furrier

[furslave]

Question:

 

Do you think that most furrier advertising on the net knows about us? I dont mean necessarly this wonderfur site, but I mean us as in furlover or as fur fetishist?

 

And as in furrier I mean ebay furrier or just regular furrier froma city.

 

How many do you think knows about us? Any purcentage?

[lynxette]

That is a good question. I have at times wondered if the furriers I work with wonder what is really up with this girl...I started wondering this about 100 furs ago.

I would suspect, depending upon one's clientele, that there are furriers who are aware that there may be more to fur than fashion or wealth expression. How many is any one's guess.

[Worker 11811]

Okay... Let me answer a question with a question.

 

Does a bartender know if you are an alcoholic when you walk into his pub?

 

The answer is "maybe".

 

Some people are social drinkers, even if they go to the bar every weekend.

Some people are alcoholics, even if they only go to the bar infrequently.

 

If you ask, "Does the bartender think EVERYBODY is an alcoholic?" the answer is "NO."

 

If you ask, "Does the bartender think there are SOME alcoholics in his pub?" the answer is "YES."

 

If you ask, "Can the bartender tell if *I* am an alcoholic?" the answer is "PROBABLY" but it depends on both the bartender and the customer.

 

Some bartenders are better observers. They might have more experience with customers who drink a lot. They may have developed a "sense" that helps them tell the alcoholics from the social drinkers. On the other hand, every bartender has the "gift".

 

It may be easy to tell if a person is alcoholic as soon as they walk in the door. Some people will be difficult or impossible to pick out. A person may have learned to hide his addiction very well. He may have drunk six pints of beer before he walked into your pub but, because of his tolerance levels, may not even show it. Another person, even though hes gets "sloppy drunk" all the time may just be a "lightweight" but not an alcoholic.

 

I spent the first 20 years of my life LIVING in a bar. I have been around people of all sorts since I was born. I know there were alcoholics in the bar and I could even pick out a few of them. Others I never would have guessed in 1,000 years.

 

So to answer your question, reread what I just said but trade the following words:

 

"alcoholic" <<==>> "fur fetishist" (paraphiliac)

"bar/pub" <<==>> "fur salon"

"bartender" <<==>> "furrier"

 

Then you'll have your answer!

...which is still a definite "maybe!"

[furslave]

Worker,

 

your explation is good. I undertsand what you mean and why you do this comparaison. (I must say, i wasn't sure at first!).

 

But the question is more like, do the furriers knows about a community like the Den? If they would all know, would that change their view of selling items?

 

I mean, i thought some people may have attractions to girls wearing bracers. Now that i came accross a website that features girls naked in bracers, I now know that its more than just one in a long while.

 

Note: I'm not attracted by it at all and I was not looking for that, but just came across it and started questionning myself about furrier.

 

I know its not a question easy to answer. In fact, i think its a one to one answer.

[Worker 11811]

But the question is more like, do the furriers knows about a community like the Den?

 

One furrier I spoke to was mildly interested when I mentioned websites for people who love fur. There was one who didn't have any idea that there were websites like this one. And there was a third guy who basically said, "Bah!" When I brought up the subject.

 

I don't think many furriers know about the Fur Den and the dozen other sites (that I know of) which feature fur. I know some of them know that there are "fur websites." For the most part, I think they are mostly occupied with their business.

 

I think it divides pretty evenly between the "old line" furriers and the "new blood".

 

Old timers are going to be less inclined to be "internet savvy" than they "young whipper-snappers".

[lynxette]

Weeeellll, I know of at least a couple of furriers who know about the Den as I mentioned it in passing conversation regarding ideas for furs I wanted made. There wasn't really any appreciable response though...of course I did not give away our secret handshake or anything.

[ReFur]

Most of the furriers I know just don't like the web. They are hands-on and think they will have price pressures if furs sell online. They just don't believe the market is really there.

 

I must say I do agree with them in some ways. It is a way to possibly bring people in, but not make the sale.

