Why are LEs limited? Will they come back?

[clephan]

Does anyone on here know? well, ok, yes Beth will of course, but I was wondering if one of you guys who have been BPAL customers for a long time know rather than pestering her with my ponderments at this extremely busy time...

 

Is it because the ingredients were only available for a short while, because the manufacture process is too fiddly to do regularly to keep these lovelies in stock, or just to give a frisson to us when we see the site has been newly updated?

 

I ask because I can't think of a single LE scent that people haven't expressed a desire to see again. Therefore, it would seem to make business sense for them to re-appear, so it must be a different reason that means they're only available for a short time... oh, and I'm a continually curious person!

 

Thank you

[lorajc]

This isn't an answer, but rather a queston I was going to post that is similar to your question.

 

My question is..........does Beth make Seasonal scents, or are the LE's considered the seasonal ones per se? I was planning on getting some lighter scents for the spring and summer and I don't know if I should wait or just order now.

 

At what times of the year do the Limited Editions scents come out, besides Autumn and Christmas?

thanks everyone!

Edited February 29, 2004 by lorajc

[Paintsnked]

I think it's like a seasonal special offer thing... Just to make us drool and go ohhhhh I can't wait!!! So she offers something a bit different from the norm. You know to mix it up.

 

I have seen other companies do it with the limited edition packaging ect. so it isn't unheard of. Plus you see all of us dying to see what her next limited is and rushing to buy it before it's out of stock.

Edited February 29, 2004 by Paintsnked

[Cinder]

My guess is with a limited edition scent (or a limited edition item of any sort), it makes it more unusual (a stand-out), more collectible, and something that may not be produced any other time of year (get it while its hot). However, popular demand does make limited edition items come back so more power to the people!

[Purgatori]

A question along these lines...

 

How does one know in advance which L.E.'s will be out...? I know the calendar shows the Lunacy blends...

 

But the others...?

 

Thanks...and sorry if it's a silly question...I'm new!

[Rheliwen]

I know with Snow White Beth said that there is a musk she uses in it that's only available this time of year.

 

I think it has to do with a lot of things:

 

1) Marketing and getting people excited about BPAL

 

2) Doing something fun and different for us consumers

 

3) Trying to be festive

 

4) Making blends for religious/spritual reasons, so use in craft or whatever

 

5) Limited or seasonal ingredients

 

Purgatori: sometimes we get a heads up from the "inside", but most of the time we don't know what the LEs will be until they go live on the site. That's why everyone goes crazy with anticipation.

 

lorajc: Here's a good thread about sabbat oils (the LEs tend to center around that which is witchy): http://www.bpal.org/index.php?s...ndpost&p=115355

Edited January 6, 2005 by Rheliwen

[VelvetSky]

I love the whole concept of the LE's. They're exciting and fun!

 

[Macha]

As Rheliwen said, Beth also said the musk she uses for Snow White is only available once a year.

 

Beth has also said, in effect, that some ingredients are so expensive they can only afford to use them for short batches...thus limited editions. The Lab makes very little money on some of these, but like Imps themselves, it's something they feel is important to do, and a bit of a 'thank you' for loyal fans (and I suspect a treat for themselves, to be able to create scents that they wouldn't normally be able to.) Like Paintsnked said, shake it up a bit.

 

Of course, they're also addictive as all hell, and a tremendous incentive to buy more stuff (I mean...as long as I'm ordering anyway...)

 

So it seems to be part logistics/part savvy marking/part fun reward.

 

As a Marketing lass, I can only tip my hat in admiration.

[sarada]

The phrase 'limited edition' definitely gets my attention, like I have to act fast or I'll miss out. I find it easier to make a decision when I know something's only available for two weeks -- I'll just buy as many as I can so I won't be kicking myself later! I love all the ones I've tried though -- I am glad that they're able to put some of those more unusual or expensive ingredients to use without having to raise the price!

[Penance]

Sarada are you stealing my thoughts again? ::Puts on her tinfoil hat::

 

Seriously, I have a serious weakness for LE's...I'll buy them in abnormally large numbers just because they're LE's.

 

I've learned most of my favorites are LE's and I don't ever want to run out. Beth is an evil marketing genius, I swear.

