Funkengroovin Wednesday - That's The Word

Are you as obsessed with this object (below) as VB? Yes, you are. Admit it. That's obvious from VB's statistics at Google Analytics. The graphs, and statistics say, most of VB's recent readers, found her through a search for "Pier 1 Beetle Ornament" or a variation thereof.



As a result, VB decided to do some research and searching herself. She called all the Pier 1 shops listed for her zip code.

Here's the responses:
Enfield, CT: No longer in stock. Sold out. They did mention having another call before VB's that morning.
Manchester, CT: Ditto
Holyoke, MA: Ditto
Avon, CT: They actually checked and said, "they're all gone."
W. Hartford, CT: "Last week they had it in Cheshire."
Bristol, CT: "Everyone's sold out. That's the word."
Glastonbury, CT: Never answered the phone.

So, then VB decided to "contact" (e-mail) Pier 1.

VB:
"I've been looking for the Beetle car ornament and have called all the stores in my area. I do not see it available online either. Do you plan on supplying more of these for your stores, or online?"

Pier 1's reply:
"Thank you for your interest in our merchandise.

Wow, you and thousands of our customers thought the Glass Car Ornament (Item #2262865) was so cute they wanted to take it home. We knew it was adorable, cute and irresistible, but we under estimated how many of our customers would feel this way as well.

Our buyers huddled, they crunched numbers, they really tried to estimate how many we would need, and they just didn’t last through the season! We know you’re disappointed, and we truly wish we could find one for you. Since this is a seasonal item, no additional quantities will be received.

You can be sure we’ve kept our buyers informed; “our customers loved it, but you didn’t buy enough!” When another find comes along, they’ll review this information so everybody can take one home.We regret our stores are the only source for purchasing merchandise since we ended our ecommerce online ordering.

Thank you again for thinking of Pier 1 for your holiday shopping and we hope you’ll visit a store to browse through our other finds.

Sincerely,

Catherine T.
Customer Relations Representative
Pier 1 Imports"

VB thinks to herself, "and you guys are all crying because sales have gone down! Maybe it's because you don't have the goods."

So, then VB decides that there must be more VW gifts out there than what she found last week.

Here's the results of the newer search: (Rip-Offs)
A seller on ebay, sold one of the Pier 1 ornaments for $102.50! That's for an ornament that originally cost $12.00 retail.

Here's a listing of all Pier 1 Beetle Ornament auctions as of now.

For all those still wishing to have a funky holiday, here are a few more (not so rip-offy) ideas:

First, VB does not want to exclude her Jewish readers. How about the Wheeling Groovy Menorah shown below?




More:
USA:
VW Bus Ceramic Ornament

A variety of VW prints are available at imagekind. VB's favorite - here.

Karmann Ghia Parts and Restoration offers gift items, many oriented towards the Ghia fanatic.

Airhead Parts offers clothing and DVDs.

Etsy has several gifts that are different from anything else VB has seen (although many of the items VB has listed can be categorized as somewhat weird.) They offer:
Set of 6 VW Volkswagon Bottlecap Magnets Beetle Bus Ghia,

SALE 3 FUN Slide Frame Magnets For One Low Price (including one with just Buses.) And, you can do a search on ETSY for VW and find page after page of assorted items, though some are a bit tacky.


UK:
Calamity Creations offers cards, calendars, mugs, and original prints of Buses and Beetles.

centralcrafts.com offers mugs with Beetle or Bus handles (quite unique.)

dubmonkeysworld offers a multitude of gifts for the VW obsessed. VB's favorites are the plates and tableware items. Prices are quoted in both pounds and dollars.

Caketoppers offers cool VW Bus cakes, but they're not cheap.


Or you could just buy the Kobalt 53-inch Tool Chest, for $1,700.00, for your favorite tool guy/gal.
"Kobalt's ultimate shop locker stores provisions even more critical to tinkering than wrenches: beer and music...Pop the lid to expose speakers and LED lights perfect for late-night "work" sessions. A side-mounted power strip feeds your angle grinder (or blender), while four flip-out hooks hold your collection of Nascar jackets. You can put tools in it, too!"

Last, but not least, The New York Times has a list of favorite auto related books, On the Road, Without Leaving Home, described as, "...some gift book possibilities on a range of transportation topics, from tiny trailers to pioneers in the auto industry."



Worst comes to worst, you can go to dumpr.net and make a few cards of your own VWs, pets, or other indulgences to send off to friends. (Those are VB's van and bug in the photos below.)



Created with dumpr.net - photo fun




Created with dumpr.net - photo fun



Boots of Spanish Leather - Nanci Griffith