Our Favorite Products -- and What We Do to Save Them
Jessica Dickler
Friday, August 19, 2011
The outspoken loyalty consumers showed toward these products -- from Polaroid cameras to Chanel nail polish -- convinced their makers to bring them back into circulation, or at least come up with some sort of compromise.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that's never been as true as when these products started disappearing from store shelves.
Some fans stockpiled them, others turned to the black market and paid top dollar, a few went so far as to buy the old factory that produced the product in order to keep it on the shelves.
In most of these cases, the outspoken loyalty consumers showed toward these products -- from Polaroid cameras to Chanel nail polish -- convinced their makers to bring them back into circulation, or at least come up with some sort of compromise.
So if you find your favorite breakfast cereal, toilet paper or candy bar is suddenly in short supply, don't worry, there may be hope. After all, the customer is always right.
Courtesy: Getty Images Incandescent Light Bulbs
Few people realized how much they appreciated their old light bulbs until the so-called light bulb ban was enacted to phase out traditional incandescent bulbs in favor of more efficient compact fluorescents (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LED).
Despite the substantial energy savings, consumers still want their soft, white light. Hoards have stocked up on the traditional and less expensive variety and there was even an unsuccessful vote in Congress to overturn the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 in July.
While resistance to the changeover remains, Joseph Higbee of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, calls them the "vocal minority."
As for those that appreciate good lighting, there's slim chance for a last-minute repeal, but there is still hope for a flattering glow. "I'll tell you what I've told my wife," said Larry Lauck of the American Lighting Association, "buy a compact light that's 2700-3000 Kelvin, which will still give you a warmer to whiter light."
Courtesy: Polaroid Polaroid Instant Film and Cameras
Overshadowed by the rise in digital photography, Polaroid began scaling back its production capacity and shutting down factories in the late 1990s. The team at Polaroid even mapped out an "end of life strategy" for the brand and made a public announcement in 2008. But consumers had a different idea.
Polaroid fans, from photographers to fashion insiders, declared their undying loyalty to the instant camera while buying up the remaining supplies of the film in great quantities. A group of former Polaroid employees even bought the last remaining factory that made the instant analog film in order to produce their own.
"It was clear that people did not want the film to go away," said Polaroid President Scott Hardy.
A year later, and under new management, the company brought Polaroid back to life -- "a resurrection," according to Hardy. Now those nifty point-and-shoot cameras are widely available and come in a variety of colors. Even in 2011, demand is as strong as ever. "We can't build them fast enough," Hardy said.
Photo: John R. Coughlin/CNNMoney O.B. Tampons
It's hard for some to imagine people getting up in arms over tampons, but when this tiny variety mysteriously vanished from drugstore shelves earlier this year, there was a public outcry. Favored because of their discrete profile -- little-to-no packaging made them easy to carry and more environmentally friendly as well -- the shortage quickly spawned a black market, where eBay users posted starting bids of as much as $130 for four boxes. The normal retail price: less than $8 a box.
Marc Boston, a spokesman for Johnson & Johnson said not to worry; despite the distribution disruptions, o.b.'s are not being discontinued and the popular tampons are back in stock and on store shelves nationwide, even though supplies may vary by location.
Courtesy: Clairol Clairol Loving Care Hair Color
The company gave little explanation as to why the popular hair color was suddenly discontinued in early 2011, other than to say that distribution and soft sales contributed to Clairol's decision.
But consumers who favored Loving Care because it covered grays but did not contain the common ingredient para-phenylenediamine, which can cause an allergic reaction, did not take the news well. "We need to band together and notify Clairol that it is totally wrong to stop producing the temporary hair color, Loving Care," one discouraged fan wrote in an online forum. "I can't live without Loving Care!" another said.
"There was a very dedicated group [of fans]," acknowledged Clairol spokeswoman Alissa Fitzgibbons, of the product that had been on the market for more than 50 years.
The company has since promoted a similar demi-permanent product, called Natural Instincts, although fans claim it's just not the same. For the diehards, Loving Care is still available in limited quantities on eBay -- for as much as $50 a box, a 500% premium over the old retail price.
Courtesy: Chanel Chanel Nail Polish
The luxury company achieved mass hysteria among the high-fashion world and the mainstream a few years ago with a single $25 product called Black Satin. The limited-edition nail color sold out so fast that a second market soon popped up on eBay, where desperate fashionistas paid up to $200 for a bottle. The color has since been reintroduced as part of the company's core collection.
For those on the hunt for the next hot polish, Graphite and Peridot promise to be the "it" shades for fall, according to Ruthie Vexler, a spokeswoman for Chanel.
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