Buttons, anyone?

[Vhrael]

Okay, I've been thinking up something since the old discussion about "AR merchandise" came up. I've always liked little pins (1"-2" diameter) to stick on backpacks, shirts, pants, hats, etc.... I've even put 'em in my car before (pinned to headliner, sunvisor, etc.).

I was considering the potential financial feasibility of having some pins made for players to purchase (for what I paid, not for any profit), and was wondering what the player response to possibly buying these would be. They'd be simple, something like this: http://www.boomspeed.com/texanford/ar_button.JPG (only better drawn, smoother lines, etc.) in a round pin/button format. You could wear them or display them however else you like (school backpack/bookbag, work cubicle, car, ear piercing, etc.).

Here's the best part:

When people see the ominous "AR" with no explanation, especially friends/etc., they're likely to ask what the hell that means. Then you get to launch into the spiel about what a great game you think AR is, how much fun you have, lie about how non-addictive it is (they'll find out), etc.... and tell them the website so they can check it out. Then if you want, you can give 'em a button to have so they keep AR fresh in their mind. Word of mouth is the best way to advertise (in my opinion and many professional corporate entities as well), and a visual aid to attract attention from friends, coworkers, students, etc. also helps.

So basically I'm looking for a couple of things from you, the players. If you can, please reply with the following questions answered:

1) Would you be interested in buying something like this, if the price was right and they looked alright?
2) If so, what would you consider to be a "reasonable" price?
3) How many pins would you be interested in buying (for yourself, to pass out to interested parties, etc.)?

The way I'm looking at it right now is that if enough interest is shown, and enough people are serious about wanting to buy the pins, I'll start figuring out a way to organize collection of money (this isn't something you can buy 10 at a time... they come in bulk, which is expensive), etc., and get the ball rolling. I'd have to have a serious commitment from quite a few players to make this financially feasible, and I really can't afford to throw it all out of my own pocket.

Keep in mind - the more people that are interested, and the more buttons that people would consider buying, the cheaper the price. I wouldn't be making any profit off of this, I'd simply be charging what it would cost me to order the buttons and then ship them out to the respective buyers. In other words:

100 buttons bought = X per button
200 buttons bought = (X-y) per button
300 buttons bought = (X-y-y) per button
500 buttons bought = (X-y-y-y) per button

You get the idea. So... feedback, anyone?

[Davairus]

Here's how I attracted people to play AR back when..

step 1: sign into AR in any lab, at class
step 2: nerdy strangers come over "LOL WTF IS THAT"
step 3: "its a text game. i'm playing it because the teacher is too stupid to know the difference between this and work, and i'm stuck here a while"

step 1: sign into AR in the library lab (not in class now)
step 2: same
step 3: same, remove "teacher" add "prefect"
note: less likely to work in the library

I'd be tempted to email a couple old friends now and get them playing again, but I can't remember their names because I was too busy with mud. And I suspect they'd rather be out drinking. Good times.

[Kalist19]

I think it's an awesome idea. I'd definately buy a few to stick on my laptop backpack and whatnot. Agree that it would be a great way to get to tell people your speil without having to be the one approaching them. I'd put $10 toward the cause. Don't know if that would do anything but at least it's not too big of a blow for a poor student.

[Vhrael]

That'd probably work...

If everybody that's interested wanted to pitch in like $10, I could see how many people are in and how much that pool comes to. Then I'd buy the biggest bulk of buttons possible, and divide 'em between all that wanted 'em.

Might not be a bad idea at all...

[formalism]

[Jamus]

I think stickers would be a better idea. I also like the older ideas, like stupid crap that newbs always did. Some sort of phrase or something.

Yeah... as far as anyone I know is concerned (besides bassball), AR is "the fetchin' gayest thing I've ever seen in my life. I don't get crap like this. Stupid nerd." I probably wouldn't be handing them out, or anything. No one would even give it a chance (which sucks, really).

[Poo Man]

I would put 10-15 bucks to it. Shit, if there were AR t-shirts I would buy those and wear the shit out of them. But yeah, I'd buy the buttons for AR.

[Xazappith]

I'd give ten or twenty to the cause. as to the tee shirts, wasn't there a thread about that? If so, did those ever turn into something we could buy?

[Sethronu]