Charlie Bears - get a grip

If you don't like them then don't watch! Simples!

I'm a Charlie Bears collector and love a lot of their bears. I don't mind Will & Charlotte, in fact quite like them, but sometimes they can be a bit sickly in sales pitch. However if you love the end product (ie the bears) thats what matters most imo.

Whilst we are sat here giving our opinions on their sales patter/relationship/bear hugs/fans etc at the end of the day they are a business and have found a very effective marketing style!

We may mock, and indeed they do irritate me(her more than him),but I reckon those two are having the last laugh.....all the way to the Bank!!:up:

not for me - but can't quite believe the prices they are going for on ebay!!!

Mam said:

How many times has Will mentioned how much the retired bears are fetching on the secondary market, is he trying to start another "Beanie Baby" craze?

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My first (I only have 3...honestly!) Charlie Bear was Maximillian who was one of their original bears. I had a browse on ebay and spotted him being auctioned there today coincidentally. If I remember correctly, he cost £25 new and he closed half an hour ago for £52!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....19769&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1

Toril said:

so I've already ordered one.

I've always collected miniature bears (my smallest being a fully jointed one that measures just under 3 inches when standing,) but I succumbed to my first Charlie Bear when I spotted them on QVC. I've now got more than one. :wink:

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I've already ordered one of the new keyring bears too, Toril. Which one caught your eye? I liked Andrew Bear. (...and I also have a fair few miniature bears. The oldest two date back to the 1950's and were my mum's.)

Northernlights said:

I can't stand them...especially the greasy bloke with that awful accent..............I turn the telly down ...cos the bears are cute and I have bought a couple.
No offence to anyone with an accent...............but for some reason his grates.

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its a Leeds accent, so you've obviousy never been there?

Off the bear subject but is Leighton Denny a Leeds lad too?

Lemonsqueezy said:

Whilst we are sat here giving our opinions on their sales patter/relationship/bear hugs/fans etc at the end of the day they are a business and have found a very effective marketing style!

We may mock, and indeed they do irritate me(her more than him),but I reckon those two are having the last laugh.....all the way to the Bank!!:up:

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I have two of the bears (possibly another on its way from a waitlist order and am dithering about the TSV) and they are gorgeous. So yes they are a business, yes they may be laughing all the way to the bank but I'm delighted with my purchases so I haven't got a problem with them making money.

Mrs James said:

i've never got as far as the shows...the nauseating 'how we met' ads are enough to churn even the most hardened stomach

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"hardened stomach" Mrs James - you've been and splashed out on that pilates machine haven't you...?:tongue:

Silver Fox said:

Off the bear subject but is Leighton Denny a Leeds lad too?

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Leighton hails from Bradford just like my good self, and I thought this chap who does the Charlie Bears did too? Maybe I'm wrong about that. I've lost most of my accent from living away for many years but every time either of them is on I do I ask my OH in a moaning voice: "I don't sound like that do I?" I'd rather sound like Glen Campbell (he is from Leeds!)

Boris Bear said:

I have two of the bears (possibly another on its way from a waitlist order and am dithering about the TSV) and they are gorgeous. So yes they are a business, yes they may be laughing all the way to the bank but I'm delighted with my purchases so I haven't got a problem with them making money.

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Nope..me neither.

Well, I tried soooooo hard NOT to buckle but ...................... :mysmilie_516: Fuddy and the 7" mini bear Peanut are now scheduled to join the 'gang' here.

perdita said:

I've already ordered one of the new keyring bears too, Toril. Which one caught your eye? I liked Andrew Bear. (...and I also have a fair few miniature bears. The oldest two date back to the 1950's and were my mum's.)

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Andrew is the one I ordered as well.

The miniature one I mentioned in my earlier post was bought for me when I was 9 and that's a fair while ago. :thinking: I've also got a collection of miniature bears that I got from a 'Bear club' but at £40 a bear at the rate of one a month I stopped at 6. I'd given up smoking and invested in fresh air and bears instead. And that's my excuse for buying more bears today ...... I'm still a non-smoker (not that I really need an excuse, but it eases my conscience. :wink2

Silver Fox said:

Off the bear subject but is Leighton Denny a Leeds lad too?

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He's from Bradford but Glen (the so called fashion expert) is from Leeds

Thanks Art Deco! Often wondered where LD is from--Should have known used to live in West Yorks & worked in Bradford for several years!

Sorry! Thanks Looby!!

Silver Fox said:

Thanks Art Deco! Often wondered where LD is from--Should have known used to live in West Yorks & worked in Bradford for several years!

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What a place for producing fabulous people: Leighton Denny, me, Barbara Castle, Kimberley from Girls Aloud...the list goes on...:wink:

Tell you what, pitty the man of Charlie Bears doesn't an item number....:tongue:

I am sorry that peeps think Will and Charlie are disingenuous, they love their bears and their business, what's wrong with that? At least they don't charge prices like Steiff do, now talk about using their name, their bears are scary and soooo overpriced! Agree Lola, I think Will is rather tasty too!

I thought Leighton Denny was from Barnsley, I'm sure I've heard him say that, and he certainly has a Barnsley accent, nothing like the Bradford accents. I just thought he opened a shop in Bradford?