Gold Arcane Uncut - for FREE!?

[sway]

Kind of off-topic here, but...

Ellusionist is now offering a FREE Gold Arcane uncut for black clubbers. Check it;

http://hwst.ellusionist.com/cds/BlackClub/GoldSheet/GoldSheet.html

[Don Boyer]

It was so off-topic, I made a new topic! 

They're doing this as incentive for us Black Clubbers to get the non-BCers we know to join.  A frikkin' free uncut of one of their rare decks?!  It's insane - but true!  All I had to pay was shipping.  This is the first uncut I actually bought - and it didn't cost anything!  The world's going mad!! 

tl;dr: JOIN BLACK CLUB.

[sway]

Checkin' my email...



I know there is no such thing as free lunch, but this was a pleasant surprise.

After the Red Arcane "prototype" bullshit, I'm starting to have mixed feelings about Ellusionist.

[Utterfool]

So I really have mixed feelings about this.

Don't get me wrong a free Gold Arcane sheet to members is awesome and it is making the Black Club membership worth it now.

I just wish they made it a Free Rare uncut sheet or something like that.

I bought a Gold Arcane sheet when they did the give away the deck with the sheet promo. Now I am going to have a second.
To sell you say.
Sure.
But since they are giving it away the second sales price is going to dive.

Oh well just a gripe at my luck not at the fact that they are giving away the free Gold Arcane reprint uncut sheets.
That is awesome.

[Nurul]

Black club membership is definitely worth it I think. Like don, this is the first uncut sheet I ever bought, due to the fact it was free I envy US customers cos they're shipping costs r obviously going to be lower than international customers lol BUT no complaint here. International customers,  JOIN THE BLACK CLUB

[sway]

I just wish they made it a Free Rare uncut sheet or something like that.

Maybe they overestimated their sales for this specific product and were having trouble getting rid of the GA uncuts. For the price they were selling them, I guess the uncuts weren't exactly flying off the shelves.

Ellusionist came up with a very clever way to keep low inventory levels and - simultaneously - keep black clubbers happy and attract new members.

[Don Boyer]

So I really have mixed feelings about this.

Don't get me wrong a free Gold Arcane sheet to members is awesome and it is making the Black Club membership worth it now.

I just wish they made it a Free Rare uncut sheet or something like that.

I bought a Gold Arcane sheet when they did the give away the deck with the sheet promo. Now I am going to have a second.
To sell you say.
Sure.
But since they are giving it away the second sales price is going to dive.

Oh well just a gripe at my luck not at the fact that they are giving away the free Gold Arcane reprint uncut sheets.
That is awesome.

You mean as in "choice of free rare uncut sheet," I presume? 

The price will go down only in the short term.  When the sellers have sold theirs, the market will dry back up again and the price will improve.  Might not go as high as it was, at least not right away, but the item's rarity and desirability hasn't changed one bit.

I like to think of it in term of how they're giving away ANOTHER COOL FREEBIE to Black Club members in the hopes we'll go to places like this, brag about the cool stuff we're getting and make more people want to join.

Also - has it occurred to you that you now have the rare opportunity to hang the fronts and the backs of the deck on your wall at the same time? 

Maybe they overestimated their sales for this specific product and were having trouble getting rid of the GA uncuts. For the price they were selling them, I guess the uncuts weren't exactly flying off the shelves.

Ellusionist came up with a very clever way to keep low inventory levels and - simultaneously - keep black clubbers happy and attract new members.

They were rather costly, if I remember.  Now, if you're in the Club, it's free - while supplies last.  Black Club members are still being offered Artifice Black Club and Black Ghost 1st Edition uncuts exclusively, but at a rather princely sum - $175 before discounts.

Remember, we're talking about an item that exists in SMALL quantities.  For a 5,000-deck print run, how many do you think could possibly exist?  A hundred, maybe?  They could have easily marked the sheet down for a clearance sale or made it a prize giveaway, but instead they opted to throw another bone to Black Club members who thought maybe they weren't getting their money's worth.  Now, that argument's dead in the water.

[Utterfool]

Remember, we're talking about an item that exists in SMALL quantities.  For a 5,000-deck print run, how many do you think could possibly exist?  A hundred, maybe?  They could have easily marked the sheet down for a clearance sale or made it a prize giveaway, but instead they opted to throw another bone to Black Club members who thought maybe they weren't getting their money's worth.  Now, that argument's dead in the water.

I agree.
It may not be the same value as the Bicycle club (yet)
But it is already worth it.
I was one of those that thought I made a bad decision and was vocal about it.
So I would like to be as vocal with my recant.
" I am pleased I spent the money on the Black Club membership. So far it has been worth at least the value I paid for it."

