Charlie Bears - fan or not?

[louise66]

I think if a woman or man like to buy the Bears then good luck to them ( I only ever bought Rhubarb and Custard) ...could be worse things to buy like drugs etc....harmless and sometimes very comforting to people .....personally the hype on QVC is getting worse I think and the sickly talk for an hour just gets in my clack but...its cringeworthy and totally unnecessary ...over the top lol ....( but I love rhubarb and custard Lol )

I have Rhubarb/Custard, and was disappointed, in the poor quality. I have not, consequently, bought any more. On the CB FB page, collectors panic, if they think they will miss out on a particular bear, and can get quite nasty. Comments like 'I'll have to wait till I'm paid', and buying on layaway; do they not have other priorities? They appear quite fanatical, fawning over Charlie and Will.
Not my place, to tell anyone how to spend their money.

 

[boffy]

i bought a set but after a short while i could see they looked tacky cant "bear" them

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Me?! Absolutely not. But my ex MIL loved collecting bears and it drove my ex-husband nuts that I would buy them for her. He said I encouraged her. I just bought her gifts she wanted. Didn't actually buy any Charlie Bears. Each to their own.

 

[whitesnake]

Can't stand the bears, they look creepy. I hate the way the QVC presenters fawn over them and sit stroking them as if they are real. Meehawl is particularly bad at this and comes across as a right numpty! What grown man behaves like that over a teddy for crying out loud? I also don't like the way they sort of pray on people's insecurities and illnesses with these bears.

 

[frenchie]

I bought one about 3 years ago, it's a lovely colour and very well made - but I haven't been tempted since.

I can't watch the shows, I hate all the slushy selling, and manipulating the bears, and wonder if that makes for more sales, or less. I do look at Charlie Bears occasionally in a local shop... and they look much happier just sitting on the shelf waiting for a buyer!!!! lol

 

[mummyisbeauty]

I have a lot from before I had my son (now 4 years) and used to collect but after buying a few in last months and buying a few on preorder I moved on to the dragons by kaycee bears. Better quality, competitive pricing, low edition sizes and made in the uk.

 

[Scout]

. . . . Comments like 'I'll have to wait till I'm paid', and buying on layaway; do they not have other priorities? . . . .

Clearly they do, or they'd have the money to buy what they want immediately.

A thread along these lines appears every time Charlie Bears are on. Personally I don't understand why anybody cares whether other people collect teddy bears. They're not doing anyone any harm and it's their money to spend, so why do they evoke such "anti" responses in some people?

 

[louise66]

Clearly they do, or they'd have the money to buy what they want immediately.

A thread along these lines appears every time Charlie Bears are on. Personally I don't understand why anybody cares whether other people collect teddy bears. They're not doing anyone any harm and it's their money to spend, so why do they evoke such "anti" responses in some people?

Whether people's responses are positive, or negative, they are only opinions. I never said I am averse to collecting bears; I used to collect myself, but have not purchased in a while. I can afford to spend money on bears, if I so desire. As I said, I am not telling anyone how to spend their money; if you can afford it, collect Jimmy Choos.
I do believe that Charlie and Will have been incredibly astute, in building up a loyal customer base, and are using the emotions and needs of these customers, to their advantage. But Charlie Bears is a BUSINESS, and a business does not exist, if it fails to make a profit.
But, creepy? I don't think so.

 

[shopperholic]

I know they've done the odd one, but surely it would cheer people up if Charlie Bears made all the Bears look happy, because right now they look like a miserable bunch of bearstards.

 

[loveheart]

Clearly they do, or they'd have the money to buy what they want immediately.

A thread along these lines appears every time Charlie Bears are on. Personally I don't understand why anybody cares whether other people collect teddy bears. They're not doing anyone any harm and it's their money to spend, so why do they evoke such "anti" responses in some people?

I don't suppose anyone cares who buys what but Glittergirl asked a question and people have responded. Some like them and others don't and can't understand why people want to collect them. You could say the same is true for anything people collect.

 

[countrymaid]

My bears are currently depicting a tableau of the Karma Sutra on the flat roof of our extension.

Oh now that is one tweet I'd love to see. Wonder what the creepy couple would have to say about that.

 

[historymystery]

One of the worst I saw in recent times was a rabbit - it had a really malevolent expression, and was enough to freak adults out, let alone kids. Horrible thing.

QUOTE=shopperholic;848097]I know they've done the odd one, but surely it would cheer people up if Charlie Bears made all the Bears look happy, because right now they look like a miserable bunch of bearstards.[/QUOTE]

 

[maymorganlondon]

One of the worst I saw in recent times was a rabbit - it had a really malevolent expression, and was enough to freak adults out, let alone kids. Horrible thing.

I know they've done the odd one, but surely it would cheer people up if Charlie Bears made all the Bears look happy, because right now they look like a miserable bunch of bearstards.