[Purgatori]

Rheliwen,

 

Thank you for your response... I had a feeling! *lol*

 

I had mentioned the idea of the Lunar Oils to my father and he said, "that's a rather terrific marketing idea!" Gets us aaaaalll chomping at the bit, as you so rightly point out...

 

*lol*

 

Thanks again...

 

Guess I'll just be doin' my daily checks!

[Mrs.Black]

I'm wondering if there will be a Valentine's Day LE this year. If there is, it should be coming live right about NOW.

[Macha]

Slightly off-topic, but I understand exactly what you mean Mrs. Black. :-)

 

When I first discovered BPAL, it seemed like the LE moon scents when live one month before the full moon they were named after so they could be worn FOR that moon. So we could wear Wolf Moon on the 25th of this month, for example. But with how far back-logged the lab is...I mean, people are still waiting for Cold Moon....

 

One wonders if the Lab has considered upping the amount of time from order to ship?

 

Or, more likely, am I misunderstanding the purpose of some of the special event blends entirely?

[Belladonnastrap]

I LOVE MULTIPLE QUOTING

 

A question along these lines...

 

How does one know in advance which L.E.'s will be out...?  I know the calendar shows the Lunacy blends...

 

But the others...?

 

Thanks...and sorry if it's a silly question...I'm new! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

There are no silly questions here! Well no there are but the number is very few especially for new people here The short answer to your question is this: We don't. Beth & the lab sometimes tell us what's coming up (ie the Lunacy blends) and others are guesstimates. We assume there will be an Imbolc/Beltane etc scent because there were scents for all the other holidays starting with Lammas. Just makes more sense but we have been known to be proven wrong!

 

 

I'm wondering if there will be a Valentine's Day LE this year. If there is, it should be coming live right about NOW.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was curious about this too but with Beth-tachi holed up with the flu I doubt it. It would be badass though! Like I'd want a scent that was a lot like O but instead of smelling like sex I'd want it to BE sex. Although Le Petit Mort did that for me...go go TMI.

 

Besides I've already decided to make most of the boys (and a couple of the girls!) here my own personal valentine and if they don't like YOU CAN PH34R MY m0D SK1IIZ!!

 

 

 

 

When I first discovered BPAL, it seemed like the LE moon scents when live one month before the full moon they were named after so they could be worn FOR that moon. So we could wear Wolf Moon on the 25th of this month, for example. But with how far back-logged the lab is...I mean, people are still waiting for Cold Moon....

 

One wonders if the Lab has considered upping the amount of time from order to ship?

 

Or, more likely, am I misunderstanding the purpose of some of the special event blends entirely?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I'm not the Lab so I can't speak for them but my understanding is that they're made for a special event, the fact that they smell fantabulous is just an aside I know for some of us happy pagan types we tend to use the lunacy blends (or at least I do) in my rituals for that moon because the properties correspond with whats IN the oils. Same goes for the Sabbat. Sometimes that's not always doable (ie I'm probably not gonna get Cold Moon in time for the moon itself) but in those cases I either 1)Just wear the oil as a perfume or 2)Use it for another ritual, adjusting it to what properties I think go best with it. I believe that when the Lunacy Blends were insitutued the lab didn't expect the customer base to sort of implode like it has.

 

 

That's my thinking. And holy crap I have time to actually BROWSE the boards. I need a hug, a cookie and some wuv! *wiggles her bum in happiness*

[rainbow]

I'm one of those people for whom limited edition marketing is a seller's dream. Tell me something is only available for a short while and I go stark raving bonkers and buy loads. I'm still working my way through the original imp of my all-time favorite scent (Venom), but have acquired 15 LE 5ml in the interim.

 

[shriekingviolet]

I LOVE MULTIPLE QUOTING

 

A question along these lines...

 

How does one know in advance which L.E.'s will be out...? I know the calendar shows the Lunacy blends...

 

But the others...?