 

Most of have our own contacts with furriers, if we really are buyers, I believe.

 

Linda

[White Fox]

An uneducated thought from above posts.

 

As Linda last mentioned, probably most all furriers would know sites like this exist. Likely they have never seen it though, so imagine their thoughts (totally misguided though they be.) I just started to list what those thoughts might be but decided not to. We all know what thoughts might be in the crooked minds of folks who hear of a site like this but have not seen it.

 

Now then, of all the folk who sell furs. Take away those who are never on the net at all and do not understand it. Then, take away all those who know of this site or others like it, but would not come here due to negative stereotypes no matter how wrong that they may be. Then, take away all those who think that their customer base might suffer because of customers finding them on such a misunderstood site. Then, take away those left who are just simply not interested no matter what the circumstances. Then, take away those who are just too tired of working with â™ furs when they leave the store at night, and want to get away from it all.

 

OK, how many do you think are left? As mentioned, this is my thought only. But think it is probably a pretty educated guess. I am not saying that these folk will never come. I think more and more might. But, it will be a fight to get them to understand that this place is a lot different than they might think that it is.

 

Just my guess mind you

 

W

[auzmink]

I wonder if apathy is an issue. I have contacted 2 furriers in the UK and the British Fur Trade Association to see if I can engage in undertaking some basic pelt work just for my interest. I was even prepared to pay - just like going to a night-school. To date I am still waiting for a reply!

 

If this is the response to a genuine enquiry, then I hate to think about the response to this website.!

 

Auzmink.

[ReFur]

auzmink,

 

I think you are right. Plus, in general I think they are just depressed. Their profession has still not recovered from the fur crash 20 years ago.

 

Linda

[Guest]

That's a long time to hold on to a depression

 

I think most furriers look on it as just another commodity that they happen to have chosen to sell.

 

I know the treatment I got from Shumacker in Portland was major off turning.

 

I find the few like Horst or Kostas to be the exceptions rather than the rule.

 

OFF

Edited March 28, 2008 by Guest

[ReFur]

I agree OFF. One of the first things I noticed when I first arrived in the fur district was the heavy depression. It was everywhere. Older men who were in a dying industry. They even feed on each other's hopelessness. None of them could understand why I wanted to be in furs. They all wanted out but had no other skills.

 

In general I found they took it out on their customers.

 

Manufacturers make horrible sales people!

[auzmink]

Linda,

 

Granted, but you would have thought an organisation representing the fur trade in a country could have at least replied offering some suggestions. Furriers will need someone to take on the skills they have in the future, especially as its not dying out, but NO response at all - fairly pathetic.

 

Auzmink.

[JGalanos]

Furs.com has not been updated in months -- The Gucci front page story is old news by now. So much for internet-related industry support and using all available communication channels to maintain consumer interest during the "high season".

[AKcoyote]

As has been stated before, many North American furriers see the furrier business as dying. They cannot afford to train any new furriers. Many are slowly going broke with no funds or skills to pursue other income opportunities.

[lynxette]

I fear it is possible that the North American fur industry may become simply one of raw material production and retail sales in the not too distant future, which will be a real shame for an industry with such a proud past.

[Guest]

Just like Pittsburgh and the steel industry in North America.

 

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

I also think the fur business is a lot like the movie business in that it is a relatively "closed" occupation.

 

People in the movie business are a fairly close-knit community and, unless you know somebody who is already in the business or unless you show some real marketable skills to people in the "right places" you're not going to get anywhere.

 

There's the age old saw:

 

Q: "How do I become a movie star?"

 

A: "You have to be in the Screen Actor's Guild."

 

Q: "How do I get into the Screen Actor's Guild?"

 

A" "You have to be in the movies?"

 

I think there is a similar attitude in the fur business. Unless you are already in the business or unless you know somebody in the business, you're not going to get very far if you don't show some extreme talent to somebody who can introduce you into the craft.

[Guest]

Ungar Furs will continue (hopefully) since Horst's son is learning the business from him.

 

 

 

OFF