RANT OF THE DAY: $14.50 F***ery ~ Ain't Bought No Candles Blues

I have not bought a single solitary candle since SAS... I repeat, I have not bought a single solitary candle since SAS. Now SAS ended January 19th...it is now March 10, damn near Spring, and in between that time there has been about 8 different candle collections released - I haven't anything from any of said collections. And it's not like there wasn't anything that piqued my interest as there were a few that I had my eyes on it. So, you may be wondering why I didn't just buy what I was interested in... one reason - the sale price. I just can't justify or rationalize buying a candle for 14.50 even with a coupon!

Now most of you readers may be too new to the BBW candle fandom but I remember fondly when candles were 19.50..yes you read that correctly... NINETEEN FIDDY!!! By the time I started getting really obsessed with BBW, the price went up 20.00 and there were the infamous 2for20 sales...made even better with $10off30 survey coupons given to you by your friendly SA or the ever so plentiful but now mythical free shipping over $25 online coupon. Then the sale went up to 2for22 and folks were slightly perturbed but acquiesced; at least that sale was regular, and you got a decent variety of coupons. Then the evitable 2for24 came along and that was the beginning of the end; it just wasn't an incentive to buy and stock up anymore. And by that time, survey coupons were long gone, getting a free shipping coupon was a rare as seeing a Yeti riding a unicorn chasing an alien and you had to hope and pray (or beg) for the rare 40% mystery code. Now even 2for24 has gone the way of the Dodo...but at least, there was still $12.95 sales and with a 20% coupon, it made buying candles and such slightly less painful and regretful. 

And now here we are, $14.50!

Now you may be thinking, "well gee Bronze, it's just 2 extra dollars..stop being cheap and get it over!"

Yes Know-it-all Nora, it is indeed just 2 dollars. But over time, that adds up. Even back in $12.95 days, your heart still heart knowing how much you spent in the long run, especially with the increased prices.

And no, I most certainly will not get over it. It's not a matter of being cheap, it's a matter of being practical. It's the overall principle of the thing.

It just begs the question, "What exactly am I paying extra for?"

Now I'm far from an idiot and I understand (to a certain degree) about inflation and covering costs and losses. However, call me naive but I believe in the quality of an item matching the price - if the price is increased, so should the quality control. And that most certainly is NOT the case at BBW!

Again, what EXACTLY am I paying 14.50 for? What about the candles currently in stores justifies them 24.50?!

The wicks burn like absolutely crap

Scent throws are practically non-existent rivaling Yankee Candles

The wax gets cruddier than a NYC subway station floor

But it's ok, cuz the candles have pretty labels with paintings and marble and glitter and cartoons and there are cutesy cutesy labels. Surely the packaging along makes up for the crappy performance right...or at least the fools with more money than scents who brag on social media about buying just for label will have you believe that.

And here's what sticks in craw and tans my hide the most... the scents themselves...

BBW, do you HONESTLY expect me, the Bronze-friggin-blogger, to pay extra for a repackage, particularly repackages of scents that no one asked for or scents that I see all the damn time?

Which brings up my next point? If this 14.50 debacle is just a test, why are you doing it NOW?

Why test a sales price increase in spring, the time of the year with the lowest sales? Your average consumer typically tends to avoid heavy floral scents and will make a beeline to anything that smells like coconut and/or sunscreen. Furthermore, the scents you have out now (with VERY few exceptions) aren't exciting or noteworthy or even memorable. And like I said earlier, there are indeed scents that I have my eye on, but I just can't justify spending either 14.50 or 24.50 for them!

Why not test out this sale price in the fall or winter...y'know, the actual money-makin' times of the year? Last fall and Christmastime were (for the most part), pretty good - with an even mix of newness, classics and scents from the vaults. This spring...not so much. Not only is springtime at BBW boring as hell (well at least after 2015) but your scent selection this spring is extremely lackluster. And you still expect people to come in and buy candles for 14.50? Basic ass new scents and boring repackages with crappy wicks and no throw...really BBW?

But you know what..it's all good in the hood. My bank account and my husband are not complaining at all. I enjoying what is in my stash and slimming down the herd cuz my collecting days have been over and having over 100+ is no longer cute or da bizness.

Keep on playing games with your consumers. I am far from the only that hasn't bought anything since SAS and continues to be on strike. Keep on alienating your hardcore fans and coast along playing it safe taking cash from hapless teenyboppers and bored housewives. Pretty soon, even they will get bored of your antics.  

You betta do right BBW!