Monday, May 03, 2010

The Non-Bond



Before I continue with the other posts I had planned for today (and there are several, including a perfume giveaway), I wanted to add my voice to those of other bloggers about Bond No. 9. The newest kerfuffle started when the company chose Twitter as a medium for issuing a public cease & desist to The Perfumed Court. I'm not going to get into the decant debate and why decanters serve not only the community but also the perfumers. This isn't really the point. The issue is once again about the business practices of Bond No. 9 and the way it bullies small companies who can't afford a long legal battle. I searched, but couldn't find any evidence that more established online discounters, the gray market distribution channel, got the same treatment (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check Beauty Encounter for Bond testers, samples and bottles).

I've been true to my word and stopped covering Bond No. 9 perfumes in January 2008. Their emails and press releases (often as tacky as their bottles) are automatically directed to my spam folder. It looks like other bloggers and perfume enthusiasts might be joining this quiet protest. After all, there are many brands, big and small, far more deserving of our attention and money.

You can read more about it on these blogs:
Perfume Shrine
State of the [Car]nation

Photo of George Lazenby, Bond sans pants, on the 1969 set of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service from commanderbond.net

12 comments:

  1. Twitter? Is Laurice Rahme kidding? What a paranoid, self-involved twit. I hope that an attorney perfumista comes to TPC's aid and fires back pro bono.

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  2. I joined with you back then and continue to do so. Happily, since there were only about two that I really liked, it's an easy boycott.

    I did smell the new HighLine and it was such a snooze..

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  3. I refuse even to sample anything from this company. There are just too many great perfumes from decent perfumers to bother with bullies.

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  4. I agree. The word "bully" is perfectly chosen. Don't want to support a bully.
    Cheryl

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  5. I thought the "peace" issue was bad. Cease and desist via Twitter? Tacky, tacky, tacky.

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  6. Bad manners. Tacky behavior. I wouldn't buy a B#9 if you gave it to me (oh, hush! you know what I mean :-)

    xoA

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  7. At the risk of sounding rather uptight, I hate the idea of big companies bullying the smaller ones. What's wrong with selling samples? The samples are pricier than the whole perfume, a for most people, they're meant to test a pricey perfume before they can decide to buy a big bottle, anyway. It doesn't really hurt anyone.

    I will boycott Bond, too. It may not matter to their bottom line that a few people stopped buying their products, but we've got to take a stand one way or another.

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  8. GalileosDaughterMay 04, 2010 10:09 AM

    I admire your stance and the stance of the other bloggers in doing this. Bond's actions are bullying, pure and simple, and in fact may be a form of slander, as they are alleging a violation of the law when no violation has been proven.

    I've been boycotting Bond for a long time now, when they bullied Liz Zorn and other perfumers. No big loss, as I found their perfumes screechy and overpriced anyway. "Peace Out, Bond!"

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  9. Amen. Thank you for taking such a strong stance in a public space, it's what I appreciate most about your blog.

    Not that I like any Bond No.9 fragrances anyway so the outcome is probably the same, but I'm still not supporting a company like that. Like you said, there are plenty of other more-deserving businesses to support.

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  10. Wow, that's ridiculous. I would literally never have even tried a Bond No. 9 perfume if it weren't for The Perfumed Court. It's the best (and often only) way for people living off the beaten path to see if they enjoy wearing a fragrance. I live on the Gulf Islands in Canada and having the option to try before I buy really matters to me. I will definitely not be purchasing any Bond because of this.

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  11. Not only is Bond No. 9 a bully, but they are shooting themselves in the foot big time! If no one can try before they buy, they ain't gonna buy at those prices anyway!

    I won't purchase their perfumes and I have stopped writing about them too. This whole issue is kind of ironic, since everyone says that the Bond scents are all copycats of other, better perfumes anyway!

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  12. count me in the boycott. I have never been a fan of bond no. 9 every since i discovered their existence. this now as seal the deal.

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