They have literally ignored the fact that close to 80% of collectors polled will not be purchasing the Mommy Dearest doll. They have caused controversy by deleting posts and issuing gag orders.
I don't feel particularly generous towards them at this time due to their methods of dealing with consumers. But, I saw this paragraph in an online magazine and I thought that it would be profoundly helpful for them to change their tune.
I knew when they refused to address the issue of graying and yellowing bodies, they they were digging their own graves.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a shame to see greed and ego get in the way of sound business decisions.
I personally am SELLING my IT dolls, not buying any more. It is just so sad to see them choose to go the route of abusing the consumer. Not a smart business decision!
Nan: Every now and then I think about selling off my IT dolls, too. Problem is, I still have so many I love that have been customized. I still enjoy looking at them and arranging them. Most are more than 3 or 4 years old. The newer ones do not appeal to me except the FR2 but where are they????
DeleteWAIT! This is about Mommy Dearest? IT seems to forget a few things...
ReplyDelete1: Doll collectors stick like glue. Come after Terri Gold and IT will loose half their market.
2: Personally, I've been reading this blog since before articulation, when Veroniqe had straight arms and came in a corset and kimono and we all thought that was something.
3: This is YOUR BLOG!!! You can say whatever you want. Nothing you have said has been libel or offensive. You have a right to opinion. The images of Mommy Dearest are online which make them Common License and you give credit. They are press photos for marketing.
This really is indecent. Why? Because unlike IT whom apparently isn't interest in the collects whom support them, Terri is the first person I bought a resin fashion doll from. She's real... and her reviews matter to me.
Thanks for your comments, Erick.
DeleteThis reminds me of something a friend told me regarding a conversation he had with Jason Wu at a convention. Started out o.k. when he was talking about how he had the very first doll Wu ever did, then when he got to suggesting that maybe they could poll collectors as to what they like, Wumanchu responded with a curt "We don't care what they think!". Anyone in business should have known in such situations you can go two ways: 1) Thank the person for their input and say "We'll definitely consider that for the future", or 2) Say "We're actually very happy the way things are going but thanks for your input".
ReplyDeleteI thank you for your post but please try not to call people names. It degrades your entire comment.
DeleteI think you should post this on Flickr.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteBecause they're still not admitting they made a mistake. I don't even know if you have an account on Flickr come to think of it LOL. If you do, have you been there lately? If you don't then the short story is they made major changes (even when the people beta testing it hated it) with no warning, & 99% of Flickr users hate it.
DeleteOK. Now I understand what you meant. I did see the mess that Flickr made.
DeleteIt is a very good quote and a good policy for any business.
ReplyDeleteAs always love the blog.
Will C.
If you WERE out to get Integrity, there are LEGAL ways to go about it. One of them would be denouncing dictator-like behavior, and encouraging other unhappy collectors to spread the word and boycott Integrity, until sales drop and they straighten up.
ReplyDeleteHowever, of the entries you have posted, you have NOT been encouraging ANYTHING of the sort. Methinks Integrity needs to have a good talking to with their customer relations department, because threatening a loyal customer with concerns, over something posted in a public place has all the makings of something that could cost them dearly.
The internet is a great levelling field, and too many companies have learned painfully expensive lessons in providing respectful customer relations and service. Just ask Bank of America, which lost hundreds of THOUSANDS of accounts in a single day, after contemptuously dismissing angry (non-corporate) customers as "little people."
This is not to say that Integrity should bend over backwards for every single "wounded" customer - honestly, there are some folks who are not pleased by ANYTHING - but it sounds like they really, REALLY need to look up the name of their company again, and rededicate themselves to the letter and spirit of the word "integrity."
With regards to the comment about "WuManchu," - a pun playing on Jason Wu's family name and perceived attitude? - how long has Jason Wu been dealing with American customers? Could it be that particular customer did not understand what might have been meant as a joke on Mr. Wu's part?
I don't know much about Jason Wu, other than he was born overseas. Maybe, within his native culture what he said is perfectly acceptable, meant as a joke, whereas to Americans, he appears rudely dismissive?
Working retail taught me this very quickly. There are very few people who will continue to pay to be ignored, much less disrespected. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteI want to agree with AuntLou. But part of me wonders, is this bullying? Are manufacturers exercising their rights over their brand integrity and thus enforcing restriction to protect intellectual property or are they bullying collectors? This feels like bullying to me. And thus should not be ignored.
ReplyDeleteOther manufacturers don't do this. Robert, George, Doug, Mel, all the smaller guys in Asia, even Superfrock who is pretty hush hush at times. This seems to be an issue exclusive to IT.
Instead of deleting an entire thread critical of the doll and instead of trying to quash dissenting opinion, I.T. should just have issued a statement apologizing for the honest mistake and lack of judgment on this one. Period. Instead they sic their mods on boards deleting comments left and right and entire threads to the point where no one is wanting to comment on it anymore. And if you do then you are a humorless negative sap who doesn't know how to have fun.
ReplyDeleteTransparency and openness in such a case is a far more appealing approach than quashing of opinions and secrecy.
No customers = no sales = no jobs for you.
ReplyDeleteI don't get angry--I just don't buy.
That's MY way of handling being ignored or disrespected.
When Ashton Drake was ignoring collectors about the Gene line's "limited editions" that weren't and the enormous output it would be impossible
to sell, you see what happened. This will be happening to IT soon, too.
Don't waste your time getting angry or irritated. Vote with your purchasing
power which is enormous and buy nothing from anyone who doesn't treat
you with (no put) integrity.
Quoted from anonymous above: "We don't care what they think!"
ReplyDeleteJason should remember that Mitt Romney said something similar about the 47% and look where it got him.
Fugly doll, fugly attitude.
Good article, Huntress!
xoxo
Wenchie
Oh, and I agree with Erick DuPree!
ReplyDeleteWenchie
I guess I missed the whole Mommie Dearest thread were posts were deleted. Can someone inform me why the post were deleted? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteYou might be able to get an idea of the reason if you read all prior comments. Hope that helps.
Delete