Need to see all vs. a surprise or two..

[starlightexp]

I just wanted to get thoughts on what people think of seeing the whole deck before you buy it. I was thinking back in the day before one could Google, Yahoo, Bing a whole deck and really how kind of nice it was to be surprised by cards. Does one think that basically seeing the whole deck diminishes the surprise of seeing how card turned out. I know we have our make it or brake it cards the "I HAVE to see how the __________ card turned out or I'm not really going to like the deck" but what did we do before we had access to all this? Do people still buy decks based on just seeing one or two cards?


I for one still like the anticipation of seeing the cards for the first time when I have them in my hand. A great example for me is the Legacy of the Divine. I saw a few of the cards posted then resisted the urge to look at the rest of the deck for when I got it and it was just blown away by the beauty. I didn't just flip through it because I had seen them all already, which has happened to me sometimes when I 'over look' at a deck online. Am I alone in this?

 

[cardlady22]

Personally, I enjoy seeing a deck online- but it's still a unique experience to get them in the hand. If a company or artist prefers to showcase a small sample, I want it to be representative- not the "best looking" cards from the deck. As I've said before, I like the idea of seeing an entire Tarot Constellation family, along with a Court Card or two.

 

[starlightexp]

I want it to be representative- not the "best looking" cards from the deck.

That is true. I do have decks that the 3-4 cards I saw were the ONLY good ones

 

[vee]

I prefer to see a few high quality scans, like maybe 2 majors, 2 court cards, and 2 suit cards. Part of the excitement of getting a new deck is pulling it out and slowly going through each card

 

[Ashtaroot]

For me it depends on the deck.. If it s a tarot deck than I am happy with a couple of court couple of pip and couple of majors. And oracle I would like to see a handful but if it a Lenormand I need to see every card.. Cause the deck is small and because the way it is read..very simple and straight to the point kinda reading... Soooo every card is crucial for me .... One card can make the deck useless .... But this is for me personally

 

[BodhiSeed]

Like Cardlady, I prefer to see a representative sampling. I've bought a deck seeing only the major arcana cards (thinking the artwork was gorgeous), only to find the pips were unillustrated when I had the deck in hand. I don't like those kind of surprises. But I do enjoy not seeing ALL the cards - that's a bit like knowing what a gift is before you unwrap it. Takes some of the fun out of it.

 

[WolfyJames]

I much prefer seeing the whole deck first. I've had disappointments like that where I only saw a few cards and when I got the deck I was hugely disappointment, like for the Gilded Tarot. In the other hand, some decks who didn't appeal to me by seeing a few cards can make me want to get the deck once I get to see the whole deck, like for the Oracle of Shadows & Light and the Heart of Faerie Oracle.

 

[Shade]

I don't like to see a whole deck before I buy it. It's a little like sleeping with someone on the first date - the mystery is just gone. There have been a number of times that I flipped through a demo deck I was interested in and then afterward the zest for the deck was gone.

Also, seeing scans of a deck online is a very different experience than flipping from card to card in real life. It's the cliche people say in their online dating profiles about looking better in real life but it's true - lighting, setting, and mood are critical.

I think with the Internet Age we've gotten used to the idea of seeing full decks before they come out and people won't buy unless they get to give the whole deck a once over check its teeth. What did we do before when all we saw was the box art and maybe 6 cards in a display?

At worst you will get a deck that isn't quite what you imagined and you can pass it off to a friend who it is best suited for. I've often found myself to be a temporary custodian of a deck until its true owner is located.

 

[Soaring Eagle]

Just today I found a deck I was interested in. I went to one website that had a couple of pics, and they're great. I WANT the deck, and NOW. I went to another site for the reviews, and there were a few more cards there, though not the whole deck. I didn't even bother reading the reviews, with the additional pics shown, I knew it was a deck I DID NOT want.

I'm not sure really on a whole deck view or not, but seeing a good representation helps.

 

[Glitterbird]

If I'm spending big bucks on a deck, I want to see them all, I've been burned on a couple of decks. But if it's an affordable deck, I'm good with surprises.