I hate kits...

[Abrac]

As usual these days, the idea isn't to satisfy the customer, but satisfy the manufacturer or distributor. They don't really care what you want, but will be happy to tell you what you want and hope you mindlessly go along. Vote with your pocketbook.

-fof

 

[Logiatrix]

The Llewellyn Box

My solution to the otherwise useless "little" box from Llewellyn is to save the cellophane from the outer box and wrap the deck with it. That way, the deck fits nice and snug inside and shouldn't float around.

The large outer packaging is awfully useless and silly, too. Why do they need it to be so huge, when the book fits only half of it, the consolation "storage" box is just more of a space filler, and the deck floats around no matter what...?

 

[lark]

The only good thing about the kits is it might get tarot back on the shelf, and out from behind the counter, and out of the locked glass cabinets.
I noticed Borders is putting the kits on the shelf now and still keeping the small boxes in the glass cabinet.
My Barnes and Noble doesn't even stock small boxes any more, only kits...they've taken everything out from behind the counter.
Llewellyn's mini kit is or should I say was my favorite style of packaging.

I always thought the Virtue decks had a nice box idea and strangely those were never put behind a counter or in a glasss case, but were always on the shelf...even though I have many times seen then opened and gone through.

 

[Brock Johnson]

I DO hate how they package that insipid little carboard box that does more harm than good. I mean, i appriciate the little bag they had in the Animals divine set, it was cheap, but it's okay until i make a better bag...but the box...the cards just bouncse around in there and ot annoys me. I want a box that's snug and can keep all the cards together.

I just ordered the Animals Divine!!!! Darn it!

Brock

 

[rachelcat]

Llewellyn's mini kit is or should I say was my favorite style of packaging.

I always thought the Virtue decks had a nice box idea

I totally agree. I love my Nigel Jackson mini kit, with the nice big cards the same size as the book. And the Archangel Oracle deck is also nice packaging. The book fits right in the nice, sturdy clamshell box with the cards.

And yeah, when I got my Animals Divine and Bright Idea Deck, I was kind of non-plussed by the too-big card box. I haven't quite figured out what to do with the sets yet . . . So there they sit on my shelf in their oversized outer and inner boxes . . .

Oh, but I totally disagree with the theme of this thread. I only buy the book with the cards if it is available. The more information the merrier! If I didn't get the book, I'd always be wondering what gem of insight I was missing!!

 

[tabbycat]

I haven't quite figured out what to do with the sets yet . . . So there they sit on my shelf in their oversized outer and inner boxes . .

It's a ploy to make you buy tarot bags! *

Nicest packaging for a deck has to be the Golden Tarot, but the Housewives' Tarot comes a close second. My vote for worst packaging is the Oracle of the Radiant Sun, which has a horrid cardboard flap on the book that wraps around the cards - totally impractical!

*not that I know anyone who makes bags and might sell you one, no sirree, no... (sticks hands in pockets and walks off whistling....)

 

[KaiMoonshadow]

I've always wanted the sharman-caselli deck but I read it and it said that it came with the book only. It's frustrating because I don't use the book much if at all. I read intuitively and so I don't need these books to tell me I'm wrong if I get the strong feeling that the chariot is a job promotion.

I understand your grief....

Brock, the Sharman-Caselli is available as either a kit OR a deck here in the UK... why not double-check with Amazon US in case they now stock both? You can also get an additional Sharman-Caselli workbook separately Hope that helps!

 

[rachelcat]

It's a ploy to make you buy tarot bags! *

My vote for worst packaging is the Oracle of the Radiant Sun, which has a horrid cardboard flap on the book that wraps around the cards - totally impractical!

*not that I know anyone who makes bags and might sell you one, no sirree, no... (sticks hands in pockets and walks off whistling....)

Hmmm, I feel a bag order coming on . . .

Absolutely on Oracle of the Radiant Sun. As soon as I took off the shrink wrap, I got the scissors and cut the card holding part of the cover off the book! Then I found a very nice scarf with a BIG sun to wrap the cards in.

Oh!! I'm supposed be buying bags! Ooops . . .

 

[lizziecat]

I'll take a deck/book kit over just the deck anyday if the book looks as if it has useful info in it. I don't mean just another RWS interpretation (I'll pass if that is all the book has in it), but if the deck is something unusual I'd rather get the deck and book at the same time. I especially prefer books that cover the symbols, colors, etc. used for interpretations (some just give descriptions and I can see that for myself), and I really appreciate at least a short blurb by the artist that lets me know their feelings and reasoning behind the deck creation.

As far as packaging goes in a kit, I prefer a small box that fits the cards instead of just providing a shrink-wrapped deck and/or a bag. Since this seems to be the trend these day in sets, I just make my own box from the tuck box site, and keep the deck in the box with the bag (if included). I don't have a lot of kits yet, but the Gilded Tart kit is a good example of providing both options - it has a bag and a separate box to fit the cards.

My favorite packaging is the Tarot for Cats - deck in a box, and both the deck and book fit neatly into a thin bookcase-friendly slipcase.

 

[greycats]

Choice would be nice.

If you want two decks - tough. [/QUOTE]

Exactly. I just bought a second Wheel of Change Tarot set because I wanted a back-up deck. My old deck is still very useable, but in a few years, perhaps when the deck is out of print, I'll be glad of a second deck. But, not a second book--though in this case the first one was useful.

So, should anyone need a Wheel of Change book, it can be yours for the price of the postage.