Windstone does a lot to help us, why can’t we approve of helping them ONCE? No one said this would happen with every batch, for goodness sakes.
This sort of selflessness by some (NOT ALL!) is one reason I quit as a mod.
/rant.
I’m not sure where you are seeing people getting upset about this – I certainly am not and I haven’t read any other responses as particularly upset either – just expressing an opinion.
I was asked my opinion and I gave it. I care about Windstone as much as the next guy, but when it comes to business decisions and we are asked an opinion question, I don’t see why everyone should default to siding with “what’s best for the company”. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but how are any of us to know anything about what Windstone makes on their products, their budget, or what kind of hardware they need to buy? I assumed that Pam was looking for our opinions as customers, and that’s what I gave.
Again, I am not upset about the idea but I will stick by my initial reaction – as a customer who has NO IDEA what Windstone makes, how much profit they get from things, what’s a pain to do and what isn’t, etc – I do not like the idea of it. That’s all.
Commission spots are currently closed! Please message me for details.
Please visit My Webpage to see my art and PYO's that I've done in the past!Actually, the way I had it going in my head, there would be class pictures of the unicorns ONLY in the auctions. So, you could bid knowing exactly which one you want. Then after the 5 picks are done, a new class picture could be taken for the blog or wherever those things are posted. So, if you didnt want to know which unicorn you might not be getting, you would just need to avoid the auctions 🙂 The picks would probably have to occur as the unicorns are being finished (just having eyes/jewels/horns put in). Melody wants them put in the store as soon as they are all done, and the picks would have to happen before that (unless I picked 5 myself).
Just an FYI, once again, none of these ideas are John-approved so whether anything will happen or not, I don’t know. I was just interested to know what people’s initial reactions were.
Another question I dont think has been raised –
How would this work as far as the 1 per person rule? Could one person win all 5 auctions and then be allowed to get their 5 favorite unis from the batch?Commission spots are currently closed! Please message me for details.
Please visit My Webpage to see my art and PYO's that I've done in the past!I like the grab bag auction idea. I cannot afford to participate, but I don’t mind loosing a chance at 5 out of the 140 available. I have never seen a batch of gbs with only five pieces worth owning. I know someone who can participate and likely would, and it gives those people a who love one particular piece out of a batch a chance to win that one particular piece.
I like the custom young to match your baby auction idea a whole, whole lot! Or make this an option in the Special Items section of the store…Do one custom piece a month or something? That way I could save up until I had a piece to match my baby.
You might also think about doing something like this with poads. I know people who would pay a lot to have an adult poad which matched their gb poad.
Something else Windstone might consider is a special auction for some of the pieces that aren’t standard production yet. I won one of the red foxes, and people contact me about it regularly. I am not interested in selling or trading mine, but I know there is a market out there for them. Mass producing them may not be feasible yet, but a small number for a special auction might be do-able for the painters?
I don’t mind the picking out however you all want before the class picture and auctioning them off. I would like all the ones in the class picture to be available for a chance in the grab bag offer.
It would be awesome if Melody would raffle or grab bag off a commission now and then. The terms could be as loose or specific as she wanted to deal with.
-- Angie
I think the problem with a grab bag commission to match another grab bag item is that the chances are high something would be different between the two items. Many of us would be fine with small variances in color and pattern, but there are some people who are super picky. It puts Melody in a tight spot if the person who paid for her to paint whatever ends up not liking it. Does she keep painting new ones until they’re happy? Or risk a really unhappy customer who just paid a lot to get a special item?
I think commissions are just way more than Windstone can or should take on at this point in time.
However, maybe Melody could pick some of the patterns from the grab bags and then paint them in a complementary sculpt (young unicorn, adult poad, etc) and post them to ebay/the special store. Not commissioned and you see them before you bid on them – but at least then sets might be possible.
Though, this is probably off topic for the discussion at hand! 🙂
Another question I dont think has been raised –
How would this work as far as the 1 per person rule? Could one person win all 5 auctions and then be allowed to get their 5 favorite unis from the batch?I would imagine so, yes. Especially if they action them off on ebay – there isn’t really a way to prevent the same person from buying them I don’t think. It’s not really any different than someone with a lot of money paying to get their favorites after market except Windstone gets the profit rather than a collector.
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