[sway]

Remember, we're talking about an item that exists in SMALL quantities.  For a 5,000-deck print run, how many do you think could possibly exist?  A hundred, maybe?

I'll answer you with a quote from CBJ at UC. I think he explains it very well the history of sales for the Gold Arcane uncut sheets.

Here it is:

So.. originally they only had a few.. and only a couple were released to friends/family.

then.. they decided to sell some in the black club.. and I could have sworn they sold out.

then.. they "found" more in their other warehouse.. and sold them through the black club again.

Now.. they are giving one free to every member.

HOW MANY OF THESE F*CKING THINGS DID THEY MAKE?!!!??!??!

Not to mention the subsequent sale where they offered the uncut with it's respective deck for free.

So, this probably leaves us with the following options:

1. Ellusionist is having the biggest trouble selling their GA uncuts.
2. Ellusionist's got a way bigger inventory for the GA uncuts than we originally though.
3. Both (1) and (2) are correct.

P.S. I've just read a 4th theory from Utterfool (or theory #12, in his own words ), but I'll let him comment on that.

[The Quadfather]

I don't really care if these things are rare or not. I just bought the black club membership to get one. I think it was a pretty good deal considering everything I'm getting. And this is going to look freaking awesome in a frame on my wall!!

[Don Boyer]

Remember, we're talking about an item that exists in SMALL quantities.  For a 5,000-deck print run, how many do you think could possibly exist?  A hundred, maybe?

I'll answer you with a quote from CBJ at UC. I think he explains it very well the history of sales for the Gold Arcane uncut sheets.

Here it is:

So.. originally they only had a few.. and only a couple were released to friends/family.

then.. they decided to sell some in the black club.. and I could have sworn they sold out.

then.. they "found" more in their other warehouse.. and sold them through the black club again.

Now.. they are giving one free to every member.

HOW MANY OF THESE F*CKING THINGS DID THEY MAKE?!!!??!??!

Not to mention the subsequent sale where they offered the uncut with it's respective deck for free.

So, this probably leaves us with the following options:

1. Ellusionist is having the biggest trouble selling their GA uncuts.
2. Ellusionist's got a way bigger inventory for the GA uncuts than we originally though.
3. Both (1) and (2) are correct.

P.S. I've just read a 4th theory from Utterfool (or theory #12, in his own words ), but I'll let him comment on that.

There is an incorrect assumption in Jay's statement, "Now.. they are giving one free to every member."  They aren't.  They're giving them only to those members willing to pay for the shipping, on a first-come-first-served basis.  Very, VERY different.

My bet is that at $100 a sheet they were having trouble moving them.  That's not exactly cheap, even for a rare deck.  They still have uncuts in the Black Club store for BG1E as well as Artifice Black Club and Red Artifice.  The reds are a mere $90 while the other two are $175 a pop - for that price, they should come with an expensive bottle of champagne or something!  Look at when they introduced this 250-sheet run of Red Arcane, never to be reprinted - only $80. No bargain, but cheap compared to the other rare offerings.

Honestly, they could have left them in the Black Club shop for as long as they wished, as they've been doing with the other sheets I mentioned.  They heard people grousing about what they were getting for their $147 and decided this would be a great way to shut up the haters - and it seems to be working, except for a few hard cases.

[yukito]

I will never buy any product from ellusionist anymore. I have totally lost trust on this company. Good luck to them.

[agera94]

I will never buy any product from ellusionist anymore. I have totally lost trust on this company. Good luck to them.

So E gives out a free gold arcane uncut valued at $100 and you're here complaining? Good job buddy.

[Don Boyer]

I will never buy any product from ellusionist anymore. I have totally lost trust on this company. Good luck to them.

So E gives out a free gold arcane uncut valued at $100 and you're here complaining? Good job buddy.

If I had to guess, I'd wager that Yukito recently paid full price for his.  Rather than seeing it as an opportunity to have another, he's upset that he "wasted" his money when he could have waited.  In a way, I can't blame him, if that's the case, but still - it's an opportunity, not a tragedy, and he chooses not to see it that way.

[agera94]

I think its a great opportunity. 2 gold arcanes to hang side by side with fronts and backs 

[hecrob]

I will never buy any product from ellusionist anymore. I have totally lost trust on this company. Good luck to them.

So E gives out a free gold arcane uncut valued at $100 and you're here complaining? Good job buddy.

If I had to guess, I'd wager that Yukito recently paid full price for his.  Rather than seeing it as an opportunity to have another, he's upset that he "wasted" his money when he could have waited.  In a way, I can't blame him, if that's the case, but still - it's an opportunity, not a tragedy, and he chooses not to see it that way.

Its really hard to see it as an opportunity when you invested 100 + shipping on something that a few days later becomes a free item.

