Beer and Candy Corn.

[OrangeJewce]

It's simple Geekhack economics.  We all want CCs.  But we can't all have CCs, so that's why they have such a high resale value.

I think it's a little more complicated than that. There is a manufacturers value of a CC. between $20 and $30 (vader excluded). currently, the GH value is somewhere between $60-$100+ dollars. People won't pay much more than that, because if they would, then the prices would have gone much higher in the auctions.

Therefore, I still think a 300% increase in the cost of a CC would greatly reduce the amount of gouging.

Cheers,

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

That's why Clack sales always sell out so fast.  Usually with low supply and high demand, prices are sky high.  But ClickClack chooses to sell well below the market clearing price ($20-$30), so his sales generally don't last long.  But after we buy them, we can choose to sell them at the market clearing price ($60-$100) because that's what people are willing to pay.

[danielucf]

When it comes to CCs clack factory is not increasing production or availability or pricing and the aftermarket is insane.

But why should he increase the units produced for each sale? These are meant to be seen as art not mass produced pieces of plastic.

The fact of the matter is they already are mass produced. The ORIGINAL carved by hand skull was the art, everyone single gnome that pulls one of these out of a mold is the mass production. He should sell hand carved where each key is unique for $80-200, and he KNOWS people would buy them. Then sell the keys from a mold at the same prices as today but produce more of them to meet demand. What would be so bad about making everyone happy? The art people get their art, the collectors can have tons of CC skulls at more reasonable prices. This is how real art works.

I purchased a bad-ass Boba Fett painting for almost $900 painted by Mike Maydak because I wanted the original. I could have paid around $65 for the giclee and mostly been just as happy. Art is always sold as originals and "prints", where the prints will keep being produced and sold as long as people want to buy them, not "omg wtf bbq better buy this one of 20 prints". Okay maybe there are some rare situations where an artist will do only a couple prints however they are normally marked up when in limited batches. Artists gotta eat and if you ask for another print not in the original 20 prints they will do it nine times out of ten, you just won't get the (N out of 20) written on it somewhere.

Calling each of clack factories skulls art doesn't change the fact that it comes from a mold. Maybe I'm wrong maybe he and the gnomes do hand carve every skull and 'sicle' style key...

[longweight]

There isn't a new carving for each run so there is only really one true original. They are all produced in molds but if you read what CC says then you will see that he considers each one to be a little piece of art and I agree with him.

It would ruin CC caps if they were mass produced, the scarcity and fun of finding one is part of the reason that I like them so much.

[danielucf]

There isn't a new carving for each run so there is only really one true original. They are all produced in molds but if you read what CC says then you will see that he considers each one to be a little piece of art and I agree with him.

It would ruin CC caps if they were mass produced, the scarcity and fun of finding one is part of the reason that I like them so much.

Hey masochism isn't for everyone, good for you!

Just to make sure no panties get in a bunch this is the definition of masochistic I'm referring to: A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences

Don't get me started on "considering" things to be art. I know Clack Factory will probably see this and add me to the some secret gnome black list. I've never been invited to a dibs sale, and he replied to an email of mine once, but not the follow up where I asked a question about a custom order, so I really don't think I'm losing out on anything by being honest.

[OrangeJewce]

There isn't a new carving for each run so there is only really one true original. They are all produced in molds but if you read what CC says then you will see that he considers each one to be a little piece of art and I agree with him.

It would ruin CC caps if they were mass produced, the scarcity and fun of finding one is part of the reason that I like them so much.

I still think the way to go is similar to TCGs. If you have a Black Lotus, it's still really valuable, regardless that there are millions of magic cards.

Cheers,

[longweight]

Why would you be invited to a dibs sale? CC only invites a few important members and friends not random people from the forum.

It's not masochism, it's about enjoying the chase. Masochism implies that most would find the situation uncomfortable and that is not what you should feel when trying to buy caps.

So how would you have key cap : keyboard sales work?

[danielucf]

Why would you be invited to a dibs sale? CC only invites a few important members and friends not random people from the forum.

It's not masochism, it's about enjoying the chase. Masochism implies that most would find the situation uncomfortable and that is not what you should feel when trying to buy caps.

So how would you have key cap : keyboard sales work?

