pipemakersforum.com

Hello all, As I was perusing through
You tube looking at new pipemakers and
Pipe businesses I'm trying to understand
How beard oils,socks,beer cuzies etc.
Found its way into Pipemaking One has zero
To do with the other.Mind you I don't care
What someone does with there business
I just don't get it.I can even understand
T-shirts. But I don't sell nut crackers
When I sell my lobsters at market
Anyone? Anyone?

Oh my gosh! I haven't slept for days, being in a quandary about the exact same thing!
Lobsters and nut crackers seem logical.

Pipes are a lifestyle product. A sort of fashion accessory. The sort of person who buys pipes often buys beard oils and such. It doesn't make sense unless you understand marketing.

I've heard that some major luxury vehicle brands actually make more money selling accessories than vehicles. Some people apparently want to buy into a brand but don't have the money for a pipe, so they'll buy something small instead.

Oh I get it Jerimiah,one might not be able to buy a pipe so they they will buy pipe cleaner. WTF?
I'VE also have had a beard for some 20 years and shower every day to remove oil from my beard and skin
Maybe next week I'll go to my favorite b&m get some elisebethan mixture
But if I can't afford it I'll have him give me a hair cut because most pipe smokers
Use barber's and they might sell tobacco too. WWWWTTTTFFFFF

It's all about branding. They're selling their brand. Their brand just happens to be on anything from beard oils to coffee cups. This kind of thing happens frequently when people identify strongly with a product. Skateboarding, for example. For a lot of boarders, it's an identity thing. They don't just ride on skateboards, they're skaters. It's part of who they are. So it affects the way they dress, even when they're not riding. For some reason, hipsters have identified with pipes. It has become a matter of not just smoking pipes, but being a pipe smoker. And because it's part of their identity, it affects other decisions they make, including things like growing and grooming a beard, etc. and they want to have their coffee in a branded mug that reminds them of pipes they like when they can't smoke.

I guess it's not the way I work. I still haven't made any branded accessories. I just like to make pipes. But knowing my market is important in how I try to sell to hipsters. If you've got good steak, but people are buying sizzle instead, sell your good steak by the sizzle.

You should sell nut crackers with lobsters... lobsters are a bitch to eat. And what you'll find, as Jeremiah noted, is that your profit off nutcrackers is higher than off lobster. You gotta sell lobster because you're a lobster salesman (although Dunhill no longer has pipes in their shop), but if you sell nutcrackers, bibs, and artisanal garlic butter, you'll get a lot more business.


The trouble I've seen with this approach is that if you market your pipes to the guys who can only afford beard oil, you don't sell any pipes. So I've seen a few guys attempt to build a brand around wearing a toque and having a beard and flashing gang signs in all their pictures... and they ran outta customers more or less because most serious pipe buyers and certainly collectors just aren't interested in that shit and in fact it turns them off. Grown men aren't gonna buy a pipe because the pipe maker looks cool. 22 year old hipsters might buy beard oil though... I dunno cuz I don't sell anything but pipes.

"There is no charge for awesomeness...." in the words of the Kung Fu Panda.

I can understand and empathize. I sell pipes (my job) and other wood turnings, (hobby gone wild). I also trade the markets, to increase my ability to make pipes and wood turnings. I was cool long before what I call the Social explosion and Demise...of reason. In the 60s I was a young man making a lot of money in N.Y.C. with Gig bag under arm and hand made pipe, by a new carver, from mouth. I said WOW, can it get any worse, look at all the noise and ads! Well it did. Tag! My biggest shock was after going across the big pond I came back to find that what I had known, now a drug infested, do anything for money or notice, all about me market vibe. I did lose some sleep, left and went back to Miami, my magic city, which also changed, not for the better. The secret my friend is to move and adapt. Develop an anti asshole filter. Then if "Bruce" puts one of his masterpieces up on F.B. You only see his work and your dreams will be filled of pretty pipes and then your'e really in!!!

Crap, now I have to go watch kung fu panda to try and understand Sas's quote.

You haven't seen Kung Fu Panda?

I know. Crazy, right?

Dude, it is hilarious. I was ready for another 3rd-rate no-name children's flick and was totally wrong. KFP is absolutely brilliant - light hearted, touching, and just super funny.

Sasquatch wrote:Dude, it is hilarious. I was ready for another 3rd-rate no-name children's flick and was totally wrong. KFP is absolutely brilliant - light hearted, touching, and just super funny.

Yep!

Get a child (or, I suppose, in Bruce's case: a grandchild).
You'll soon get to appreciate good kiddie movies!

Charl wrote:Get a child (or, I suppose, in Bruce's case: a grandchild).
You'll soon get to appreciate good kiddie movies!

That is probably the main reason I haven't watched it. The other problem I have in China is all movies used to be "free" online and easy to find. Now they make you pay (can you believe that?) and I've been burned on way to many movies I had to pay for. For example, anything for a comic book and anything made to make money outside of the USA. Can't trust the reviews and ratings over here unless you like Michael Bay movies and Warcraft.