Two weeks ago, the elementary kids were collecting the gel pencil grips and then BAM, these Silly Bandz came out of no where!
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Our local bookstore sold 76 packs the day they got them (79 after we came in)...at $2.50/per for a small bag of 12. They had buckets full of them and more were coming in next week.
collect 'em...trade 'em...wear 'em...
Let's cut to the chase...these are rubber bands, people...rubber bands!!
So, I want to know how the company development meeting went. Was it something like this,
Aren't you sick of the old tan rubber bands? Let's shake the office supply world up a bit with bright colors and wacky shapes.
OR
Let's market rubber bands to the kiddies by telling them they can collect 'em...trade 'em...wear 'em...Parents will buy their kids anything!!From a capitalism/free enterprise/gorilla marketing standpoint, these are genius.
From a parent's standpoint...ARGH!!! I haven't caught my breath from the last "gotta have them" craze!
I know, I know, who's the idiot here? > pointing at self <
I don't fault the entrepreneurial mastermind behind these things. $5.00 for 24 rubber bands - the profit margin must be amazing on these things!
I did make E pay for them himself. Well, actually he took out a loan from me. $12.00 later we have 57 bands (55 since one has broken and one was given to his friend). But, he still doesn't have the rare, elusive blue elephant.
Pet rocks...beanie babies...Pokemon (insert any name here) cards...rubber bands!!!
Friends, we are smart people. Let's put our minds together and come up with the next big craze to push to our kids. Maybe even one with some staying power...cotton candy flavored broccoli?
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ReplyDeletegot abasement full of beanie babies, pokemon cards, you name it from when my kids were jumping on a bandwagon! You are right, why didn't we think of this?
ReplyDeleteIt never ends. When my kids were little it was the cardboard milk bottle caps...can't even remember what they were called....but as always, there was always that elusive one that encouraged purchase...since you never knew if that would be the lucky pack! eek! (oh I love the McDs fish sandwich too....)
ReplyDeleteWe've been hit, too! J makes me guess what they are before he takes them off. When the livestrong and breast cancer wrist bands hit a few years ago, and everyone went on that bandwagon, DH was always brainstorming what the next big thing could be! Let's bring back terrycloth headbands!!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness my 12yo doesn't really clue in to stuff like this. I'll bet my 8yo will be catching on soon...right now, he's all lego all the time...
ReplyDeleteSigh...you are right - we MUST think of the next big thing and they RETIRE!
Cotton candy flavored broccoli? Hmm... Now, THAT sounds like a great idea! It'll just make kids not want eating veggies more. I remember really wanting to get into this craze back in elementary school for candy braces. They stick them on your teeth, and you can eat them, too. I didn't realize how silly that was until... high school. Talk about speeding up decay in your teeth leaving the candy in your mouth by choice! Silliness.
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It's nice and happy to do that, right?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is going to be a senior in high school and came home with one of those silly bands just the other day. Luckly she thinks they are a little crazy so she won't be buying any. Thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteFood for thought,
ReplyDeleteAccording to Time Mag, www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,881890,00.html
Cheap rubber is about .75 per pound.
Let's do the math, shall we?
.75/lb
1.9 oz/pack of bandz
16 oz / lb
8.42 packs / lb
$5.00 / pack
$42.10 / lb
Profit? $41.35 / lb!!!!!
Extra Credit
24 pc/pack
202 pc/lb
$.04 /pc
Cost to make $.003/pc
I am in the wrong business?!?
My 4 year old got like 6 packs of those things for Easter from her Great Aunt who works at the As Seen On TV store, and they are still sealed, sitting in a drawer in her nightstand. She has no idea what to do with them... guess once she starts school this year she'll be ahead of the pack? haha If this craze last that long!
ReplyDelete@Waterrose Those things were called pogs! I totally collected them when I was younger. I don't even know what the point of them were, but my older brother loved them, so I did, too! :)