Lisa wrote about how Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab cleverly increases sales on a luxury item by reducing risk for their customers (low entry price, vast selection, thriving aftermarket). They also encourage enthusiasm, I think, with frequent "limited edition" additions to the catalog. They have a new series based on a theme every two months, plus one-day-only specials at least once a month, on the full moon and on important days of the pagan calendar. None of the limited editions are available in sample imps, and I'm sure that many people buy bottles of a limited edition but would have settled for an imp if the same scent were in the regular catalog. And those people probably buy other things at the same time, to round out the order. I'm already planning what I'm going to order next Wednesday when "Buck Moon" goes on sale.
Also, by not offering sample imps for a few regular catalog lines (the Tarot, the Sephiroth, Panacea), they make those lines seem more valuable. There may be a non-marketing reason for this: they claim to blend all oils to order rather than keeping any product inventory. Maybe they don't sell enough of these lines for it to be worth making imps for people.
I ordered some empty imp-sized bottles so that I could try the Tarot oils with less financial committment: if I'm not crazy about one, I can decant it off and sell or swap them on the forum. Bummble and I have already worked out a swap (she's going to get the Hermit and I'm going to get Strength). I guess I need to get pipettes too, although I've heard that some people use little straws.
And one additional way they generate enthusiasm is to generously give freebie imps with every order. I can't tell you how many forum reviews begin with "I would never have picked this scent for myself, but the lab included it with my last order and I love it...."
Also I got my storage box set up yesterday. It's a Ganesh lunchbox which I padded with cloth-covered foam. I really like the way it turned out. The center divider moves, so it can hold the imps snugly upright. Unfortunately the foam was a little thick and took up more volume than I expected. If my collection grows too fast I'll have to get a bigger lunchbox, or thinner foam. I guess that will be an incentive not to go too crazy.
And to keep track of all this I made myself a little BPAL database. I'm tracking my wishlist, my scent reviews, orders I've placed and my inventory. I am such a geek.
One last, funny thing: Georg mentioned to me recently that my interest in Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has put in his head the theme song from a video game we both used to play with a similar name. The same is true for me! Whenever I see BPAL's full name written out, I hear the voice from the beginning of game saying "It's time for ... Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab! Are .. you .. ready?" That was a fun game, I should download it again and pay the shareware fee this time.
4 Comments
LOL, I have a little Bpal notebook, where I keep my wishlist, the stuff I've ordered and short notes on what I've tried...
Love your lunchbox! That looks so nice and cozy.
Until recently, I think you could get imps from the tarot and sephiroth oils. I can sort of understand them limiting the imps, since it's a lot of work and not much money - and for the limited editions, with their delivery time now, almost no one would be able to order a bottle after ordering imps.
I think I may have some money in my account after all to order buck moon, too... I wonder if she puts up a description during that day?
I'll order the Hermit later this month I think (because that's a larger bottle, and wouldn't leave funds for buck moon), but then there's still the long waiting time. Oh well, it's a good test for my patience! ;-)
If you don't think you're going to need a full bottle of Buck Moon, you could have some of mine. Could we swap decants of that for Living Flame?
i bet duke surplus might have some decanting supplies. they always had a lot of chemistry glass.
I am in the middle of finishing a new box. Decorated it so far with vintage looking stickers (meant to look like old lables from medicines and Halloween offers) plus rub offs (those kind you use for scrapbooking) of old advertisements and clocks. I just have to poly it. Ill see if I can get a picture up of it.
I was using a writing desk (the portable kinds that you are supposed to keep your stationary inside, and write on top), but we ran out of room with our oils (both Justric's and mine from all sorts of places). Besides all that, Justric was happy to have an excuse to whip out the drill press...