 |
| Crown Top Hat |
Its easy to see why so many people like to buy from artists and indie-crafters. For starters, you have the opportunity to own something that has been hand crafted, and even if they make more than one based on the same concept, each piece will be unique, and we like that. We like knowing we are walking around town wearing the only Crown Top Hat , or an incredibly unique amethyst ring. Its nice knowing that this "whatever-great-thing-it-is" you just bought has been carefully thought about. Now, thats not to say that those working for big corps don't think about the designs. That would be a painfully false statement. However, at what point do intentions factor in. Those big corp guys are sitting around thinking of how they can sell you an item, to improve numbers and impress the big boss, and who knows.. maybe even get a raise. With this as their motivations its easy to see why they hold meetings to discuss how quickly something can break without it being too soon as to piss off the customer, but will still leave the customer motivated to come back and buy yet another "insert-item-here" that is programed to break
 |
| Amethyst Ring |
after "insert-number-of-uses-here". With these motivations its easy to see how these companies can be willing to use subliminal advertising. This is the big contrast to artists and indie-crafters on the whole. Artists and indie-crafters, for the most part, sit around thinking about creating a beautiful piece... not just "pretty" enough that they can use it to make you feel inferior and like you aren't cool/hip/like-able/part-of-the-club without it. No. Instead they want to create beautiful items and probably spend more time than they would ever like to admit thinking about you. The person buying their goods, and getting giddy and excited thinking about you opening up your package and the joy you will feel having this hand crafted creation in your life. Now, either way, you can own something new. Its your choice, but what better way to spend your dollar than saying you'd rather support artist who genuinely want to bring something beautiful into your life for the happiness it will bring you as opposed to supporting someone who wants you to continue to consume without ever feeling satisfied so you will continue to buy their preprogramed-to-fail-after-a-specific-number-of-uses-to-keep-you-shoveling-over-your-hard-earned-cash-so-they-can-take-a-holiday-to-their-summer-house-in-France. I could get into this topic more, but I'll save that for another day.
So, yes, buying indie may very well cost a couple dollars more, but its quality we are going for. Who needs to own 30 pieces of crap that will break in a months time. I'd rather have 3 quality pieces instead to last me years to come, thank you very much. So in that sense, while the upfront cost might be a little more, its an investment not only in the item but in yourself. You deserve nice things. You deserve unique, and you certainly deserve to be treated as a human and not a number, or a dollar sign. Its a wonder how these companies have stayed afloat for so long while treating their customers like mindless idiots, but I think, with the creation of places like Etsy we will see more and more big corps taking a big hit. Who knows, it might force them to rethink how they treat their customers, and employees for that matter.
Photo Gush of The Day:
 |
| this print on Etsy.com |
No comments:
Post a Comment