Thursday, June 30, 2011

Phat Fiber Box


Okay, if you have never heard of Phat Fiber Box, you, like me, live under a rock.

A friend told me I should really look into contributing to the Phat Fiber Box; it is a great way to get your name out and increase business.

So I looked into it.

Once a month a husband/wife team collect samples from "contributors", gather them together, make a video, collect email addresses--which they use to inform of the super secret time the boxes will go on sale.

The "contributors" need to send in a minimum of 20 samples (but if you send in 50 samples, you will get your own box, and, as state on their blog, "a spot in our popular and entertaining monthly video!").

I was game, though trying to figure out how to make 20 or 50 "samples" of my row counters had be perplexed. I contacted the Phat Fiber lady and found out that they had too many stitch marker contributors, maybe next month.

Okay, by now I was hooked so when I found out the super secret date and time the boxes were to be sold, I made sure I was online, credit card in hand and ready to go to spend my $36 to get a Phat Fiber box.

Somewhere between finding out about the Phat Fiber Box and receiving the box I got to thinking.

There were 3 different boxes. I do not know how many each different box they sold, but you need to send in 20 samples (50 if you want your own box). So, let's just, for the sake of simplicity and argument, they only sell 20 boxes.

20 times $36 is $720. Now if they sell 10 of each box (one only fiber, one yarn, and a combo box) that would be 30 times $36 for $1080! For what? Okay, the people who put these boxes together do advertise, they do take pictures, they do organize the boxes, but......? The only thing the "contributors" get is advertising for 20 samples, or a "free" box for 50 samples, and the people who came up with the idea get somewhere around $1000?!


The box arrived and for all it's fibery goodness and hype and I was disappointed. For $36 I would have rather taken a chance on full-sized items from fellow etsians. I got less than 5 oz of fiber, in tiny batches. Got a stitch markers, a diz (I think that is what it is), coupons, etc. I did get a WAY cool "spinning because knitting isn't weird enough" button!

Are any of the contributors likely to get a sale from me? I can't say the Phat Fiber Box has really hooked me to buy fiber from anyone. I feel it is a rip off for both the consumers and those who "contribute!"

The friend who told me about how wonderful Phat Fiber was, USED to be a contributor, but has since decided she the few number of sells she was getting from contriubting to Phat Fiber was not worth the work to contribute!

edited to add: I have since been told they sell more than 120-150 or more boxes a month--this past month was $36 per box, so I'll just leave you to do the math!

4 comments:

Jennifer said...

You have hit the nail on the head with this one. I USE to be a contributor, until I realized the the owners of Phat Fiber were making more then $5400 a month off of MY work. Yeah...I would rather that I make that kind of money, thanks!

They sell about 120 boxes a month. Dont you wish you had at least 120 sale a month that totaled $5400.00. I know I do.

Thank you for pointing out the "scam".

Emily said...

I've been a contributor for Phat Fiber, too.
Recently they have done this seed money thing because they switched and saved money by going to Big Cartel. Every month they do a raffle for all the contributors to get $100 to put towards their shop. It's neat, but not neat enough to keep me going.
Fellow contributors are rather clique like as there are so many of them.

Once, I did 50 samples, and it felt like things were going to be fantastic. No, joy. I've gotten a few sales, but not repeat customers from that experience. I have had better luck with the Ravelry Group Forum Ads.

FiberJewels said...

What is really sad is that so many people I know who HAVE contributed say the same thing -- no increase in sales, no return, just a couple sells with coupons, and definately no return customers.

Connie said...
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