 

Thanks...and sorry if it's a silly question...I'm new!  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

There are no silly questions here! Well no there are but the number is very few especially for new people here The short answer to your question is this: We don't. Beth & the lab sometimes tell us what's coming up (ie the Lunacy blends) and others are guesstimates. We assume there will be an Imbolc/Beltane etc scent because there were scents for all the other holidays starting with Lammas. Just makes more sense but we have been known to be proven wrong!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I concur with the above that we don't have access to a set LE schedule aside from the Lunacy blends, but you can kind of predict when updates (they usually happen around sabbats, which I'm in the process of marking on the boards' calendar for this year) will occur and for the last 6 months, all major updates have come with LEs. So while you might not know the exact date of an LE blends' release, you can usually tell when it's time to start stalking the Announcements section of the board.

[Reinaluna]

All I know is, that I hope to see Snow White come back next winter because I know to get 3 bottles of it because as of now I only have one bottle and I am fiendin like hell for at least one more 5ml. Im also interested in trying Skadi.

[VelvetSky]

They're called Limited Editions because otherwise they'd be Unlimited Editions. And we wouldn't all be going crazy for 12 hours on the full moon every month! (yelps like a coyote)

[summer]

They're called Limited Editions because otherwise they'd be Unlimited Editions.  And we wouldn't all be going crazy for 12 hours on the full moon every month!  (yelps like a coyote)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

ROFL!

 

I so *totally* do yelp like a coyote when the LEs are posted.

 

Fabulous!

[Krista]

I'm still wondering which part of Spooky is so prohibitively expensive.  I don't think we ever got a definite answer.

 

I'm sure it's something to do with a fancy version of one of the ingredients, but I'm curious to find out which one and why it's so special.  I'm nosy, what can I say?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Is that why LEs are LEs? Because they are too expensive to maintain in the regular catalogue?

[Morrighana]

Is that why LEs are LEs? Because they are too expensive to maintain in the regular catalogue?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sometimes, yes. Especially in the case of blends such as Formula 54, which was sold for $45 per 10mL bottle ( worth. every. dime. ).

 

Others, such as Snow White, are limited due to the availability of ingredients...Beth has said that there is something in Snow White (I don't remember what, though) that she can only get in the time of year coming up to Christmas, so that is the only time she is able to make Snow White.

 

And still more, like the Lunacy oils, are limited due to the nature of the concept they are created under (i.e. intended to correspond with a particular time of year), so while Beth may choose to use rarer/more expensive ingredients in these blends, they'd still be Limited even if she didn't.

[Krista]

Is that why LEs are LEs? Because they are too expensive to maintain in the regular catalogue?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sometimes, yes. Especially in the case of blends such as Formula 54, which was sold for $45 per 10mL bottle ( worth. every. dime. ).

 

Others, such as Snow White, are limited due to the availability of ingredients...Beth has said that there is something in Snow White (I don't remember what, though) that she can only get in the time of year coming up to Christmas, so that is the only time she is able to make Snow White.

 

And still more, like the Lunacy oils, are limited due to the nature of the concept they are created under (i.e. intended to correspond with a particular time of year), so while Beth may choose to use rarer/more expensive ingredients in these blends, they'd still be Limited even if she didn't.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

cool, thanks. That make sense.

[ipb]

the question comes up often, and in several threads, so i thought i'd post a quote from beth (from another forum) answering why limited editions are limited

 

The LE's are limited because at least one of their components is an oil I cannot get on a regular basis, /or/ because the oils that go into them are so expensive that putting them into the general cat would be cost prohibitive. Sometimes some of the components are seasonal oils, sometimes they're a one-shot. The best example I have is a bottle of German black narcissus oil that I've been sitting on for a few months. I only have 4 ounces of it, so it has to go into a LE that is really, really special. Oils like Snow White and Rose Red contain oils that I can only get in late fall and winter. Mi-Go had five components that I only had 4-8oz of, so I had to keep it very limited. It's not a matter of market testing... I'm a fool, so I never really do things like that. I just make what I love or am inspired to make, and hope other people love it, too. If an oil really bombs, I'll take it out of the cat because it's silly to keep producing something that sold five bottles during its lifetime, just because I love it. Morella is a case in point. LOVE that one, no one else did.

 

I'd love to make all the LE's all the time, but I just can't. =/

 

so now you know, and knowing's half the battle.

[hokte]

Cool. i'd been wondering about that for some time now....

[Ina Garten Davita]

The answers to the initial thread question is above. For any other speculation and discussion about LE's, please see this thread in Chatter.