Soft-Hearted: Survey on ethically-produced soft toys.
I'm starting a business selling ethically-produced soft toys. That is, soft toys which are produced in an environmentally-friendly way, without the use of child labour, and so on.
This means I need to talk to people who might be interested in buying these toys, to find out what they want.
So I've made a survey. There's only one page of questions, and it's likely to take about 5 minutes.
Anyone who completes the survey before February the 1st will get 15% off on one order, of any size, made before 2011.
The survey will be anonymous. You won't have to give your name or contact details (although you can choose to, if you want to be notified when I have products for sale).
WHO SHOULD DO THIS SURVEY?
You should do this survey if you would consider buying soft toys, either for yourself or as a gift.
The survey is here:
http://www.eSurveysPro.com/Survey.aspx?id=7effa1c5-bfdb-4394-b5e2-19402e...
Thanks,
James.
PS Please feel free to forward this to groups or individuals who might be interested.
Hi softhearted
I'd like you to meet the rabble mascot, Ruckus the Sock Puppet...
Ruckus says you have to pay to buy advertising on rabble, soft as it may be, so I'm removing the link. Good luck with your venture though.
[edited to add... oh WTF, I'll leave it up for a bit. I think Ruckus is way better looking though. )
[edited to add... oh WTF, I'll leave it up for a bit. I think Ruckus is way better looking though. )
Oh, oldgoat, you ol' softie!!
Yeah, I've been called that, but not since I started using the pills!
Back when I was an undergrad, we had a Glaswegian give us a lecture on James Joyce's "Araby" during a literary criticism class. At one point the guy went off on a tangent about Western views on Oriental sexuality, including a wee speech whereby he discussed the curiously Oriental-sounding names, such as "Shiek" and "Ramses" given to condom brands.
I kept my yap shut, but I was thinking, "Well, ye nae canna sell rubbers called 'Scottie's Little Softie' now, can ye?"
I wish you the best with your endeavours. Have you talked to any major toy manufactures? Surely there have got to be one of them out there that would be interested in such a noble idea.
Unfortunately most of them will say no because the only way they can be "competitive" is to have toys made by a five year old working for $0.30 per hour.
Do you have a way to mass produce them without charging $15 for a teddy-bear just to break even?
A few years ago I noticed a stamp on a brand of bed-frames that said "Certified Child Labour Free". At that time it made me so happy. I thought it was something that was going to catch on with other companies. Since then I have not seen it anywhere.
I think you should go bigger with your idea. Trying to get personal orders through a forum comprised of a few hundred people is shooting low. I am not attempting to discourage you, honestly. In fact I would help you to pay for advertising space if I thought it would in anyway help to end child slavery.
But a softhearted hippychick sewing a few dolls for a few people will not change a thing but make a few people feel better.
Have you tried contacting the people from the Dragon's Den or the Shark Tank?
Maybe just maybe one of them could see the potential behind the concept of 'child labour free' and 'environmentally friendly' being something consumers would pay a little extra for. The key of course would be if you could mass produce your product.
When I was a kid, we used ta get up every mornin', brush the gravel our of our hair, sweep the septic tank, have no breakfast, and then walk ten miles uphill to school. And our dad would thrash us to sleep every night with his belt. Oooo luxury.
When I was a kid, we made our own toys. Kites from paper or polypropylene/plastic and sticks, and about a half a mile of string on a spool. I remember making a rifle out of straws and wooden matches as bullets. Lots of fun in bare feet on pavement. Then there were the guns made from pieces of wood, a nail in one end, an elastic band, and parts from two clothes pins. Ouch! I guess we were deprived somewhat.
One more question after clicking on your link.
Do you make any teddy-bears that don't look like ET?
Back when I was an undergrad, we had a Glaswegian give us a lecture on James Joyce's "Araby" during a literary criticism class. At one point the guy went off on a tangent about Western views on Oriental sexuality, including a wee speech whereby he discussed the curiously Oriental-sounding names, such as "Shiek" and "Ramses" given to condom brands.
I kept my yap shut, but I was thinking, "Well, ye nae canna sell rubbers called 'Scottie's Little Softie' now, can ye?"
Those names might have been partly inspired by the movie 'The Sheik', starring Rudolph Valentino.
By the way, I'm thinking of changing the name: do people like Soft-Hearted better, or Cuddles With Conscience?
Soft-Hearted is a great name. I'm surprised it isn't OWNED by some cold-hearted corporation.
If you have copyrighted that name you could probably make a mint selling the name to a company that has children in developing countries making phthalate laden heartshaped teething rings for babies.
Most of the guys from the 'Shark Tank' would probably help you finance that venture.
The marketing value of the name Soft-hearted could surely bring you more money than sewing a million teddy bears ever could, but I have a feeling that big profit was not your main objective.
Back when I was an undergrad, we had a Glaswegian give us a lecture on James Joyce's "Araby" during a literary criticism class. At one point the guy went off on a tangent about Western views on Oriental sexuality, including a wee speech whereby he discussed the curiously Oriental-sounding names, such as "Shiek" and "Ramses" given to condom brands.
I kept my yap shut, but I was thinking, "Well, ye nae canna sell rubbers called 'Scottie's Little Softie' now, can ye?"
No foolin'?
In the 1920s, "Sheiking" was a verb. I don't know which is the worse cinematic racial stereotype, the Arab male as a lusty defiler of white women or the modern Arab movie terrorist.
http://www.reelbadarabs.com/
I know this is off topic but this topic will likely be locked soon anyways for attempting to use this forum to get free advertising.
So I want to comment on your comment. I clicked on your link and I totally have to agree that a negative stereotype of your people has definitely been impregnated into Hollywood movies.
I think there has been some subtle improvements though. For example, have you seen Kingdom of Heaven. I don't know of any others but that is definitely one that will never be shown in Catholic schools. Not that I have anything against Catholics other than the ped0ph!le priests.
My people? Who, Saskatchewan farmers?
Yeah, I saw Kingdom of Heaven. There's a hint of conversation about it over here. We had a whole thread about it a few years ago, but the new elbbab destroyed it.
As a lusty defiler of white women, I resent this remark.
My people? Who, Saskatchewan farmers?
Yeah, I saw Kingdom of Heaven. There's a hint of conversation about it over here. We had a whole thread about it a few years ago, but the new elbbab destroyed it.
I just assumed as it is generally human nature only to only care about things that effect them personally.
I would never imagine that a Saskatchewan farmer would give a $hit about a negative stereotype imposed on another people.
Now SoftHearted I would have taken for a Canadian farmer (growing organic herbs) but here she is the one who took offence to your reference to Arabs being seen as a defiler of white women.
SoftHearted are you an Arab man or a white woman? If you're not an Arab man then why are you offended?
Oooooh, SoftHearted is a dooode or a chick that wishes she was a dude.
I just assumed as it is generally human nature only to only care about things that effect them personally.
You do realise where you're posting, right?
babblers care about everyone, everywhere.