$3K Shoe Calendar
posted by: brianka in General, Just for Kicks on January 5th, 2010
Well, it certainly appears that last year’s price escalation on prior-year shoe calendars was not a fluke.
Originally priced at $13.99, just one year later, copies of Michel Tcherevkoff’s Shoe Fleur calendar are now showing asking prices at $2700-$3230…And two of those are ‘Used’ copies.
(Screen shots from Amazon.com/Amazon marketplace)
$3K ??!!?!
Dollar sign. Three. Zero. Zero. Zero.
Pardon me while I put my rapidly beating heart back into my chest.
I think this may have caused me to have an itty-bitty, teensy-weensy, little, apoplectic fit.
Apparently, due to their limited print period and tendency to, ahem, get used (ie. writting is *shocker* encouraged within their pages), some calendars are now (due to some form of retail optimism/insanity?) becoming commodified as rare books.
It must be that whole wacky Econ 101 supply-and-demand thing rearing it’s head again:
The power of supply and demand was understood to some extent by several early Muslim economists, such as Ibn Taymiyyah who illustrates “If desire for goods increases while its availability decreases, its price rises. On the other hand, if availability of the good increases and the desire for it decreases, the price comes down. ” (quote & graph via Wikipedia)
Go figure.
Now, am I about to start speculating on calendars to fund my kid’s college years? Not likely; speculation on collectibles is terribly risky and the buying public is very fickle and unpredictable in their habits. You really have to know the market & sell before the value drops; something that sells for $3000 from an independent bookseller may be available simultaneously on a site such as ebay for a significantly lower price. But, this situation might make me think twice and check the prices at the end of the year on my ‘art only’/decor calendars before I pass them onto my kids for scrapbooking purposes. Just saying…
But really, calendars as rare books? When did this become common?
And who, if any, is buying an out-of-date calendar at this incredibly inflated price point?
Personally, at that price, I’d rather have the actual Bally’s or D&G’s I just wrote about.
Hell, at this price, I could get a pair from both of them.
12 Comments
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October 28, 2010 at 2:45 am, amw emubootsale said:
And two of those are ‘Used’ copies
September 20, 2010 at 7:13 pm, lisa said:
thank you for sharing the post.
January 18, 2010 at 9:19 am, galligator said:
JVE, look like the 'what will the market bear' experimentation is going on. At least the new seller @ $21 doesn't make me think they need to have a mental check-up.
$999 for the 2010, I can still get one at Borders 20 minutes away for 50% off original retail. Sheez.
January 18, 2010 at 8:18 am, JVF said:
You can still buy it new from another seller through Amazon for $21. There's someone already trying to sell the 2010 calendar for $999. I think it's just a case of "I hope someone's dumb enough to buy this".
January 07, 2010 at 3:38 am, galligator said:
There are some calendars from 2008 that are $50 – $150. That, seems reasonable for a rare but *low demand* item. $3k seems like they are just hoping to find someone desperate, rich, or both. It reminds me of a rare book I was looking for years ago that was out of print and was retailing around $1100. My hubby wound up finding a used 'fair' copy for $78 on ebay. I mean, sanity needs to prevail at some point.
My guess is that if I remember to check back on this in 6 months, the price may be high, but maybe $500 or so? Something that reflects a balance between rarity and low demand.
January 07, 2010 at 12:11 am, Suzanne aka Punk Gla said:
So funny! People will pay crazy prices if they deem something is worth it to them. Hence when certain "collectibles" suddenly skyrocket when they used to be had at a local charity shop for pennies. Having been a flea market vendor I know people collect those tea towel calendars so I suppose specific art-based ones aren't too far-fetched. But three grand? I actually looked at this year's version of this calendar at Border's on New Year's Day as I wanted a wall calendar for my new office. It was half price. Should I stock up and make a quick couple of grand after waiting a year? LOL!
Cheers!
Suzanne
January 06, 2010 at 6:47 pm, Betsey Johnson Shoes said:
Who in their right minds would buy a calendar at that price? Perhaps it's an April Fool's day joke by Amazon or they have mischievous elves behind the scene who rearrange the numbers and decimals when no one is looking?
Seriously, what would make a calendar worth so much? Unless of course nicole kidman or julia roberts stepped on it and then it's a collectible that someone's just got to have?
January 06, 2010 at 11:14 am, galligator said:
I keep thinking, do they have a computer bot that check's web stock & sets this crazy price, or is there some wacky calendar collector out there who actually waits a year instead of buying them on New Years Day at 1/2 off like the rest of us?
January 06, 2010 at 1:17 am, MM said:
I want to meet the person who would actually pay for this nonsense.
January 06, 2010 at 12:56 am, All Women Stalker said:
This is just ridiculous. Non-functional calendar for more than $2k?>???
January 06, 2010 at 12:15 am, r5bales said:
Geeze. Hope springs eternal, I guess. Our business gave our 2010 calendars away because they are two weeks old.
3K for the 09 calendar. Amazing.
January 05, 2010 at 12:50 pm, galligator said:
I think my absolute favorite is that there is still $3.99 shipping on all of these sellers. Really *giggles*. You just can't make this up.
Time out & grab a Mojito already, I could rant on this all night.