The situation is very uncomfortable or there would not be pages upon pages of threads over these keys like there are. How does one become an "important member" to be privileged enough to get an invite to a dibs sale? Why should someone have to be placed into a raffle to have a chance to buy something? Why is buying extras to trade for different caps frowned upon? Then buying extras to sell for profit is even more frowned upon. Some people get upset with those who have keys showing them off to people that don't have any, and can't seem to get them. SO MUCH is uncomfortable in the attempts to buy/trade/sell CCs. From my experiences it feels like some kind of cruel sick joke. I would like to feel the same way I do as other caps "Oh hey this thing is for sale I'm excited, click buy or send a PM, and a couple days/weeks/months later it arrives"

I think for the most part keyboard sales work fine. Someone wants to buy it, it is in stock and you get it. Stock runs out the manufacturer wants to make money so they actually make more and the cycle continues. This even happens with the majority of key caps which is why we saw a second run of red alert, and there will probably be another CCnG run, and Portal 2.0 and all the popular items that second batches have been made. I think I described my personal ideal clack factory selling method with the Originals and "prints" ideology. People want to buy something you sell it to them, unless it is just not possible to meet the demand. It is always possible though to create more molds from the original so you can make 4 keys at a time instead of 2 or 1. Scaling production is always an option.

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

[Internetlad]

I hate art.

[esoomenona]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

[absyrd]

Why would you be invited to a dibs sale? CC only invites a few important members and friends not random people from the forum.

I'm pretty sure the last two dibs sales were for people who didn't PM or email fast enough on the last two open sales. There wasn't enough product at the time of the 4grabs so the leftovers (in order of email/pm received) were given the opportunity to buy in on the next round first. Seemed very fair to me, and, no, I didn't get in on any of them.

I wouldn't know about any sales previous to those as I was not an active member before dibs 4, 5 and 6 (6 being the assumed hack orange leftover people in order of email received).

[OrangeJewce]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Nothing is wrong with that. That's why those things cost several hundred dollars and more (any custom basically). Everyone would want a KMAC really bad if they periodically went on sale for $50. And then you'd have people flipping them for $100 or more.

CC's should increase price to real value. Not MSRP. Then the problem of flipping will go away.

Cheers,

[longweight]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Because people get butthurt when they can't get everything immediately and on their own terms.

[longweight]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Because people get butthurt when they can't get everything immediately and on their own terms.

[SmallFry]

/sigh. This thread has gone way south... I wish that we could have gone on with the pun wars...;_;

[longweight]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Because people get butthurt when they can't get everything immediately and on their own terms.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Because people get butthurt when they can't get everything immediately and on their own terms.

Any particular reason why you posted that three times?

[SmallFry]

I assumed a Tapatalk error.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I assumed a Tapatalk error.

Aha, that makes sense now doesn't it?

Silly Tapatalk...

[SmallFry]

I assumed a Tapatalk error.

Aha, that makes sense now doesn't it?

Silly Tapatalk...

Lulz, 'tis why I haven't updated my Tapatalk in forever... That and I don't want to dig around Mobilism much.

[esoomenona]

Either that or they just get REALLY butthurt...

[longweight]

Honestly what would be so bad if everyone could buy every CC color they wanted? Some people wouldn't feel they are a beautiful and unique snowflake?

That's exactly right. There are so many things in this world of keyboards that are produced in large quantities, why can't there just be some that aren't? Some that are more unique and harder to obtain?

Because people get butthurt when they can't get everything immediately and on their own terms.

Any particular reason why you posted that three times?

3g connection!

[OrangeJewce]

i c wat u did thar.

Cheers,

[mickd]

There are also a lot of people in this community that can't justify paying $60+ for 1 clickclack. If the sale price was raised to that amount, I'm sure there are a lot of people here that would probably never own one.. myself included.

That's all I have to add I've already signed up to this draw!

[danielucf]

There are also a lot of people in this community that can't justify paying $60+ for 1 clickclack. If the sale price was raised to that amount, I'm sure there are a lot of people here that would probably never own one.. myself included.

That's all I have to add I've already signed up to this draw!

I never have, and never will pay more than $30 for a CC. I'm just not one of those people with disposable income that I can throw money at the things I want. Good for people that can, but they make the secondary market for clacks ridiculous and impossible for many.

[OrangeJewce]

The idea is these items are exclusive. Exclusive things aren't cheap, in general because many hold them valuable. CF is only shortchanging himself by selling low. Honestly, I'm past blaming the gougers. The caps clearly are actually worth more than they are being initially sold for. The only way to stop the gouging without increasing production, from my perspective, is to simply increase the cost. You might not think a CC is worth $60, but at the current market state, you are undervaluing CCs greatly.

I'm not trying to hate on anyone in the community, and am not saying this is the right way (I think production should be increased greatly, with "collector's" editions being available for people who want to feel special). What I really want is CF to actually get the money he deserves as the artist, as opposed to these gougers who clearly only see dollar signs and only want to exploit members of this community. They may be scum, but I understand why they are doing what they are.

Cheers,

[rowdy]

Or perhaps he is just not in it for the money.