Friday, April 30, 2021

Tapping Out

I was having a pretty good birthday until I got home and found out about this:

No, not this one either. I don’t even know what to say any more. 

I do not live on the Internet. I am not on Facebook. I am telephonophobic and only use my phone when absolutely necessary; in fact, most of the time I don’t even know where it is. 

(FYI: I did get a new phone for my birthday; we’ll see how that goes.)

It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because I was literally on my way to work while Slyder dropped; even when I do manage to remember to have my phone on me, I never answer it in the car because I am not that great a driver and I can’t afford the distraction.

The only bit of luck I’ve had was the BreyerFest VIP Ticket drawing, which was a good thing because the way the remainder of those tickets were sold I wouldn’t have been able to get one. 

Oh, and Puffin, but she was passed along to someone who wanted her more. 

But this release was something I was actually looking forward to; the Special Run Gunner has been a lower-end item on my grail list for a while now (price, it’s always about the price) and I was excited about the possibility of something in this mold in glossy. 

Look, you know I’m a diehard: you’d be hard pressed to find someone who lives a more “Breyer Life” than me. 

But I’ve just about had it with this Collector’s Club nonsense. I’m tired of clicking on links and only seeing the “Sold Out” tag. It’s just like those wait lists I hear about that I’m pretty sure are also almost entirely imaginary. 

If you’ve almost lost me, you’ve definitely lost others with far less patience and access.

I have a life beyond the Internet and there’s no way I am sacrificing any part of it to play this game.

The money I was allocating for this has already been spent elsewhere. (No, not a guitar. Not yet.) 

Whether I bother clicking on any other Collector’s Club Exclusive Offers going forward remains to be seen, especially since the entire exercise this year has been almost entirely moot anyway. I’ll just save my cash and splurge on something vintage instead. 

10 comments:

timaru star ii said...

I don't live on the Web either; I don't even own a smartphone. I put my faith in the secondary market: Anything I have to have, I can eventually find there. I use the extra time it takes to make sure it's a horse I truly want: does he stand the test of time. You could always network with friends to try and cover likely releases for each other; that's how the real-life BFest SRs worked. Prices? That's always been a factor. It forces me to focus on just my favorites. Boycott: the heavy artillery. It's how I'm dealing with Stones. Anything I truly can't afford, I can truthfully say I don't want.

Holly Harris said...

What a bummer; the Slyders are so cute! One of the rare Gambler's Choice selections where I would have been happy with any of the offerings I received. I considered joining the CC; but I had suspicions that my experience would be similar to what has been happening to you. I wholeheartedly sympathize with you. It's amazing to me how intense the hobby has become just in the last five years. I'm thinking that this is just a trend and the bubble bursts soon. I hope we can have a live BF in 2022......more for the room sales at the Clarion than anything else.

Kaivala said...

Didnt even get an email after it sold out like I usually do. Definitely will be reconsidering model horse hobby entirely. Stones horses are just not reachable in price range anymore and the breyers well at least the premiers you don't have a 2 second window to order

Anonymous said...

The hobby is booming right now. Lots of new collectors. I guess I don't see this as a bad thing.

bubbasmom said...

Well, I've been refraining from buying except on the secondary market. I just can't support Breyer when they give money to the Humane Society of the US (aka H$U$). H$U$ got yet another "D" rating from Charity Watchdog, their CEO was fired a couple of years ago for sexual harassment, and the list goes on.

So for now I'm sticking to the secondary market, especially vintage. Fortunately, I've been able to snag some nice horses at decent prices. And honestly, I like the vintage ones better!

Anonymous said...

I will forever love the Humane Society. If not for them I wouldn't have had some of my best friends I adopted from them.

bubbasmom said...

@Anonymous: you didn't get your pets from the H$U$, which doesn't run a single shelter. You got them from a local organization, one of the many who are "down in the trenches" doing the real work. I support them 100%.

Little Black Car said...

If they're not going to have enough for all CC memberships they should do it by lottery draw after a given date. I'm in the CC only because I have to be to sign up for the Stablemate Club (eyeroll); I think I've only bought two actual CC horses--the Classic Swaps and Classic rearing mustang.

Salem said...

Testify, sister. :`(

Corky said...

I think like a lot of companies right now, Breyer is probably hurting for cashflow, and they know by dropping a near-constant stream of OMG EXCLUSIVEZ they can get lots of cash fast. The current trend of extremely high prices on the secondary market is indeed disheartening, but I have the ability to wait for something I really want. (For instance, in January 2020 I was able to score a beautiful Jasmine that I straight-up traded for at a live show. That was definitely a case of "right place, right time.")