Economics of the "Founders' Collection"

Let's discuss the economics of the Founders' Collection.

Cost to Bill and Nancy as items were being produced? Probably about 15% of the retail price. (Or you might price it at a loss of income of 50% of the retail price since they had 10-12 fewer pieces to sell.)

Cost to warehouse - over the years, if a price could be put on it, considerable. But they had to have warehouse space anyway, so what's a little more? As they discovered when they sold the company, Self-storage is an expensive proposition.

So they were packed in containers and shipped to to Lighthouse Marketing where they were unloaded and stored there (considerable cost for both the packing and move. Probably some cost to the Founders from LHM for 4 years of storage.)

After several attempts at distributing (selling) the pieces so that Bill, Don and Dealers could be involved (meaning each would receive something from the sale), they've come down to what should have been done from the start. Sending a price list and getting potential buyers to respond.

Collectors are happy to have a piece or two of Harbour Lights history, especially noted with an autographed certificate and story of the collection.

Some of the buyers found that the #1-#10 pieces weren't what they were expecting. (Early year pieces were made in Canada or Malaysia and not California or Canada; the early error pieces -- like Split Rock MI -- weren't error pieces, etc.)

But we got them at the original retail and that was good.

Or was it? In these tough economic times, it's hard for businesses that live on 'disposable income' to exist.

For each $50 spent on a "tag-sale," that's $50 that probably wasn't spent on a new Harbour Lights, designed and produced by the new owners of Harbour Lights and run through the authorized retail dealer network.

eBay (and eBay sellers) will suffer a bit. (Woo Hoo!)

The secondary market of independent sellers of retired pieces crashed about 9-10 years ago caused by and replaced by the flea-Bay Market!

With the Internet and eBay, anyone can be a seller; no middle-man/woman brokers were needed to locate the one missing-link to a complete collection anymore.

The Founders' Collection income didn't generate any jobs (here or in China.) It reduced the used warehouse space at Lighthouse Marketing -- but what does another 10% of space cost to maintain?

Don't get me wrong; I'm not critical of the Founders' Collection or its sale to collectors or the method of selling it off. I'm just analyzing the impact on the economy.

So if you bought one or more of the Founder's Collection in this last round, (or you didn't buy them now or before) please consider these questions:

1. If you bought this time, was this money 'pried' from your hands because you didn't want to miss out now -- and you wouldn't have spent the money on NEW Harbour Lights releases?

OR

2. Were the purchases from the Founders' Collection 'added on' to the new pieces you're buying as released by Lighthouse Marketing (either all of them or selectively.)

OR

3. Did you decide not to buy one of the latest introductions and buy from the Founders' Collection instead for now.

OR

4. Did you decide to 'pass' on the Founders' Collection for economic or space or burn-out reasons?

OR

(Tell us your own situation if it doesn't fit one of the above four.)

Whatever happened to "Nancy's Collection"? She got the last one and the one with a number that matched the year the lighthouse was built.

Were these among the offered items in the Founders' Collection?

Number 4 for me. (burnt out, out of space, could have bought as many as I wanted, but just burnt out on HLs with no room for anymore.

Number 2 here.

Only could afford 3 FC pieces. Very hard to do since I barely got the cash for my autoship pieces.

No burnout here, still a kid in a candy shop when it comes to anything Harbour Lights. Just need to find some moola to buy more display cabinets.

Number 4 for me. Out of space and already have all the pieces between secondary markets and being on autoship since 1993. A number is only a number and not too much difference between a #2-#10 and a #49.

#2 for me. I liked choosing which one's I wanted. I chose pieces I love.

Number 4 for me. A number is not that important to me either, plus I am running out of space.

Number 2 for me.

I don't buy every new piece any more. My wife and I choose ones we have seen or interest us in some way.

We have a box with some more Founder's Collection that came yesterday. Won't open it until Monday or Tuesday.

So far I am the only #1

I bought some for Club giveaways so I guess I am Number 5..

I am making myself a new number, No. 6!

This number stands for: I purchased several pieces from the Founders Collection latest offering since the announcement for the latest June replicas is taking forever! ...May is almost over (hello)

John--Nice to see you have the time now to post more often!

Even though we've followed the Founder's Collection offerings, we haven't seen any mention of Nancy's Collection. Someone with Younger "connections" should research that interesting thought and report back to us.

We think it was Bill that collected the lighthouse whose number matched when the lighthouse was first lit-- in addition to his "first" 10 produced collection. Maybe this collection, in addition to Nancy's collection, still exists somewhere??

I'd be interested in knowing about the "collection" of remaining artist proofs, paint samples, gold pieces, and unnumbered pieces
(used for replacements). Could you or anyone else "shed any light" on these pieces?

I would be a number 4 - no more space.

Larry

I'D BE A NUMBER 4 AND 5. I CAN'T SEE SPENDING MONEY ON A PIECE I ALL-READY HAVE. I CONSIDER AN ARTIST PROOF TO BE MY "BIG DEAL" OR A GREEN WATER OR MISSPELLED.