Our hobby its really expensive, i took the opportunity to get this gold arcane uncut, although i dont really like the arcanes, but like you said, it was an opportunity i couldn't let go.

On the brightside, Yukito can sell one of the uncuts... if gets abother one with the promo.... and when the prices go up again...
just sayin...

[yukito]

Thanks for all the comments    yes I have been the Ellusionist full supporter for the past 2 years. I have brought more than 10 uncut for them when they first started this membership. They have just ended the GA uncut promotion. Do you guys know that they now come out with a new promotion again, " Join the black club membership now for only 97USD and get a GA uncut for free" ?   haha how you guys feel when u hear this news ?  cheated ?  That's why I said no point to support this company anymore, save your hard earn money on other company better. 

[KPopFever605]

I don't know if I were you, but I would feel cheated if I were him. What if you didn't want two uncuts, but just one? You spent nearly two Bejamins to get one, and now they are releasing one for free, just a little less than a Jackson.

Do you guys know that they now come out with a new promotion again, " Join the black club membership now for only 97USD and get a GA uncut for free" ?   haha how you guys feel when u hear this news ?  cheated ?

Where'd you hear that? It says it's still being sold for $147. Maybe you get a discount of $50 if your a returning customer.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks for all the comments    yes I have been the Ellusionist full supporter for the past 2 years. I have brought more than 10 uncut for them when they first started this membership. They have just ended the GA uncut promotion. Do you guys know that they now come out with a new promotion again, " Join the black club membership now for only 97USD and get a GA uncut for free" ?   haha how you guys feel when u hear this news ?  cheated ?  That's why I said no point to support this company anymore, save your hard earn money on other company better.

Yukito, now I believe you're talking out of your ass.  If E really is running such a special, they're being awfully hush-hush about it.  No email, no post on FB, nothing on the website...

Just stop with the sour grapes already.  It's no different than if you went to any other retailer, made a purchase, then found out a week later they marked your item on sale - it's part of capitalism and marketing.  ALL retail companies do this, not just Ellusionist.  I'm willing to bet you didn't even try contacting Ellusionist to voice your dissatisfaction, did you?

[phantom1412]

The 97$ black club promotion with the gold arcane uncut is true.
I guess they sent emails to some selected non-black club customers, not everyone who ever bought from them.

[yukito]

It's on the non-black club membership email and Many people have received the email. Seen like Ellusionist do not want the black club member to know it. I'm not a person that will post something that is not true or try to mislead the reader. Good luck to those who have brought the membership last weekend.

[Don Boyer]

It's on the non-black club membership email and Many people have received the email. Seen like Ellusionist do not want the black club member to know it. I'm not a person that will post something that is not true or try to mislead the reader. Good luck to those who have brought the membership last weekend.

I receive ALL the emails, Black Club or not!  And there's enough non-BC members on this board that we would have heard of this by now.  I just received a "non-BC" general purpose email advertising some of their new stuff - not a word about this supposed promotion.

Go peddle your crap elsewhere.  We're not buying it.

[agera94]

I also fail to see why we'd be mad if people can get into the black club for $97? It's a special offer for them.

[hecrob]

Wow... $97?? and 2 members of this board say its true... wth is happening?

Im with Don in this... can't be true because they would be saying it on all the platforms possible and all ways possible... facebook, twitter, youtube...

But nothing...

And if it was true... what would be the standard to select the costumers that do get the discount??

Wth!?!?!?

[Don Boyer]

I missed the part where Lalita commented.  Hmm...

I'm guessing that Ellusionist made this offer only to selected customers.  It's not a "non-Black Club" thing - it's an "exclusive offer" thing.  It's the only thing that would make sense, because they're not promoting it ANYWHERE ELSE.  At least not yet.

They may be doing this to test the waters and see if it would lure in more members.  Apple realized that when they reduced the prices of certain software products, where the cost of making one or a trillion was essentially the same, they found that the additional sales volume made up for the reduced price and they turned a bigger profit - it's why they sell their new operating systems for something like $30 and why most apps cost less than $5 or $10 in the iOS App Store.  And not coincidentally, it's also why most albums in iTunes run about $9.99 to $12.99, whereas in the dying days of the compact disc it was closer to $16-18, depending on where you lived.

It's possible that if this promotion is a success, they may throw the older members a bone for being early adopters - or they may not.  It's too early for me to know for sure what the situation is and evaluate it.

It's also possible that someone hacked them and the offer was bogus.  Aside from Black Club, I've never heard of them doing anything like this - an offer only for selected people and that's it.  Has anyone tried taking advantage of the offer?  Did they successfully join at the discounted price - and get offered a free GA uncut?  Until I know more, I can't draw a conclusion.  I can only offer guesses and conjecture.