New Figurine Release Strategy from The Trail

I will get right to the point, and then provide background: On June 1, 2010, as we have done for the past seven years, we are announcing our next “herd” of new Painted Pony figurines. They are, I can assure you, fabulous. At least two are destined to be classics. (Don’t take my word for it, Click Here and see for yourself.) There is a difference in this release from other releases, however: instead of introducing eight new Painted Ponies, we will be introducing four.

Now, the background: When Trail of Painted Pony figurines were first introduced to the world at the January 2003 Atlanta Gift Show, twelve Painted Pony figurines made their debut. The decision to begin with this many made sense at the time: if we were going to catch people’s attention, a statement needed to be made. Enough Painted Ponies needed to be available to make an impression in stores. An even dozen would occupy enough “real estate” that collectors couldn’t miss the Ponies.

It’s history now, but the reaction to the Painted Ponies took everyone by surprise. Painted Ponies literally stampeded into the gift and collectible market. They became a phenomenon, as the demand for Painted Ponies far exceeded the supply. This led to discussions with our manufacturer at the time about increasing the number of Painted Ponies that were released. There was talk of raising the number from twelve to sixteen to capitalize on their popularity.

I remember clearly my reaction. Although I did not have a background in the gift and collectible business, it seemed to me that to raise the number of Ponies in circulation simply to take advantage of their popularity would, in the long  run, cheapen their value. Quickly the market would become saturated. There might be a short-term gain, but in the long-run I felt Painted Ponies would run the course of a fad. I believed we had something special here that needed to be managed properly. And so I insisted that rather than increase production, we should decrease the number of Painted Ponies we were introducing into the marketplace. Within a year we had cut back from releasing twelve to eight Painted Ponies twice a year, plus initiating a retirement program.

And this is the way we have conducted business ever since… until now. As everyone knows, for the past couple of years we have been in an economic downturn. Everyone has had to re-examine their financial priorities and spending habits, and of course the necessities must come first. But life isn’t all about necessities. There are other satisfactions that add to the quality of our lives. That provide us with enjoyment. And they must be remembered because they can be just as important. No matter what’s going on around us, there will always be a place for treating ourselves to something special that simply makes our day. There will always be a time when the delight that comes from giving a gift to someone special in celebration of a meaningful occasion makes life richer. For a lot of people, Painted Ponies fill that bill.

Back to our announcement: As a way of making it easier for both collectors and retailers to continue to experience the excitement of giving and receiving new Painted Ponies, we will be coming out with fewer Ponies at one time, but we will be offering more frequent releases. Instead of coming out with eight new Ponies twice a year, we will be releasing four new Ponies four times a year: June 1, September 1, January 1, April 1. The total number of Ponies released annually will be the same: sixteen. We will just be spreading the releases out, giving everyone an easier way to add new, first edition Painted Ponies to their collection.

Click Here to meet the four Painted Ponies that are thundering down The Trail this month.

Happy Trails,

The Trailmaster