Now that Lighthouse Depot has added the Harbour Lights "Members Only Exclusive" lighthouses to their growing list of clearance products, it is no longer necessary to join the Harbour Lights Collectors Society to get these redemption pieces. The addition of these member only society pieces, along with selected limited editions and Anchor Bay products, makes both joining the Collectors Society and buying from a authorized dealer a thing of the past if you are both looking for a bargain and willing to wait to get this bargain.

This poll will ask several questions. If there is no correct answer to the question in your situation, check the answer that applies the closest. The answers to these questions may be instrumental in determining marketing practices of Lighthouse Marketing in the future. Please take your time in answering these questions using your true feelings towards Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot.

I know this is a very touchy subject but people, get a life. They made the pieces. they were offered to you for a price you thought was fair or you wouldn't have bought them. Some others did not buy them because the price was not right for them. The lower price may be right for them now, who knows. Point is the products are Harbour Lights' and they can sell them for whatever price they want.

Secondly, it costs money to store product. Maybe they are willing to sell them off instead of storing them, we are comming off an economic disaster and many people have stopped buying any kind of collectable, not just lighthouses. Maybe someone who can't afford "regular" prices will buy and become interested and when things are better again will become a customer later.

Thirdly, what are you upset about. That someone will get a better deal than you? These are a collection, not an investment. If you wanted to make money, you should have bought stock. I personally don't care much what my collection is worth. Chances are I will never sell it in my lifetime anyway, I have them to enjoy having them. I buy them because I can, not because they are going to make me rich. I'm more concerned the price will get too high with too manmy issues and I will have to start making decisions about what I can and can't buy because my income is fixed. I didn't buy all from '09 for that reason, but if I see them on sale somewhere I will buy them to fill in the space.

Lastly, if one collects for the joy of collecting life will be simpler. Enjoy what you have been blessed with and don't worry about what you don't and you will be much happier in the long run.

I am sorry for any toes I may have stepped on here, but these are my feeling and I I'm stickin by um.

In looking at your poll, I think question 6 is lacking two choices, one is to buy from a combination of sources, and the other is, "what's a dealer-I haven't had one in years?"

Well said Silverfox. I couldn't have said it any better and I appreciate your taking the time to let "our" feelings be known.

Sandy

I'll echo Sandy's comments and therefore Silverfox's post.

Remember the days years ago when someone would discover a store going out of business and the word would spread like wildfire about the possibilities of getting HL's for half-price?

These are exceptional economic times. Survival is the rule. One does what one has to do to keep the business going.

My take on Silverfox's post....

I've heard it said time and time again that Lighthouse Marketing / Harbour Lights and Lighthouse Depot are TWO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES. And that the only thing they have in common is that Don Devine owns both businesses. And if this is true then the following statements by Silverfox isn't true.

Quote by Silverfox51
And So if Lighthouse Marketing isn't Lighthouse Depot, then Lighthouse Depot didn't make them. And shouldn't be able to sell them at whatever price they want to. And if Lighthouse Marketing is going to sell the pieces to Lighthouse Depot at less than Dealer Cost, then they should also make this offer to their other dealers as well. By that I mean give all HL Dealers the same opportunity to move all this so called overstock at the same dealer costs. But the way it's being done now... just is not fair to the other Dealers.

Quote by Silverfox51
If storing them is such a problem then they could DONATE some of them to Lighthouse Restoration Groups to use a fundraiser's. Most all the groups that I know of are NON-PROFIT Associations, therefore Lighthouse Marketing could write-off their cost at the end of the Tax year. Instead of selling them at less than cost. And in turn the Lighthouses would benefit in funds for repairs. Remember if it weren't for the real Lighthouses there would be no replicas!

Quote by Silverfox51
Your Damn right! When I paid $200. for a matched set of USCG Taney's, and now LHD is selling the same matched set for less than $40. Yes, I'm upset! When I paid $100. for 2006 Christmas Conanicut, RI and now LHD is selling the same for less than $20. Yes, I'm upset! When I paid ......... etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on. Yes, I'm upset! And now their selling Society pieces when I had to join and pay membership fees to get the piece. Again Yes, I'm upset!

Quote by Silverfox51
I didn't buy them for an investment either. But I do care what my collection is worth. Because I really hate spending my hard earned money for something that is now nearly worthless, just because some yeahoo "Don Devine" is trying to make a fast buck and in so doing is destroying the value of my collection that I have worked so hard for! I didn't buy them to make a profit, but I don't want my investment to go down the drain either!!


Silverfox you have a right to your opinion, and by all means we want everyone to express their opinions here in the forums. Thank You for posting yours!

