I used to work near a shopping center in Seattle where Glassybaby had recently opened up a shop. I thought to myself, “Wow, a store selling nothing but glass votive candle holders for $44 a pop. Yeah, that’ll stay in business :rolleyes:.” Granted, they’re all handmade, but I’d expect handmade glass at that price to be much more functional. Then I heard they had one other store in Seattle, another in Bellevue, and one more opening in New York City!
Yes, a big part of the company is the cancer survival story of the founder and how they donate 10% of revenue to charities. And yes, an appearance on Martha Stewart definitely boosted sales and recognition, to a point where Jeff Bezos decided to buy a 22% stake in the company. But with all that said, I have a hard time understanding how this is a profitable, much less successful company. Who’s dropping $44 on a little glass bowl to hold a candle?
The same people who pay $25 a pop for stinky candles is my guess.
Or $75 for individual beads, God help me.
People who decide that what they want to do is collect blown glass votive holders. I happen to collect hand blown glass Christmas ornaments, so I get it.
I don’t get a lot of things people collect. There are thousands of dollars worth of Magic cards and comic books in the basement, some never read or played with…don’t get it. My brother in law spent a while collecting trains…don’t get it. I’ve seen people drop hundred on “collectible figurines” of their favorite video game/anime/comic book/media characters. I know people who collect coins, or stamps, or beanie babies.
This is their thing. One of the reasons I collect Christmas ornaments (and I have one of those expensive bead charm bracelets as well) is that it gives people a really easy gift to buy me. And that is some of it as well. (one of the reasons it those two things and not little hand blown votive holders is that charms fit in a jewelry box and Christmas ornaments are out for one month every year - I like that sort of thing, but not enough to dust it).
- They are handmade locally (Glassblowing has a bit of following in Seattle, certainly). But this effectviely means that you are supporting a local business and not an imported, mass-produced candle or cup or bowl or however you choose to use it.
0.5. They donate not only to cancer research but help in other local fundraisers for schools, etc. by providing centerpieces/lighting at very much cheaper price that can then be purchased to raise funds for the organization.
- Each is unique
- One is never enough
- They match each other and can move through the year/seasons/holidays with different combinations of colors
- They encourage people to “test drive” their candles in the store
- They record your name and your colors so that other people can give you matching colors or know if you already have a color
Some things of uniqueness and beauty, one just connects with. I ate last summer at Da Fiore in Venice and they had the most amazing WATER GLASSES with each being clear glass with colored glass ornamentation like stripes, swirls, circles, but every color combination and glass was absolutely at the whim of the glass blower. We looked and looked for similar glasses throughout Venezia and Murano and finally found them- 140 Euros EACH. If we didn’t have kids and could trust that they would survive, we would have purchased a set of 2 or 4 as they were truly beautiful.
So I think you haven’t connected with Glassybaby, but surely something has had some “unnatural pull” over you before?
The other thing to remember with companies is that there are a lot of people out there with disposable income and a “need” to spend it - and that market can be a great niche if you manage to get a foothold. There are lots of people struggling, but the top 5-10% can afford $44 for a blown glass votive holder without blinking. They can go spend $400 on a purse or shoes. Or $120 for a round of golf. If something becomes trendy - like glassybaby - they will box up the Llardo from three years ago and put up a lovely collection of glassybabies.