7.23.09

I don’t understand why companies release exclusive stuff and keep it exclusive.

Consider this: a company releases something REALLY cool, but only in limited numbers. Then the collectability of the thing goes up and resale value is huge. Does this do ANYTHING for the company? No. This only positively impacts the buyer who is now the seller because he makes more money.

Look at Beanie Babies. They had a few rare ones and the collectability was huge and there was a gargantuan market for these little bean bags and the company did what? They made more of the rare ones. Makes sense. There is no reason someone should be making more on a company’s product than the company, right?

I’m all for releasing something exclusively at first, but then just go ahead and release it. DVDs documenting the construction of custom guitars that only come with the custom multi-thousand dollar guitar. Just go ahead and release it. I bet at 15-20.00 it would sell and the company could see that maybe there’s a small market for this kind of thing. Yep Roc’s cover CD of Reverend Horton Heat songs is an exclusive only included in a fifty dollar limited edition package for the Rev’s new CD. It’s just not practical for me to buy it because 1) I need a real CD case and 2) I DON’T need a shot glass. It just doesn’t make any sense.

I’m bummed though because I DO want to listen to that cover CD.

Anyhoo, it’s silly guys. Stop it. You underestimate the pack rat’s mentality and over estimate their self control.

-Russ