I however disagree with you! And that's ok too, because sometimes we just have to agree to disagree. The above statements are just my opinions. Some will agree with me and some will agree with you... that's just the way it is!

Got to agree with Silverfox.

Stephanie - I love your post and agree with your rebutals to Silverfox by 100%. I also don't know the innerworkings of Lighthouse Marketing to make any comments on it and what pressure has been applied to justify some of the decisions that Don Devine has made.

I'm only going to comment on one part of Silverfox's comments and that is the "Am I upset" section. I'm beyond upset to the point of being sick to my stomach. I'm not sick to my stomach because my collection is virtually worthless because over 13 years ago when Bill came to my house after we ate dinner, he asked why I was collecting Harbour Lights. He asked was I collecting as an investment or because I loved lighthouses. I told him both reasons but primarily because of my love for lighthouses I gained while in the Coast Guard. A few years later I realized why Bill asked this question. The secondary market had started to decline in value and my 250+ HLs were, at that time, only worth what I had paid for them. I still continued to collect them because of my love for lighthouses and because of the Youngers and their feelings towards collectors. I now have 400+ HLs and they are not worth the powder to blow them up, but I still love my collection and will continue to collect. I'm upset because the "man" that owns HLs now could care less how his collectors feel. My love for these lights and the fact that I want to have a "complete" collection when HLs goes bust is my main reasons to continue collecting.

Survival may be on Don's mind, but, integrity should also be in his thoughts. I can see no integrity in his actions, only the almighty $ and what he can do to make it, no matter who he upsets to make it. I could handle all his sales and discounts up to this point, but, the discounting of the Society Exclusives to non-society members, is the last straw. My only wish now is that Lighthouse Marketing(Lighthouse Depot and Harbour Lights) "gives up the ghost" this year so I can start spending my money on other things.

All very good points. The problem is, however, the collectible market is dying and there will NEVER be owners like Bill and Nancy Younger. They were the heart and soul of the company and certainly motivated us to collect and become such lovers and caretakers of lighthouses. So much has been done in the past and continues to be done to preserve lighthouses and the Youngers were in the forefront of many of those efforts.

We collect because we love the little replicas but we don't collect like we use to and in these times, if we can find a deal we'll take it. We are much more inclined to donate toward preserving the lights for future generations. I sometimes wonder what will happen to the hundreds of HLs in our curios when Bill and I are gone as no one else in our family values the collection like we do. We value the memories that we have had throughout our collecting and many of them include the Youngers, the great LH trips we have taken and the friends we have made through our interest in lighthousing.

I guess, collecting is like life. You take risks and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. If HLs goes away there are still a whole lot of us that will always keep the flames burning.

Judy

I can only imagine the size of old inventory that they have on hand. (Just look at your personal inventory) It is a BUSNESS. With current 1200 edition sizes they don't need dealers. With the INTERNET they don't need marketing. With the deals they're advertising, they're trying to cultivate new customers. IF & When the OVERSTOCK is gone you'll see where their BUSINESS PLAN is heading. I think this is a fight for SURVIVAL. 46 votes in a poll is not going to change policy. Reality LHD is HL. Just my opinion...

Lets see how this economy and recession plays out a little further. Rich -YOU may get your wish!

The "writing has been on the wall" for a long time now....


I love the HL replicas that Harry makes (great job Harry!), I love my HL dealer (you know who you are), I am greatful for all the HL collectors that I met over the years at events and on the internet, and I love my Harbour Lights collection that I have been collecting since 1998! But at this point, I don't really care anymore if Lighthouse Marketing, Lighthouse Depot, and/or Harbour Lights continues or not.

Please don't mis-understand me, I don't "wish" any ill-will on anybody, as these comments are just my own personal opinions (don't you just love "freedom of speech" in America!). I am just sadden by all of this. Either way, I will not part with my collection as I love them and will remember all the memories that go along with them during the Harbour Lights "Hey Days!".

Why do many think these are signs that HL's won't be around much longer?

Many of us have made drastic cuts in the way we live and our spending. Is this the end of our lives too?

I prefer to think it's just a survival plan.

And who says if LHM stops making HL's, the line is dead?

How would a hypothetical discontinuation of production NOT mean the line is dead?

Well, hypothetically HL could be sold again to someone who would continue as LHM did after the Younger's sold it. Hopefully, someone with collectibles experience like Tony, would be in charge.

That's what I was thinking Max !!!

This is the ANSWER to alot of questions on this FORUM recently!

Only 6 more days to vote if you haven't already done so.