Hey! Deck publishers!

greatdane

I know we've written about what we're weary of in decks and many of us have complained about some common issues (card stock, decks that are too large just because of the mammoth borders etc). I thought it's time for AT to start using it's clout. Maybe if a bunch of us actually emailed them, it would make a difference. Cat's Eye got made after there was an email campaign to US GAMES. Who is their market after all? WE ALL ARE. IF we emailed some of the biggest publishers and TOLD them what we realllly don't like, they would realize they might sell MORE of a deck if they didn't do, or did, certain things. If they were made to realize they would sell a lot more of a deck if they paid attention to what the majority of readers would like, we might actually make a difference in what's out there. How many threads are there that talk about disappointment in a certain deck after a lot of hype? Maybe it's time we make our desires known....
 

AJ

AT members actually make up a tiny fraction of deck users.
We are more akin to a flea on a horses back.
 

greatdane

But we're such a great test market!

I know we are a drop in the bucket, but so many readers are spread out, we're all here...in a bucket! lol I would think publishers would care. Hey, Cat's Eye got published and US Games said they were impressed with all the emails. We must make a difference. This IS the best tarot site, after all :))).
 

tarotbear

Don't be surprised if someone from USG isn't a 'secret lurker' on here.

I rememeber the big buzz over the Medieval Scappini - USG paid a lot of attention to that one!
 

greatdane

Well, Tarotbear, I would think ALL the publishers would be checking out AT (although it sure doesn't appear that way many times)! Granted we're hardly all the tarot reader population, but where else would they get the best info re various likes, dislikes, etc.? We're a great segment to see what flies, or would fly. One can't please everyone but I would think if there was something that they see we REALLLY don't like or like, they would listen. For example, Llewellyn's BORDERS that make a card oversize and yet the image itself isn't that big. Llewellyn? Are you there, Llewellyn? :)
 

tarotbear

If you remember, the flap about the Medieval Scappini had to do with the depiction of Pentitents on one card that looked like members of the KKK to some people. As I remember, someone on here actually went through and called USG, got a directory, and actually left a message on Stu Kaplan's voicemail! Although The Top Man never answers his voicemail - his secretary does - USG did call that person back and Mr Kaplan did speak to them about it.

Oddly enough - most people may be unaware of this - but that day {on a totally unrelated matter dealing with my book} I got not one but TWO phone calls directly from Stu Kaplan himself!
 

greatdane

How true, Tarotbear!

I know Stu Kaplan is very involved with the business. He doesn't sit in an Ivory Tower. I have gotten responses from him on a couple occasions. Also when Amazon sent me a PCS Commemorative box that looked like monkeys jumped on it, Stu Kaplan sent me a new box and a signed copy of the book and overnighted it to me on US Games dime and I hadn't even purchased from them, which he knew (Amazon was willing to take the set back but said they couldn't guarantee the next box wouldn't be as badly bashed, not acceptable!). I wish all publishers were as attentive as he is. The tarot business is a business and I would think what readers what or don't want would be paramount. I don't know who makes the decisions from some of the companies, but it sure doesn't look like a group of readers when you look at how bad some issues like card stock, size, borders are and continue to be. That's why I thought, with the New Year here, if ATers just emailed publishers and said look, this is what we like, this is what we don't like, perhaps it would be a win win. :)))
 

tarotbear

IThat's why I thought, with the New Year here, if ATers just emailed publishers and said look, this is what we like, this is what we don't like, perhaps it would be a win win. :)))

I heartily agree! But it would take a concerted effort! Someone would have to post the email and physical addresses of the big publishers (USGS, Llewellyn, etc.) and also the contact person(s) at those companies. Then Tarotists would have to get together and all agree (yeah, right) that 'Starting Feb 1, 2013 we need to start sending our letters out' so that instead of appearing to be a random whiney note here and there from someone who is kvetching about some picayune thing, that the publishers see that a deliberate effort on the part of MANY tarotists asking 'Why?' is being done. There needs to be dozens of these letters in a small window of time, not one or two a year.
 

gregory

Don't be surprised if someone from USG isn't a 'secret lurker' on here.

Not secret - I just cannot remember what they call themselves. I think it was something like - US Games !!! I remember the day they phoned you ! But that KKK thing was so silly; that kind of headdress was in use LONG before and was totally relevant in context !

I have an email that gets through to them - but I think it would be very unfair to bombard them....
 

tarotbear

"Bombard" them is not a good thing, either; it could have the opposite effect. It would come off like we are a bunch of kooks! (whether we are or not is fodder for another thread!)

But if 50 letters all arrived in a short time all asking 'What do the borders of the XYZ deck have to be so large at the expense of the image of the cards?' signed by 50 different tarot readers - that would at least get noticed. Nothing may come from it, but it would get noticed. {{If I recall, Scappini said he would not change his design, regardless.}}

PS - I also bought some decks from Kaplan that were being sold on eBay .. but it was very discreetly handled.

I do have an email 'in' to the Acquistions dept ... but you would need to be contacting the Head of the Art Dept ....