I think that was the one that several likened to Donnie Darko's rabbit. Scary, scary, scary! That's even if you don't think it looks like the scary DD bunny.

 

[louise66]

Can't stand the bears, they look creepy. I hate the way the QVC presenters fawn over them and sit stroking them as if they are real. Meehawl is particularly bad at this and comes across as a right numpty! What grown man behaves like that over a teddy for crying out loud? I also don't like the way they sort of pray on people's insecurities and illnesses with these bears.

It is obvious the presenters are practising their thespian skills. They have no affinity for the bears at all. If they actually believe we have all been conned, they must really regard us all, as being a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
As Judge Judy wrote : "Don't Pee On My Leg, And Tell Me It's Raining."
If collecting Charlie Bears, brings people comfort, happy days. The purse will be a bit lighter but, hey, what price on wellbeing, and contentment?
I regard CBs as being, fundamentally, a business venture. It would be a financial catastrophe, if they treated it as a hobby. Obviously, I would not wish cancer on anyone; the reaction of her fans, demonstrated just how liked this couple is. Without intending to sound unsympathetic, I don't think this personal ordeal, did the CB brand any harm.
If they can continue to run a profitable enterprise, whether they utilise the gullibility of people, or not, all power to them.You cannot force anyone, to buy anything twice.

 

[yorkrose26]

It is each to their own, I know that and I don't have a problem with that, if people find comfort in collecting then so be it. The presenters though sometimes (well most of the time) go overboard when they are presenting these hours Catherine Huntley making them 'dance' to give them the Charlie Bear 'personality', DF(female) was the other day 'flogging' a puppet, so she had to stick her hand up its bottom and have a 'play', yes this is all well and good and people are if they are that way inclined going to purchase the items, but for me like the Liz Earle brand of products, the price seems to have gone up because supply has and they want people to think that the quality is better then it is to justify the price increase, whereas in my opinion (and I am speaking from personal experience with regards to Liz Earle cleanse and polish), the quality has actually gone down.

 

[Breeze]

The prices have definitely gone up, I bought a 12" bear for my son, lovely quality for £22 a couple of years ago. They aren't as attractive or well made now, I don't think. They started off with a good idea, more affordable prices for attractive bears in plush rather than expensive mohair, but they've gone the way of lots of successful businesses, pushing to boundaries to get as much profit as possible.
Their mohair bears are extortionate. You can get a much better made, more appealing mohair bear from Steiff, Herman, Deans plus a few others. There's no such thing as a cheap mohair bear, even the cheapest , short pile, sparse mohair is £50+ per metre these days & the thicker better quality ones are well over £100 a metre., some over £200. You only get two 16" bears from a metre allowing for pile direction.

 

[Glittergirl]

I cringe when I see customers photos on Q`s facebook page where people talk about them as if they`re real and pose them watching the TV or sitting around a table or in the garden etc and ask presenters or guests to say hello to them or something equally as daft.

It's like something out a strange creepy film. Wonder if the presenters cringe too? Some of the pics are also actually quite sad, these adults must be missing something in their lives! One woman had over 200 all over her house, in every room. :mysmilie_43:

 

[Brissles]

I have a question, for those that DO collect these bears.

Like all stuffed toys, they take up an enormous amount of space, on beds, shelves, any work space going. So here's the thing, when the collecting 'fad' is over where do they go ? Are they donated to a Children's Ward, Charity shop, the Skip ? I know the enjoyment one gets etc etc but unlike pieces of jewellery that can be handed on to relatives, would passing these bears on get the same reaction from the recipients I wonder, seeing as how they do cost a lot of money.

Just asking.

 

[Vienna]

I have a question, for those that DO collect these bears.

Like all stuffed toys, they take up an enormous amount of space, on beds, shelves, any work space going. So here's the thing, when the collecting 'fad' is over where do they go ? Are they donated to a Children's Ward, Charity shop, the Skip ? I know the enjoyment one gets etc etc but unlike pieces of jewellery that can be handed on to relatives, would passing these bears on get the same reaction from the recipients I wonder, seeing as how they do cost a lot of money.

Just asking.

I only hope some long lost relative of mine doesn`t take it upon themselves to bequeath me their Charlie Bears. There may be a mass slaughter of Pipkin, Squeak, Pickles, Rhubarb, Custard, Teabag, Yogi or whatever these bears are called. So dear Aunt Unknown, you HAVE been warned !

 

[windowshopping]

:mysmilie_48::mysmilie_48::mysmilie_48:

I know they've done the odd one, but surely it would cheer people up if Charlie Bears made all the Bears look happy, because right now they look like a miserable bunch of bearstards.

I know. A local shop has them and they look so sad all the time! Perhaps they are sad because they look so cheap or because they want to take part in the Karma Sutra tableau LOL!

I personally do not understand why people spend a lot of money on bears but each to their own!